Scripture Reading: 1 Pet. 1:1-2
First Peter 1:1 says, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen pilgrims of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” The name Peter denotes his regenerated and spiritual man, whereas Simon denotes his natural man by birth (John 1:42; Matt. 16:17-18). Originally, he was Simon, not Peter. The name Simon denotes the old man, the natural man, full of self. But when Peter came to the Lord Jesus, the Lord immediately gave him a new name. The Lord looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (John 1:42). The Lord Jesus never does anything merely in name. His changing of Simon’s name had a reality behind it. By changing Simon’s name the Lord Jesus indicated that He would change Simon into Peter, into a stone.
If we read the four Gospels and Peter’s Epistles, we may find it difficult to believe that Simon, a Galilean fisherman, could be such a writer. By the time he wrote his Epistles, Peter had been changed, transformed. One of the hymns in our hymnal begins with the words, “Earthen vessel I was made, Christ in me the treasure laid” (Hymns, #548). The last stanza of this hymn says, “Transformation is my need.” Simon was an earthen vessel; Peter, however, was a transformed person. He had been regenerated and had become altogether new. Therefore, in his two Epistles we cannot see his flesh, the self, or his natural life. Instead, what we see is the new man expressed in his writing. Christ is expressed in Peter’s writing.
In 1:1 Peter refers to himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. From Gal. 2:8 we know that Peter was an apostle to the Jews.
The first Epistle of Peter is addressed to “the chosen pilgrims of the dispersion.” These chosen ones were sojourning on the earth, somewhat like the children of Israel sojourning in the wilderness. Although they were chosen ones, they had been scattered and they were sojourning.
The word “chosen” brings in the thought of God’s government. Both of Peter’s Epistles (2 Pet. 3:1) are concerned with the government of God. God’s government is universal; it deals with all His creatures in order that He may have a clean and pure universe (2 Pet. 3:13) to express Himself. In the New Testament age, this dealing begins from His chosen people, His elect, His own household (1 Pet. 4:17), especially from His chosen pilgrims who are dispersed and sojourning among the nations, the Gentiles, as His testimony. Hence, these two books emphasize the believers’ being chosen (1 Pet. 2:9; 5:13; 2 Pet. 1:10). As God’s chosen race, God’s choice, God’s particular possession, the dispersed chosen pilgrims need to see that they are under God’s governmental dealing for a positive purpose, regardless of the situation and environment they are in. Anything and everything that happens to them, whether persecution or any other kind of trial and suffering (1 Pet. 1:6; 5:9), is just a part of God’s precious governmental dealing. Such a vision will perfect, establish, strengthen, and ground them (1 Pet. 5:10) that they may grow in grace (2 Pet. 3:18).
The Greek word rendered pilgrims can also be translated sojourners. Strictly speaking, this term in this book refers to the Jewish believers who were sojourners, foreigners, dispersed in the Gentile world (1 Pet. 2:11-12). However, the principle of pilgrims can be applied to all believers, both Jewish and Gentile, because all are the heavenly pilgrims sojourning as foreigners on this earth. These pilgrims are God’s elect, chosen by God out of the human race, out of all the nations (Rev. 5:9-10), according to His foreknowledge (1 Pet. 1:2).
The term “dispersion” was familiar to all the scattered Jews among the nations. This word indicates that this Epistle was written to the Jewish believers. It is from the Greek word that means to scatter or spread abroad, with a root meaning to sow. This implies that the scattered Jews were sown as seeds among the Gentiles.
In verse 1 Peter speaks of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. All these were provinces in Asia Minor, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
First Peter 1:2 says, “According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.” The phrase “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” modifies “chosen” in verse 1. Here, the divine economy through the operation of the Trinity of the Godhead for the believers’ participation in the Triune God is unveiled. God the Father’s choosing, His selection, is the initiation; God the Spirit’s sanctification carries out the selection of God the Father; and God the Son’s redemption, signified by the sprinkling of His blood, is the completion. Through these steps the believers have been chosen, sanctified, and redeemed into the enjoyment of the Triune God — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit — into whom they have been baptized (Matt. 28:19) and whose virtues they are enjoying (2 Cor. 13:14).
In verse 2 we cannot find the words “Trinity” or “Triune God.” Nevertheless, the fact of the Trinity of the Godhead is contained here, for this verse speaks of the Father’s choosing, the Spirit’s sanctification, and the Son’s redemption. Does this not refer to the Triune God? Is this not the Trinity of the Godhead operating, working, upon His chosen people? Yes, here we see the operation of the Triune God upon the elect for their participation in His full salvation.
In verse 2 Peter speaks of the foreknowledge of God the Father. God chose us before the foundation of the world, in eternity past (Eph. 1:4). Hence, the divine foreknowledge was exercised.
Sanctification of the Spirit here is not the sanctification of the Spirit which comes after justification through the redemption of Christ, as revealed in Rom. 6:19, 22 and Rom. 15:16. Here, sanctification of the Spirit, as the main emphasis of this chapter, an emphasis on holiness (vv. 15-16), is before the obedience of faith in Christ’s redemption, that is, before justification through Christ’s redemption (1 Cor. 6:11), indicating that the believers’ obedience unto faith in Christ results from the Spirit’s sanctifying work. The Spirit’s sanctification in its two aspects is inclusively revealed in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, which is for the full salvation of God to His chosen people. God’s full salvation is carried out in the sphere of the Spirit’s sanctification.
In 1:2 three different prepositions are used for the three steps taken by the Triune God to bring His elect into participation in His full salvation: kata, according to, denotes the ground, the base; en, in, the sphere; and eis, unto, the end, the result. The believers’ obedience of faith (Rom. 1:5; 16:26) in the redemption of Christ and the application of the sprinkling of the blood to them is the result of the Spirit’s sanctification based upon God the Father’s selection.
This verse also refers to the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. In typology, the sprinkling of the atoning blood ushered the sprinkled people into the old covenant (Exo. 24:6-8). Likewise, the sprinkling of Christ’s redeeming blood brings the sprinkled believers into the blessing of the new covenant, that is, into the full enjoyment of the Triune God (Heb. 9:13-14). It is a striking mark that separates the sprinkled people from the common ones without God.
In his writings Paul does not give us a clear view of God’s entire salvation in the way that Peter does. As used in Peter’s Epistles, the word “salvation” implies full salvation. In 2:2 Peter says, “As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word, that by it you may grow unto salvation.” On the one hand, we have been saved; on the other hand, we still need to grow unto salvation. This means that there is a further salvation that we have not yet reached. In other words we are short of some kind of salvation. We do not yet have it, and we need to grow unto it. We need to keep on growing until we reach, arrive at, full salvation. According to 1:5, this is the salvation that is “ready to be revealed at the last time.” When the Lord Jesus comes back, this salvation will be brought in.
We have been saved, and yet we are still suffering. But why do we suffer if we have already been saved? Others may cause us to suffer, and we may even cause suffering to ourselves. For example, do you not suffer as a result of losing your temper? Are you happy when you lose your temper? Some may pray that the Lord will save them from their temper. They may say, “O Lord, save me from my temper. I don’t want to lose my temper anymore. Lord, You are Immanuel, God with us. You are also Jesus, the One who delivers His people from their sins. I confess that losing my temper is sinful. Lord, You are my Savior. You can deliver me from this sin.” However, instead of saving you from your temper, He may allow you to lose it even more. For example, a brother may spend some time praying in the morning. But at breakfast his wife may give him a difficult time and criticize him. First, he tries to suppress his anger. He may ask the Lord to save him and to keep him from losing his temper. However, his wife continues to provoke him until he loses his temper. During the day, the brother suffers as a result of losing his temper with his wife. On the way home from work, the Lord Jesus may tell him to apologize to his wife, something that he finds very difficult to do. Should he refuse and tell the Lord, “I will not apologize to her,” the Lord Jesus may say, “If you don’t do it, I am through with you.” This is an illustration of the fact that even those who are saved continue to suffer.
On the one hand, the Christian life is a life of enjoyment. But we would all agree that, on the other hand, it is also a life of suffering. Do you not experience suffering in your life as a Christian? What Christian can say that he does not have any suffering? Sometimes we testify that we Christians have a good married life and a happy family life. Yes, this is true, and it is part of our testimony. There are times when the husband, the wife, and the children will happily praise the Lord. But we must also admit that sometimes our family life is not at all like this, for a brother and his wife may argue, and the children may be very unhappy. This indicates that we need the Savior and that we need to grow unto salvation. The Lord does not save us from losing our temper. Rather, it is our growth unto salvation that will save us from this.
We have pointed out that in 1:1 and 2 we have the operation of the Triune God upon His elect for their participation in His full salvation. In these verses the divine economy through the operation of the Three of the Godhead for the believers’ participation in the Triune God is revealed. We need to be deeply impressed with this and assimilate the reality of these terms.
Verse 2 ends with the words, “Grace to you and peace be multiplied.” Grace is God as our enjoyment (John 1:17; 1 Cor. 15:10). Peace is a condition which results from grace. Multiplied grace corresponds to varied grace (1 Pet. 4:10) and all grace (5:10). The believers have received the initial grace; yet this grace needs to be multiplied in them so that they may participate in all grace.
Concerning the sanctification of the Spirit, there are two aspects. We need to know both aspects and what they accomplish. The first aspect of sanctification precedes justification, and it carries out God’s choice, His selection, and brings the chosen ones to the obedience and sprinkling of the blood for their justification. Thus, this aspect of the Spirit’s sanctification is before justification through the redemption of Christ. Then, following justification, the Spirit continues to work to sanctify us dispositionally. The sequence is this: God’s selection, the Spirit’s sanctification, justification, and then subjective sanctification. Not many Christians have seen this. Many Christian teachers say that God’s selection comes first, then justification, and then the Spirit’s sanctification. However, this does not take into account the two aspects of the sanctification of the Spirit, for it refers only to the second aspect, subjective or dispositional sanctification. We have pointed out that subjective sanctification of the Spirit is revealed in Romans 6 and 15. But before we can have subjective sanctification of the Spirit, we must have the first aspect of the Spirit’s sanctification, the sanctifying work that takes place before God’s justification.
In eternity past God, according to His foreknowledge, chose us. He selected us and made a decision to gain us. Then in time the Spirit came to us to sanctify us, to set us apart, from the world so that we would obey Christ’s redemption. He came to separate us for the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ. When we obey, the blood sprinkles us. It is the sanctifying Spirit who separates us from the world unto the obedience of Christ’s blood. First we repent and believe, and then we obey what Christ has done on the cross. Following this, we receive the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. This is the sanctifying work of the Spirit following God’s selection to carry out God’s choice and to bring us to Christ’s redemption.
I can use my own experience to illustrate this aspect of the Spirit’s sanctification. I was born into the religion of Christianity, but, of course, I was not born into Christ. As a young person, I became quite rebellious, having seen some things in Christianity that I did not agree with. When I compared the teachings of Confucius with what I saw in Christianity, I told myself that Christianity was not as good as the teachings of Confucius. I felt that the disciples of Confucius were much better in their behavior and conduct than were the missionaries, pastors, and preachers. But one day, at the age of nineteen, I was arrested by the sanctifying Spirit. A young woman evangelist came to our town, and out of curiosity I went to listen to her. As I sat in the meeting, the Spirit asked me, “What are you doing here? I have been pursuing you for a long time, and now is the time for Me to catch you.” I was indeed caught for the Lord at that time. I repented and I began to obey Christ and accept what He did. No doubt, at the same time I received the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, and I experienced the first aspect of the sanctifying work of the Spirit. From that time onward, the Spirit has been continually sanctifying me. Even now this sanctifying work, the second aspect of the Spirit’s sanctification, is still going on.
The sanctifying work of the Spirit began before God’s justification and it continues afterward. Before justification, we are separated unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ. After justification, we are sanctified subjectively, dispositionally. In 1:2 we have the first aspect; in Romans 6:19 and 22, the second; and in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, the all-inclusive sanctification of the Spirit. The goal of this sanctification is to carry out God’s full salvation.
Regarding 1 Peter 1:1 and 2, we can speak of the operation, the energetic working, of the Triune God, for here we have the Father’s choosing, the Spirit’s sanctification, and the Son’s redemption. These three actions are the operation of the Triune God.
The Father’s choosing was done before the foundation of the world. This selection was according to God’s foreknowledge. Peter’s word in 1:2 corresponds to Paul’s word in Ephesians 1 and Romans 8, chapters where Paul tells us that in eternity, before the foundation of the world, God chose us according to His foreknowledge. This is God’s selection.
The Spirit then comes in to carry out God’s selection. God’s selection was made in eternity, before the foundation of the world. The Spirit’s sanctification, however, takes place in time. We were wandering, having no direction, but the Spirit carried out God’s selection of us. As a result, we repented, believed, and received the sprinkling of the blood shed by Christ on the cross. Therefore, we have the move of the Father, the Spirit, and the Son. This is the operation of the Trinity of the Godhead upon His chosen people, His elect, so that they may participate in His full salvation. This is one way of speaking concerning what is revealed in 1:1 and 2.
Another way of speaking regarding the same matter is to say that the energetic working of the Triune God is to bring us into the enjoyment of the Triune God. To participate in God’s full salvation is actually to enjoy the Triune God. When we enjoy the Triune God, we are in grace, for grace is God for us to enjoy. It is our enjoyment of the Triune God. According to verse 2, this grace should be multiplied and not merely added. Furthermore, the enjoyment of grace results in peace. This means that peace results from the enjoyment of the Triune God as grace. This is participation in the full salvation of God, and this is the divine economy of the Trinity of the Godhead to bring us into the participation of the Triune God.
We should not think that verses 1 and 2, the introduction to this Epistle, are simple. We should not dismiss them as words written by a fisherman. Peter was a fisherman, but he was a fisherman constituted of the Triune God in His operation. Therefore, Peter knew the Father’s selection, the Spirit’s sanctification, and the Son’s redemption. He knew that the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ brings God’s selected people into the full enjoyment of the Triune God as their salvation. This writing is the breath of the all-inclusive Spirit. Every word in these verses is part of the holy breath of the life-giving Spirit. The scope, content, and span of these verses are marvelous, and we need to study them again and again.
