1 Peter 1:1-2

1 Peter 1:1-2

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.  To the chosen ones of the diaspora currently not living in their natural home in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.  According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in a sanctification of the Spirit, into an obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.  May grace and peace multiply for you all.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

As with most of the letters in the New Testament, Peter gives himself the title of apostle.  With what is Peter identifying?  He is sent out by God on a mission that is of God’s choosing.  Peter is a messenger from God.  He’s not living a life of his own choosing; Peter is living as an extension of the king of the universe.

Are you an apostle?  How does apostolic living look to you in your life?

Second Thought:

I love how Peter describes the people to whom he is writing.  He uses the description diaspora (διασπορά), which literal means “scattered.”  It comes from the word that is usually used to talk about scattering seed in the field.  Of course, Peter is talking about the Christians (and Jews) who due to oppression in Jerusalem are living all throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.  He also uses the word eklektos (ἐκλεκτός), which means “chosen” and is the root of our English word eclectic.  What is Peter talking about?  Peter is addressing this letter to people who due to oppression are loved by God but living in a place that truly isn’t their homeland.  That’s the literal understanding.  But from a spiritual understanding, isn’t Peter talking about all of us?  How many of us who belong to God are truly living in our homeland?  Are we not all scattered?  Should not all of us face persecution according to our faith?

Where is your homeland?  From where does your persecution come?

Third Thought:

Peter then focuses his introduction on why he is where he is and why his audience is where they are.  Everything has happened with the foreknowledge of God.  God knew these people would be in this situation well before it happened.  They – and we in our scattered lives – do not live outside the foreknowledge of God!  Second, they and we are in the position we are in through the sanctification of the Spirit.  How are we scattered if not through the direction of the Spirit?  How are we able to be apostles of God if not by the Spirit?  Finally, Paul reminds us of the blood of Christ.  How could we even be in a relationship with the Father if not for the blood of Jesus Christ?  We are where we are in our life and in relationship with God because of the blood of Christ, in the foreknowledge of the Father, and through the guidance of the Spirit.  We can rest confidently in all of these things.

Are you confident in the blood?  Are you confident in the wisdom and knowledge of the Father?  Are you confident in the sanctification of the Spirit?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Peter 1:3-5