Greetings

 

1 Peter 1:1-2

Good morning, hello, how are you, how is the family, those are normal greetings in my world.  I’m not sure anyone has ever sent me a letter with such a greeting, with the exception of this one.  “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for the sprinkling with his blood.”

This greeting was not sent by the impulsive, young Simon Peter, it is much later in his life and he has been disciplined by years of trials and suffering, and he has learned to abide in Christ, to listen to the Holy Spirit, and now he is addressing the elect scattered throughout Asia Minor.  Paul has founded most of the churches receiving this letter; they consist of both Jews and Gentiles.  The letter is written with the hope of encouraging, instructing, and admonishing these young churches.

Words are so important, and Peter uses some that most of us do not use in greeting our friends, neighbors, and family; words like (elect).  Scripture gives this insight into the election of God’s people; Exodus 6:7, “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”  God is speaking to Moses about the Jews and later in the book of Deuteronomy 7:6 Moses declares these words on election; “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.  The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the people who are on the face of the earth.”  To be a people of God, his treasured possession, how blessed the Jewish people are, and yet Peter was also addressing non-Jews, look at John chapter 15 and verses 9, and 16.  Jesus said; “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”  Verse 16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give to you.” 

The other word that is not in my daily vocabulary foreknowledge, what is the apostle Peter conveying to us the elect, in my simple words, God’s never learned anything, He knows all, and He has never had to say Oops.  Isaiah who was a chosen servant of God gave us these words from God; “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.  Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” (Isaiah 42:8,9)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice