1 Peter 1:1-21Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:1‑2)
THE Epistles of Peter occupy an important place in the Scriptures. In them believers are regarded, not as sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (as in Ephesians), but as strangers and pilgrims in the world going onward to the inheritance reserved in heaven, and subject to the government of God by the way. This line of things is highly necessary for our souls. It is not sufficient to be taken up with the Ephesian line, elevating though it is; Peter's aspect of truth has an equal claim upon our hearts.
My present object is to draw attention to Peter's preface to his first epistle, in which we shall find an assemblage of important truths for our souls. He wrote “to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.” These were scattered Jews, as we read in John 7:3535Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? (John 7:35), “The dispersed among the Gentiles.” James wrote in a similar direction, but addressed the whole twelve tribes. Peter, on the other hand, addresses only the believers among them. These were his allotted charge, as we know. The risen Lord bade him feed His sheep (John 21), meaning, I suppose, those of the circumcision. Other sheep were to be called in, who had never known the Jewish fold (John 10:1616And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)); but they in due time were committed more to the care of the apostle Paul. He that wrought mightily in the one to the apostleship of the circumcision, wrought in the other to the apostleship of the uncircumcision (Gal. 2:88(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) (Galatians 2:8)). Consequently, Jewish believers are addressed in Peter's Epistles, though all that is written, one need hardly say, is for Gentile believers also.
They are described as “elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father.” This is a far higher thing than Israel's national election by Jehovah. As a people they were chosen of God, in time, to inherit the promises concerning the land. They were to be His people, walking in separation from the nations around, maintaining His truth in the midst of universal idolatry. How deeply they have failed, we know; but God will yet make His intentions good, for His gifts and calling are without repentance (Rom. 11:2929For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (Romans 11:29)). But during their rejection, God is speaking of another election, Believers in Jesus were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:44According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4)). This, in contrast with Israel's election, is individual. It would not be correct to speak of the church, as such, as “elect,” though it be true of all the members who compose it. Here some fail in their apprehension of the mind of God. They like to think of the church as a whole as elect, leaving it an open question as to individual believers, who may, in their judgment, be finally disowned after all. But scripture is decisive and clear. Election is a truth of God, but it concerns individual believers, and not the church as such. These Jewish brethren, if one may so say, were an election out of an election. They had stood in the old Jewish circle of outward privilege; they had now been called out of it to enjoy God's eternal counsel-relationship with the Father as His children through grace.
Next we get the means whereby this election is made good, “through sanctification of the Spirit.” This again is in contrast with what Israel had known. Their sanctification was of an outward character, and by means of the law of commandments contained in ordinances (Eph. 2:1515Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)). By the possession of these, they were marked off from the uncircumcised around them. Flesh gloried in them, and despised others. But Christian sanctification is another and deeper thing. It is an inward work—the work of the Spirit of God. By His gracious operation in the soul, the person becomes set apart from God, to be His forever. It is important to observe the particular phase of sanctification that is in view in this place. It is absolute, not progressive. To bring the latter in here, as is often done, is to endanger the blessings of the gospel. The apostle put it before the sprinkling of the blood. Progressive sanctification never precedes this. Any efforts after holiness before the work of Christ is known, are merely legalism. The monastic principle is fundamentally false here. Souls who are utter strangers to the grace of God, and the virtues of the blood of Christ, endeavor by their own works to attain to holiness and thus to fit themselves for God. But this is vain, and not the gospel. Holiness, in the progressive sense, follows the reception of blessing; to attempt to place it anywhere else, is to upset all the truth of scripture. Hence, in Peter, it is the absolute aspect of the truth. Sanctification in this sense is true of every believer from the very first moment of the Spirit's work in the soul. This phase of the matter has been let slip seriously, to the injury of souls. Yet the scriptures say far more about the absolute aspect of sanctification, than the progressive. The reader should examine the following among other passages, 1 Cor. 6:1111And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11), 2 Thess. 2:1313But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (2 Thessalonians 2:13), 1 Cor. 1:3030But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30), Heb. 10:10-1410By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:10‑14).
There is more in Peter's preface— “unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” This is in plain contrast with the position taken up by Israel in Ex. 24. There they were set apart unto the obedience of the law. Moses “took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that Jehovah hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Ex. 24:77And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. (Exodus 24:7)). Solemn obligation! In utter ignorance of themselves and of God, they undertook to carry out all the requirements of the law. The result we know. But the Christian is set apart unto a higher character of obedience— “the obedience of Jesus Christ.” We are to obey as He obeyed. The blessed One did not obey from dread of consequences, nor did the will of God come to Him as a check upon an opposite will in Himself. To Him it was a law of liberty, as James speaks. In all the perfection of the divine nature, He took delight in carrying out all God's will. Here is an example. We have been born of God, are partakers of the divine nature, and have His Spirit. It is ours now to render a prompt and happy obedience to His revealed mind and will in all things. It is one of the first inquiries of the new-born soul, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” The soul feels that the time past will suffice to have wrought the will of man, and it now fervently desires to please God. This we have to keep before us day by day. Thus do we become heavenly persons practically. The law, if kept, will never make a man what a Christian is expected to be. Can we wonder that those who look no higher than the law, regarding it as the proper rule of life, walk on low ground? Need we be surprised that such are involved with the world, to the hurt of their souls and the loss of their testimony?
Next we get, “the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” We are sanctified unto that also. Israel was sprinkled with blood at Sinai. “Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words” (Ex. 24:88And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words. (Exodus 24:8)). This was not atonement, For he sprinkled the book of the law also (Heb. 9:1919For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, (Hebrews 9:19)). Atonement could have no place at the giving of the law, however suited, in the grace of God, after the infraction of it. The blood was intended as the sign of death which must be Israel's portion if the covenant was violated. But what a different voice has the blood of Christ! It not only speaks better things than that of Abel, but also better things than that of Sinai. It speaks of atonement made, of redemption accomplished. Blessed be God, it has been applied to us. The sprinkling of it upon us has rendered us clean before God, and every sin has gone from the conscience. In virtue of it, we may draw near to God without a veil, and worship in His holy presence. This is the happy place of the Christian. Would that our souls enjoyed it more thoroughly! Into all this blessing these dispersed Jewish brethren had been introduced, in glorious advance of everything known under the law. Yet alas! the bondage and distance they had been brought out of in order to share these blessings through faith in Christ, men in Christendom are now hankering after more than ever. May all our readers be preserved. Our souls are only secure from the efforts of the enemy when in real heart-enjoyment of the fullness of divine grace in Christ Jesus.