1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (ESV)
Peter is writing to a persecuted Chruch through Asia minor--the area we call modern day Turkey. Like all of Scripture, this is not written in a vacuum; on the contrary, these Christian believers are suffering and even dying for the faith.
In stating who he is, the recipient can know that the message is authoritative because it comes from Peter, who is and Apostle of Christ. Notice that the Greek word reguarlarly translated as 'Church' is used next as 'elect'. This is not insignficant and is usually passed over. Church means 'called out ones', 'elect ones', or 'chosen ones'. These Christians are 'the called out ones' or 'the elect ones'. This kind of language would have immediately brough comfort as it still ought to today because, in being chosen/called, the believer knows that He is secure in Christ.
After listing the specific regions his letter is to go to, Peter continues with a glorious Trinitarian passage that is loaded with eternal significance and comfort. He then concisely explains how they were chosen, sanctified, and justified. It is according to the Foreknowledge of God the Father, the Sanctifying Work of the Spirit, and the Sprinkling of the Blood of Christ.
First of all, this foreknowledge is not foreseen faith; rather this is forelove, which is the same verb used in 1 Peter 1:20 regarding the foreknowledge of Christ. This knowledge is of intimacy and not mere data; otherwise the passage in 1 Peter 1:20 about Christ makes no sense. In light of this, one can see how comforting it is to be chosen by God; because it was not by my strength that I chose Him neither shall it be through my weakness that I will lose Him.
Secondly, The sanctifying work of the Spirit is how they were changed from death to life, and now each day they are made into the likeness of Christ as we are empowered to be obedient to Christ. This in particular ushers in a spirit of endurance and joy because the old self is being crucified as its vanities are being put off day by day. Oh that the Christian might relish in the freedom we have in Christ, for now we are free to do what we were created to do: worship God in spirit and in truth!
Thirdly, by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ (remember how Moses sprinkled the people, which was a foreshadow of Christ), they were justified before a Holy God! Christ did not merely make his sheep saveable; on the contrary, he declared them not guilty and saved them on the cross, and not one shall be lost! Amen!
Now in light of all that Peter has said, this grace and peace that He commends to them from the Lord is not some cheezy greeting; rather, this grace and peace is what they need and are longing for in the midst of heavy persecution and difficulty. Let us abide in this same grace and peace.
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