Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 2

 Peter's Greeting to the Dispersed Brethren & Sisteren Part 2

1 Peter 1:2 Elect 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. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle Peter concludes his greeting to those Jewish brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ back then by declaring to them what their (and our union) with Christ Jesus means and by what manner, motion, and method by which they then and we true believers today and of every era and generation were made children of the One True Living God, as it is written, "Elect 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 1:2) (KJV). First, the Apostle refers to them or calls them and we true believers today and of every era and generation 'Elect' and this English word is translated by the Greek word eklektos meaning select; by implication favorite: chosen, elect. This perhaps is the one word from God in His Book the Bible that has caused more craziness, confusion, and conflict than any other in all of the Word of God. First, let us be reminded of who our God truly is. He is Omniscient and that means all-knowing. What is there to be known that God does not know? Answer: NOTHING!!! So, with this truth at the center of everything, then we should realize that before God created Adam and then Eve, He knew they would sin in the Garden of Eden against Him and in so doing bring that disease of sin into the human race passed down from them to every single human being that came from their loins, which includes me and anyone reading these words right now. God did not create Adam as a programmed Android or Robot, but a spiritual being living inside a fleshly body that made him visible though the real him was invisible. Adam and Eve and all of us who come from them have been given by God 'free will' as defined by our dictionaries as the power of making free choices unconstrained by external agencies. God so created the Angels that live in heaven right now with Him with the same 'free will' and this is why right now there is a devil 😈 and demons because they exercised their 'free will' and chose to rebel against God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and in so doing they got their ass' kicked and thrown out of heaven forever and so those angels then became the devil 😈 and demons. God has know programmed robot servants in heaven or in we redeemed humans on the earth 🌎, for all who serve Him do so because of our great love for Him and for what He has done for us in showing us such undeserved love and mercy. Love and gratitude to God is the reason for obedience and not merely duty or obligation. So, since God is all-knowing, then He knew before Adam was created who (in every era and generation of humanity) would desire to be reconciled to Him, that is, who would truly want a personal relationship with Him. This is why Abram was chosen over any other human on the earth 🌎 at that time ⌚ to be the Father of the Jewish Nation that God would make from Abram's loins with his wife Sarah. Here is what the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary had to say of Abram's election by God, "At the very beginning of Israel's role in salvation history is the call of Abraham to leave his homeland for a new one that would be shown unto him (Genesis 12:1–7). This directive came to Abraham from God who also promised to bless his descendants and all peoples on earth through them. While Abraham responded to this call in obedience and faith, his election was not the result of his own efforts, but solely of God's decision. (2) The central word in Israel's vocabulary for describing their special relationship with God was 'covenant.' This covenant was not a contract between equal partners, but a bond established by God's unmerited favor and love. The gracious character of the covenant is a major theme in Deuteronomy. 'For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.' (Deuteronomy 7:6–7 NASB)."

The English word 'foreknowledge' is translated by the Greek word prognōsis meaning forethought: - foreknowledge, that is, knowledge of an event before it occurs; precognition. Abram's response in obedience and faith was known by God before Adam and Eve were ever created by Him. Listen 👂, this is the heart of what election is and what it truly means to be chosen by God. Here also is what the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary had to say concerning Election and the New Covenant, "Predestination does not negate the necessity for human repentance and faith; rather it establishes the possibility of both. God does not relate to human beings as sticks and stones but as free creatures made in His own image. (2) If salvation is based on election, then why preach the Gospel? Because God has chosen preaching as the means to awaken faith in the elect (1 Corinthians 1:21). We should proclaim the Gospel to everyone without exception, knowing that it is only the Holy Spirit who can convict, regenerate, and justify." The Apostle Peter also referred to them then and to us now as those 'through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ', meaning that is all the work of God the Holy Spirit in regenerating our dead spirits and making us now alive to God the Father through the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ shed for us on Calvary, Amen!, as it is written for us by Paul the Apostle to the Ephesian believers with these words, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:1-10) (NKJV). Here again is what Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary had to say of Election and the Christian Life, "Does not belief in election result in moral laxity and pride? Paul says that God chose us 'for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit' (2 Thessalonians 2:13 HCSB). We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, even though to be sure, it is God who is at work within us both to will and do His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12–13). The proper response to election is not pride but gratitude for God's amazing grace that saves eternally. Election, then, is neither a steeple from which we look in judgment on others, nor a pillow to sleep on. It is rather a stronghold in time of trial and a confession of praise to God's grace and to His glory."

Here is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 1:2, "According to the foreknowledge of God - Speaking after the manner of men. Strictly speaking, there is no foreknowledge, no more than afterknowledge, with God: but all things are known to Him as present from eternity to eternity. This is therefore no other than an instance of the divine condescension to our low capacities. Elect - By the free love and almighty power of God taken out of, separated from, the world. Election, in the Scripture sense, is God's doing anything that our merit or power have no part in. The true predestination, or fore - appointment of God is, He that believeth shall be saved from the guilt and power of sin. He that endureth to the end shall be saved eternally. They who receive the precious gift of faith, thereby become the sons of God; and, being sons, they shall receive the Spirit of Holiness to walk as Christ also walked. Throughout every part of this appointment of God, promise and duty go hand in hand. All is free gift; and yet such is the gift, that the final issue depends on our future obedience to the heavenly call. But other predestination than this, either to life or death eternal, the Scripture knows not of. Moreover, it is. Cruel respect of persons; an unjust regard of one, and an unjust disregard of another. It is mere creature partiality, and not infinite justice. It is not plain Scripture doctrine, if true; but rather, inconsistent with the express written word, that speaks of God's universal offers of grace; His invitations, promises, threatenings, being all general. We are bid to choose life, and reprehended for not doing it. It is inconsistent with a state of probation in those that must be saved or must be lost. It is of fatal consequence; all men being ready, on very slight grounds, to fancy themselves of the elect number. But the doctrine of predestination is entirely changed from what it formerly was. Now it implies neither faith, peace, nor purity. It is something that will do without them all. Faith is no longer, according to the modern predestinarian scheme, a divine 'evidence of things not seen,' wrought in the soul by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost; not an evidence at all; but a mere notion. Neither is faith made any longer a means of holiness; but something that will do without it. Christ is no more a Saviour from sin; but a defence, a countenancer of it. He is no more a fountain of spiritual life in the soul of believers, but leaves His elect inwardly dry, and outwardly unfruitful; and is made little more than a refuge from the image of the heavenly; even from righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Through sanctification of the Spirit - Through the renewing and purifying influences of His Spirit on their souls. Unto obedience - To engage and enable them to yield themselves up to all holy obedience, the foundation of all which is, the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ - The Atoning Blood of Christ, which was typified by the sprinkling of the blood of sacrifices under the law; in allusion to which it is called 'the blood of sprinkling.'"

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…