2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
By the time the letter which became 1 & 2 Peter was written, Peter had been in his calling for thirty years, Christ had been crucified, and the early church was operating in Asia Minor (the area of modern Turkey) under severe persecution from the Roman emperor Nero. Encouragement to hold to the faith was needed, which is the reason Peter was prompted by God to write this letter. 1 PET 1: 1-2 is the introduction. “From Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ [to believers dispersed from Israel]-To God’s chosen people who love as refugees scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. You were chosen according to the purpose of God the Father and were made a holy people by His Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be purified by His blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure.” Pontus borders on the Black Sea’s south side and includes the modern town of Bafra. Galatia runs from the town of Philadelphia northeast toward Bafra. Cappadocia is in the middle of Asia Minor just east of Galatia. Asia probably refers to other unnamed territories in the western portion of that continent. Bithynia is west of the Pontus area of northern Asia Minor along the southwestern border of the Black Sea. That Peter uses the word “dispersion” predisposes us to think that these must have been Jewish Christians. However, it is probable that Peter was writing to Gentile believers who had been dispersed by persecution among the surrounding nations. While it is true that Peter was primarily an apostle to the Jews, he also ministered to the Gentiles.
The recipients of the letter were designated by a four-step progression of their salvation which involved all three persons of the Trinity. First of all, they were “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” This means that in a past eternity, God chose them to belong to Himself. This is a feature of God’s sovereignty. There is nothing unjust in this mystery of God’s choice here. The second step is sanctification of the Spirit. This aspect of sanctification takes place before conversion and is a ministry of the Holy Spirit. He sets people apart to belong to God. 2 THESS 2: 13, “We must thank God at all times for you, brothers, you whom the Lord loves. For God chose you as the first to be saved by the Spirit’s power to make you His holy people and by your faith in the truth.” It is a logical follower to election by God the Father. In eternity God foreknew and chose men. In time the Holy Spirit operates to make that election real in the lives of the individuals concerned. The third step is the response of the sinner to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is described as obedience to Jesus Christ [repenting of one’s sins and accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. The last step is there is the sprinkling with His blood (purification). What this is saying is the as soon as a person obeys the Gospel, he receives all the benefits which flow from the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross.
Peter’s greeting of grace and peace wished for the recipients of his letter is his acknowledgment that they will need grace- strength in the Christian life- and peace amidst a turbulent society. James Denney said, “Grace is the first and last word of the Gospel; and peace-perfect spiritual soundness-is the finished work of grace.” Perhaps that understanding will lend new meaning to the way that I chose to end each message I send you.
1 PET 1: 3-4, “Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of His great mercy He gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope, and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for His people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil for fade away.” The concept that something must die for something else to be born was first introduced to me from the teachings about the ancient Jewish concept of the process of planting crops. People in those days didn’t realize that burying the seed was burying something not dead. The seven major holidays of the Jewish calendar are based on the agricultural year. LV 23: 15-16 is God’s command through Moses to the Jews that they should take the first grain they harvest and offer it to the Lord, the offering of First Fruits. This comes at the time of the barley harvest. It points forward to Christ’s resurrection. RO 8: 29, “Those whom God had already chosen He also set apart to become like His Son, so that the Son would be the first among many brothers.” 1 COR 15: 20-23, “But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised. For just as death came by means of a man, in the same way the rising from death comes by means of a Man. For just as all people die because of their union with Adam, in the same way all will be raised to life because of their union with Christ. But each one will be raised in his proper order: Christ, first of all; then, at the time of His coming, those who belong to Him.” That, Dear Ones, is the living hope, but isn’t everything Peter had to say about it. More tomorrow.
PRAYER: O Lord, a lot of work has gone into our salvation and more is yet to be done. It is a process that involves all three persons of the Trinity and ourselves. By Your grace, You have invited us to repent from our sins and come to faith in Jesus Christ. What we may not have realized is that before that ever happened, by Your sovereignty You elected to claim ownership of us, the Holy Spirit began the process of sanctification, and Christ died on the cross to make a way open to mankind for salvation. When we understand all that has gone into this opportunity for us, we should be encouraged to stand fast in our faith without regard to persecution, life challenges, or even martyrdom which might come our way. This is the same message Peter was giving to the early church, and is applies to us today as it did in the past. Because of Your love for us, You have given us the hope of the resurrection, that which Peter calls a “living hope.” We humbly offer You thanks, praise, and honor for giving us this living hope in Christ’s and thus, Your, presence in our lives. We are grateful for the story of Peter and the wisdom You gave him in writing his letter. Most of all, we offer You our trust and obedience, so that You will know the depth of our love for You. In Christ’s name, amen.
My husband, Peter, and I send you our heartfelt love in Christ.
Be Blessed Today and Always,
Lynn