1 Peter 1:2 - A Sovereign Work of Father, Son, & Holy Spirit
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Q. What is the worst physical pain you’ve ever felt?
Q. What was most important to you in that moment?
The first readers of Peter’s letter were in pain. They were being persecuted, and perhaps they thought the most important thing was escaping that pain.
But one theme that Peter repeatedly stresses to them is this: The most important thing is not your pain or escaping from that pain; the most important thing is who you are in Christ and how you live your life for Him.
That’s the theme that Peter introduces in 1 Peter 1:2, but let’s start with v. 1…
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
Now, people have debated whether God chose who will be saved, but Peter doesn’t debate it; he flatly tells his readers who were Christians that God chose them.
They resident aliens, scattered across Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia; and they were chosen.
The Greek word is eklektos and it is usually translated as chosen or elect.
Just as Israel was the chosen of God (Deut. 7:6; 10:15), so Peter applied that term to the followers of Jesus.
They are the elect, the chosen.
Jesus used this word to refer to His followers (Mt. 22:14, 24:22, 24, 31; Lk. 18:7; Jn. 13:18; 15:16, 19).
31 “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Paul did too (Rom. 8:33; 1 Cor. 1:27, 28; Eph. 1:4; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10; Tit. 1:1).
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
John did (2 Jn. 1, 13; Rev. 17:14).
14 “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”
And, as we’ve seen so did, Peter ( 1 Pet. 1:1, 2:9).
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
There are two TIES that we should remember about God’s choosing…
God’s choosing is tied to His love.
This was true in the Old Covenant as God set His electing love on Israel (Deut. 4:37; 7:6-7; 10:15), and it is true in the New Covenant as God sets His electing love on the church (Jn. 15:12, 19).
12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
God’s choosing is tied to His Son.
This is a point that Peter makes in 1 Peter 1:2 and beyond, but listen to how Paul puts it in Ephesians 1:3-6…
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Let’s think about five questions…
Where we chosen for salvation?
In Christ. There is no salvation anywhere else (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12).
12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
When were we chosen for salvation?
From before the foundation of the world. (Mt. 25:34; Eph. 1:4).
34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Why were chosen?
We were chosen by God’s grace for God’s glory (Eph. 2:5-9).
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
That’s three questions—where, when, why—but there are two more questions about God’s choosing that we’ve touched on but that Peter answers directly in 1 Peter 1:2. Those questions are…
How were we chosen?
And for what were we chosen?
[CIT] In 1 Peter 1:2 Peter says that we are chosen for salvation through a sovereign act of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[TS] Look at the first PHRASE in 1 Peter 1:2…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
PHRASE #1: The chosen are chosen “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Pet. 1:2a).
PHRASE #1: The chosen are chosen “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Pet. 1:2a).
Q: What does ‘foreknowledge’ mean?
The Greek word is prognosis, and it means to know something before it takes place, so God knew beforehand who would be His chosen in Christ.
But God’s foreknowing also means more than this. His foreknowing also includes His fore-choosing.
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
And listen to 1 Peter 1:20…
20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you
God didn’t just foresee when Christ would come, He also foreordained when Christ would come.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
PHRASE #2: The chosen are chosen “by the sanctifying work of the Spirit” (1 Pet. 1:2b).
PHRASE #2: The chosen are chosen “by the sanctifying work of the Spirit” (1 Pet. 1:2b).
What does sanctification mean?
We usually think of sanctification as growth in holiness or growth in living a life that is set apart to God, but the sanctification spoken of here is the sanctification of being set apart to God for salvation by the Holy Spirit.
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
Those whom the Father foreknew, the Spirit sanctified…
…or put another way, those whom the Father choose for salvation, the Spirit set apart for salvation.
PHRASE #3: The chosen are chosen “to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood” (1 Pet. 1:2c).
PHRASE #3: The chosen are chosen “to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood” (1 Pet. 1:2c).
What does it mean to obey Jesus Christ?
We usually think of obeying jesus as doing what Jesus said, but I think what Peter means here is obeying Jesus when He said…
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
To obey Jesus as Peter refers to it in 1 Peter 1:2 is to obey the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ—the Gospel that says that He is God’s perfect Son who lived and died and rose again so that in Him we can be forgiven and made right with God (cf. 2 Thess. 1:7).
What does it mean to be sprinkled with Jesus’ blood?
The sprinkling of blood reaches back to the covenant of law that God made with His people.
3 Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” 4 Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Peter speaks of the blood of Jesus being sprinkled on us because its by way of the blood of Jesus that we enter the New Covenant.
20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
But the blood of Jesus is better for it doesn’t bind us to the law; it cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Those whom the Father foreknew, the Spirit sanctified, so they would believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be cleansed by His blood…
…or put another way, those whom the Father choose for salvation, the Spirit set apart for salvation, so they would believe on the Son and be saved.
[TS] How were we chosen? And for what were we chosen?
We were chosen according to the foreknowledge of the Father and by the sanctification of the Spirit to be saved by the Son.
Objections
Objections
What OBJECTIONS might people have to what I’ve taught you tonight?
Objection #1: “Foreknowledge just means that God knew beforehand who would trust Him, so when He saw who would trust Him, He choose them for salvation.”
But in this way of thinking salvation would not be by grace but by merit, and it would leave room for boasting.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
This way of thinking would also make us the initiator of salvation rather than God because would see our love for Him and respond to it by choosing us. But 1 John 4:9 says…
19 We love, because He first loved us.
Objection #2: “Doesn’t God desire all men to be saved? Why then does He only choose some?”
Yes, 1 Timothy 2:1-4 says…
1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
But although God desires all men to be saved, all men have chosen to rebel against God…
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—
But God has graciously to save some who have rebelled against Him, and who are we to question Him?
15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.
Objection #3: “Then why say to people, ‘Repent of your sins, trust in Jesus, and you will be saved,’ if God has already chosen who will be saved?”
Because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17).
When the Gospel is preached, it sometimes falls on the good soil, as Jesus said, and it grows up into salvation.
That good soil is only found in the hearts of those foreknown and set apart by God—it’s only found in the hearts of the chosen, and the chosen are only identified by their response to the Gospel.
To the elect, the Gospel is aroma of life (2 Cor. 2:15-16).
Conclusion
Conclusion
We began by thinking about the when, where, and why of God’s choosing.
We’ve seen Peter answer the how and for what of God’s choosing.
But what about the who of God’s choosing?
When God chose in Christ, He wasn’t choosing the cream of the crop. He was choosing those who would display His glory.
26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
This is the most important thing about you: You have been chosen by the Father, set apart by the Spirit, to be saved by the Son—because of this great salvation, you gratefully live your life in good time and bad to please Him.
[PRAYER]
