Seeds for 04/02/2024 - 1 Peter 1:2
Scripture:
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Observation: There are differences among Christians concerning the theological concept of election and how choosing and foreknowledge works. Rather than rehash that debate here, I want to consider what they are chosen for and how that is accomplished.
First, what are they chosen for? Peter’s audience is chosen by God “to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood.” Becoming part of God’s people involves a call to obedience to Jesus. Matthew relays this in the Great Commission found at the end of His Gospel, when Jesus includes “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” in His expectations for the making of disciples. This is an important reminder that we are not simply called to hold certain theological beliefs about Jesus, but to put our whole faith and trust in Him, manifested in obeying Him.
Second, how is this obedience to Jesus accomplished? Peter declares that it is “through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.” “Sanctifying” in this context means “purifying,” “growing in holiness,” or “growing in Christian maturity.” So, the way we grow in obedience to Jesus is chiefly a work of the Holy Spirit. Anything we do is participating in what God is doing in our life. Remember—we are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works. Trusting obedience to Jesus produces works that glorify God and advance His kingdom.
Paul says it this way in Philippians 2:12-13:
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (emphasis mine)
So, our calling as the People of God who have been saved by His grace is to obedience to Jesus, which is the indication that we are growing in holiness and Christian maturity. This is accomplished by the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. In other words, God doesn’t save us by grace and then it’s all up to us to mature in faith. The maturing in faith is also a work of God. It stands to reason that just like we had to receive God’s work of grace to save us, we also must intentionally receive God’s work of grace to grow and mature us.
Having greeted his audience this way, Peter’s prayer is simple and powerful: “Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” To welcome the work of the Spirit who will lead me to greater obedience to Jesus, I’ll take all the abundance of grace and peace the Lord sees fit to provide!
Application:
Are you actively growing in Christian maturity or are you stalled out? Do you know what your next step might be?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, grant me your grace and peace in abundance, so that I may welcome your Spirit’s sanctifying work in my life. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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