Chosen For Obedience

Introduction

The first letter of Peter can be summed up by this phrase: “Hope for Elect Exiles.”

The letter is centered on communicating to the church abroad that even though they currently face suffering, trials, and persecution as exiles, they are the chosen people of God…and because they are God’s chosen people, they have a living hope in Jesus Christ that will sustain and strengthen them in their circumstances.

It is the hope of Jesus Christ and his return that will help them suffer well, submit to authority, and grow in holiness.

“The death and resurrection of Christ stand as the paradigm for the lives of believers. Just as Christ suffered and then entered into glory, so too his followers will suffer before being exalted.”

The biggest danger facing the church in the 1st century, as well as the church today, is identity amnesia…In other words....forgetting who we are in Christ.

Therefore, It is the affirmation of their identity as God’s chosen people that will help them and us walk in obedience and be the salt and light of the earth in a foreign land.

There are three main parts of this letter to the Christians in Asia Minor:

Chapters 1-2 calls them to remember their identity as God’s chosen people and the living hope in Jesus they have as elect exiles.

Chapters 2-4 calls them to live out their identity as God’s chosen people through obedience to God in a godless world.

Chapters 4-5 calls them to stand firm until the end in their identity and living hope as God’s elect exiles.

Here is the reason why you need to hear this letter…just as the Christians Peter wrote to were strangers in a godless world who were suffering, we too as believers are strangers in a godless world today.

As believers, we will face suffering and persecution in our lives.

sickness, disease, verbal abuse, physical harm, death, etc.

Therefore, to suffer well and walk in obedience in a foreign land...

We must be reminded of our identity as God’s chosen people.

We must be reminded of the living hope we have in Jesus.

We must be reminded to stand firm in the grace of God and not fall away during our suffering.

Paul Tripp says, “If we are going to live well in this generation, we must live out our identity in Christ. We need to know who we are, and what we have been given in Christ.”

So, as we start our study through 1 Peter tonight, we are going to look at the greeting Peter gives to the church in verses 1-2.

Peter knew that the church in Asia Minor was probably struggling to remember their identity as God’s chosen people…for if they were God’s people, how could God allow them to face so much difficulty and suffering?

How easy is it for us to get caught up in our circumstances and forget our identity in Christ today…especially when we go through times of suffering.

In the outset of his letter, Peter describes two of the main truths that permeate the rest of his letter to the church in Asia Minor: Who they are and…in light of who they are…how they should live.

Therefore, the main truth Peter wants us to hear as the church tonight is: As God’s chosen people, who are strangers in a foreign land, we are called to live lives of obedience to our Triune God in the midst of a godless world.

Introduction of the Author (vs 1)

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,”

As an apostle, Peter operates with the full authority by the one who is sent. Since Peter says he is an apostle of Jesus Christ, he writes with the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ in this letter.

We are the Chosen People of God, called to live lives of obedience (vs 2)

“To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,”

Written to Christians in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).

Persecution was not so much physical (before the persecution of Nero) but verbal ridicule.

“Elect”-chosen people of God.

The Israelites were the chosen people of God, but now Peter says these Gentiles are also God’s chosen people through faith in Jesus.

Galatians 3:8-9 “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”

God is the one who has chosen us for salvation.

Ephesians 1:11 “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,”

2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.”

Our election is not based on anything we have done, but it is “unconditional” in the sense that God freely chose to make us his children for his glory because he wanted to.

“Exiles”-temporary resident, refugee, or sojourner.

Because these Christians have been set apart for godliness....this godless world is not their home.

They are foreigners and sojourners in this land.

Two words put together: These Christians are “God’s chosen people who are strangers in a foreign land.”

Their identity is not that they are “exiles or strangers” but their identity is that they are the elect and chosen people of God!

A. The Basis of our Election: God’s foreknowledge

“According to the foreknowledge of God the Father,”

“According” modifies everything stated in verse 1, specifically these people’s elect status.

“Foreknowledge”- to fore know…to fore love.

Made this decision in eternity past.

Ephesians 1:4 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”

God’s foreknowledge is not based on what we have done or we are, but on who God is…free choice by his grace.

If you are in Christ, God freely chose to write you into his story in eternity past.

His story is now our story!

Illustration: What do you do before you buy something?

B. The Actualization of our Election: Sanctification by the Spirit

“in the sanctification of the Spirit,”

“Sanctification”- consecration, to be set apart.

Our election occurs and is actualized through the Holy Spirit setting us apart and making us holy through regeneration.

Regeneration: being born again, being born of the Spirit.

John 3:1-8; Titus 3:3-7.

By the Spirit setting believers apart from the world it makes their election as God’s people visible...because they will live differently than the world.

God not only chose to forgive us of our sin, but also to free us from our sin through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.

This means, that even when we cannot feel God working, or think He is working…we can know he is…because he has actualizes our election through the sanctification of the Spirit.

C. The Purpose of our Election: Obedience

“for obedience...”

The word “for” gives the purpose of our election, which is obedience to our triune God.

Peter says, because you have been chosen by God the Father, and because you have been set apart by the Holy Spirit, live out your identity through walking in obedience.

God has chosen us for obedience…and he will provide the grace and strength to live out a life of obedience to which he has called us to.

“to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:”

“Jesus Christ” modifies the word “blood” and should not also be linked to the word “obedience.”

The CSB gets it right translating it this way: “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ.”

“Sprinkling with his blood” is a metaphor referring back to covenant ratification (Exodus 24:7-8) where following a pledge of obedience, the people were sprinkled with sacrificial blood.

The sprinkling of the blood of Jesus makes the covenant valid and acceptable. The blood of Jesus is what makes our obedience acceptable in God’s sight.

It is the blood of Jesus that cleanses us of our sin, because he is the one who paid our sin debt through his death on the cross.

Ephesians 1:7-8 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Just as a commitment to obey the Old Covenant was made official through Moses sprinkling blood on the people, the commitment for believers to walk in obedience as God’s chosen people to the New Covenant is made official through the blood of Jesus.

“May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

Based on the identity of these Christians in Asia Minor of being God’s chosen people, Peter reminds them of the peace…the shalom…they have with God because of the person and work of their savior, Jesus Christ.

Notice the work of our Triune God in bringing about our redemption:

We are God’s chosen people...

According to the foreknowledge of God the Father

Through the sanctification of God the Holy Spirit

And sprinkled with the blood of God the Son

Why??…FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBEDIENCE

Response

We Must Remember Our Identity as God’s Chosen People

Our identity is not found in our circumstances but in our Savior.

Do not let your circumstances define you.

God the Father chose to write us into his story through his foreknowledge.

God the Spirit is working in us and making us more holy every day.

God the Son has cleansed us of our sin through his spotless blood.

We don’t have to worry

We don’t have to fear

We don’t have to be overwhelmed..

Because our God is in control, he knows the beginning from the end, and he will confirm, strengthen, and establish us until the day of Christ Jesus, even in the midst of facing persecution as strangers in a foreign land.

Our election is not based on our merit but on God’s mercy.

We don’t have to earn God’s favor

We don’t need to clean ourselves up

We simply need to turn from our sin and trust in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection on our behalf.

Because we are God’s chosen people, we must walk in obedience to him as strangers in a godless world.

We have been chosen and fore-loved by the Father, set apart by the Spirit, and sprinkled with the blood of the Son for the purpose of obedience to our triune God.

We must be the salt of the earth.

We must be the light of the world.

We must live out our identity as children of God…knowing God will give us the strength by His Spirit as we strive to pursue holiness

As I close us in prayer...