1 Peter 1:1-2: God’s Elect Exiles

1 Peter 1:1-2: God’s Elect Exiles

This morning, we’re beginning a journey working through the book of 1 Peter passage by passage, and the first passage we come to is 1 Peter 1:1-2. It says,

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according 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. 

May God bless the reading of his Word.

Let’s pray: Father, we thank you for the gift of your Word. And we pray what Jesus prayed in John 17—sanctify us in the truth, your word is truth. We understand, from this, that your Word isn’t just true but the very standard of truth itself. So please use your Word by your Spirit to sanctify Your people. And we pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

You don’t have to be an astute cultural observer to recognize that we’re in the midst of one of the most significant and rapid cultural transitions that’s ever taken place—and that things don’t seem to be going in a very good direction. The tide seems to be quickly turning against Christian values and, in many cases, against Christians themselves. Those of us who are Christians are increasingly being viewed as intolerant and hateful bigots who are a threat to the prevailing social order. As a result, we’re being marginalized and systematically excluded from many public institutions and, in some cases, are even facing opposition that’s so direct that it threatens our ability to earn a living. 

I mean, just ask Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Denver. As most of you are probably aware, Jack is a Christian who refuses to make cakes that celebrate the LGBT lifestyle because doing so would be a form of participation in those celebrations. And even though the Supreme Court has already ruled in his favor on two separate occasions, I recently heard there’s now a third lawsuit that’s been filed against Jack. So, this man has spent the past eight years of his life fighting legal battles in court, and it now seems as though he’ll have to spend several more years doing that as well. In addition to the stress of these legal battles, Jack’s also lost a huge portion of his business, has had to let several employees go, and has received a steady stream of hateful letters and phone calls—and even several death threats. 

This, of course, is just one example among many of American culture becoming increasingly hostile toward Christians. There are plenty of other examples as well. Just try being a teacher in a public school and being very open about discussing your Christian faith in class. I don’t think you’ll last very long. Or take the top 20 most popular movies from the past year and count how many of them portray Bible-believing Christians in a positive way. Probably not very many. So, to be a Christian is, in many ways, to be an outsider in modern-day American society. And things seem to be getting worse. It certainly seems that some very dark and ominous clouds are gathering and that the wind is blowing and the leaves are rustling and that there may very well be a storm in our future. All of this is enough to leave many Christians feeling discouraged and perhaps even a little anxious as we wonder what the future holds. 

Thankfully, though, this actually isn’t anything new. We’re not venturing into uncharted territory here. Instead, our situation is one that’s actually been relatively normal for many Christians throughout the centuries and for Christians presently in many other parts of the world. 

Not only that, the Bible has a lot to say to Christians who are facing heavy opposition. And one of the places where it does so in an especially direct and focused way is in the letter of 1 Peter. So, now that we’ve finished our series of sermons going passage by passage through Genesis, I’d like to spend these next several months going through 1 Peter. Because, if there’s one book in the Bible that speaks to Christians who are being marginalized and are enduring intense opposition, it’s this book right here. In these five chapters, Peter gives us some incredibly valuable and helpful guidance for living as faithful Christians in an increasingly unfriendly—and at times even hostile—society. What truths do we most need to hear in the midst of the challenges we face? How can we respond to those challenges in a way that honors God? How can we not only survive but actually flourish in our faith during times such as these? All of these questions and more are addressed in 1 Peter. 

As the name implies, this letter was written by the Apostle Peter probably from Rome around 62 or 63 AD. He wrote it to Christians in several regions of what we now know as the nation of Turkey. As I mentioned, these Christians were enduring intense opposition and even persecution because of their faith in Christ, so Peter writes to encourage them in the midst of what they’re going through. 

He actually begins doing this immediately even in his opening greeting in verses 1-2, which is the portion of the letter we’ll be focusing on today. Look with me at what Peter writes in these two verses: 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according 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. 

So, looking at these verses, what’s the very first way in which Peter seeks to encourage these suffering and persecuted Christians? With…the doctrine of election, of course! In verse 1, Peter refers to his readers as “elect exiles.” And that’s actually the main idea of these verses. Christians are elect exiles. And we’re going to see just how encouraging that is. 

Now, in case you’re a little confused, the word “elect” here has nothing to do with political elections. It’s simply another word for being chosen. When the New Testament says that someone’s “elect,” it simply means that God’s chosen that individual to be a recipient of his saving grace—he’s chosen them for salvation. 

Yet this idea of being elect isn’t just a New Testament idea. It has roots in the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 7:6, we find a statement about the Israelites, as a nation, being God’s chosen people. Moses says to them, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” And just like the Israelites were God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, Peter’s saying here in our main passage that Christians are God’s chosen people in the New Testament. That’s not to say the New Testament doesn’t teach any future for ethnic Israelites—I believe it does—but the focus is certainly on Christians as the elect people of God. 

Then, moving forward in the verse, Peter doesn’t just refer to his readers as “elect.” He calls them “elect exiles.” Isn’t that an intriguing phrase? “Elect exiles.” Initially, that phrase seems to be an oxymoron—or a contradiction in terms. At the very least, it’s an unusual combination. Because, when we think of exiles, we don’t typically think of people who are in a privileged position. Yet, according to Peter, Christians are actually both “elect” and “exiles.”

He’s speaking, of course, not of any literal exile but of the fact we currently find ourselves in a place that’s not our true home. The Greek word translated as “exiles” here is also translated as “aliens” and “foreigners” and “sojourners”—all referring to people who live far away from their homeland. 

Yet, I really appreciate the ESV’s translation as “exiles” because it makes the parallel I believe Peter intended between New Testament Christians and Old Testament Israel more clear. I believe Peter’s intentionally using the imagery of Israel’s exile in the Old Testament to speak of the present condition of Christians in the New Testament. Make sure you understand that. According to Peter, just like the Israelites were in exile for a period of time in Babylon, those of us who are Christians are likewise in a kind of exile. We’re citizens of God’s Kingdom, yet here we are in this present world. 

And let me just say that that’s not a reality I believe many Christians here in America have grasped very well. Christianity has historically been so favored in our country that many Christians have forgotten that we’re not living in Israel here—we’re living in Babylon. And I believe the recent developments in our country over the past decade or so have been good reminders for us that we’re living in Babylon—as exiles in a foreign land. And, as I’m sure you understand, when you’re in exile, you don’t expect to fit in. You don’t expect to feel at home—because you’re not at home. 

You know, the first person who comes to my mind when I think of someone today who’s living in exile is Edward Snowden. Most of you are probably aware that Edward Snowden used to work for the NSA but became very concerned about the NSA spying on American citizens. So, he leaked a bunch of documents to journalists in order to make the situation public and was therefore forced to flee to Russia, where he’s been residing for the past decade. Now, I would imagine that living in Russia has probably taken some getting used to for Snowden. Russians speak a different language with a different alphabet. They also have all kinds of different traditions and customs. So, we wouldn’t usually expect people living in exile to be very comfortable in their new living situation. We wouldn’t expect them to feel entirely at home in a place that’s so far removed from their home. 

And according to Peter, that’s the situation Christians are in right now. We’re Israelites living in Babylon. We might enjoy many religious liberties here in America, but let’s not forget that we’re still in exile. This world is not our home. This nation is not our home. So, as Christianity becomes increasingly marginalized in our country, let’s remember—like I said earlier—that this isn’t some kind of new, uncharted territory we’re entering into. This is normal. It’s what we should expect as exiles. The situation we’ve been in in the past, with Christianity being so favored, is what’s strange. The current situation of Christianity falling into disfavor and being marginalized is a very normal and expected situation, biblically speaking.

Then, as we continue to look at what Peter writes in verse 1, we see that he refers to his readers not just as “elect exiles” but as “elect exiles of the Dispersion.” Notice the capital “D” on that word “Dispersion” in the ESV. This is a technical term that’s typically used in the New Testament to refer to the dispersion of Jews throughout the Roman Empire. Yet here, Peter’s using it to refer to Christians—and not to Christians who are ethnically Jewish but, for the most part, to Christians who are ethnically Gentile. 

The reason it seems likely that the majority of Peter’s audience was Gentile rather than Jewish is because of the things he says about them elsewhere in his letter. For example, in 1 Peter 1:14, he tells them, “Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.” Since Jewish people had the Old Testament, it seems unlikely Peter would speak of their “former ignorance.” And a few verses later in verse 18, Peter talks about them being “ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers.” Again, that’s not something he’d say about Jews. And once again in 1 Peter 2:10, he says, “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people.” All of these ways Peter speaks of his audience make it sound like the majority of them were probably Gentile Christians rather than Jewish Christians. 

Then, as we continue moving forward through chapter 1 verse 1, we see that Peter addresses the letter to “those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in” certain geographic areas. You can see these areas on the map here. They’re in red font in the upper right-hand corner. There’s Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia—again, all of these being within the boundaries of modern-day Turkey. 

So, that’s verse 1. There’s a lot in it, but just remember the two most important words are “elect exiles.” Everything else in verse 1 and actually in verse 2 as well is built around those two words. And before we go any further, I’d like for us to notice that Peter’s approach to encouraging his readers here is heavily theological. We’ve already seen the rich theological significance of the word “elect” and the word “exiles,” and things are actually about to get even more theological in verse 2. Just look at what verse 2 says: “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood.” This is some heavy theology that Peter starts out with in an effort to encourage these suffering Christians. 

And one reason I believe that’s such an important thing for us to take note of is because many Christians nowadays seem to be a little standoffish about learning substantive theological truths. Perhaps some of these Christians are intimidated by the idea of studying theology or perhaps they simply don’t see how theology is relevant for their everyday lives or perhaps it’s a combination of those two factors that’s led many Christians to be relatively uninterested or at least lacking in enthusiasm for studying and learning about theological truths. 

Yet notice Peter’s approach to encouraging his readers here in this letter. Right off the bat, he starts them off with a heavy dose of substantive theological truths. Why do you think he does that? Because, conceivably, if many American Christians today received a letter like this during a time when they were suffering intense persecution, they might not have a very deep appreciation for it. Their attitude might be, “Hey Peter, we don’t really have time to learn a bunch of theology here. We’re being persecuted! We just need to focus on getting through this and surviving.”

Yet Peter understands that the greatest way he can provide encouragement for the suffering Christians he’s writing to is by reminding them of these substantive theological truths. He understands that substantive theological reflection is exactly what they need to be encouraged and sustained through the trials they’re facing. 

And the same goes for us today. If you want to thrive in your relationship with God and have a faith that’s durable enough to get you through whatever trials might come your way, then you can’t stay in the kiddie pool when it comes to theology—and specially the kinds of theological truths Peter addresses in his letter. You need to get out of the kiddie pool and really start learning these things and grasping these things and cherishing these things. That’s what’ll get you through difficult times. 

Think about the building we’re in right now. This building is supported by numerous steel beams that are very thick and strategically placed in a way that’ll hold up this structure. The reason we can all be sitting on the second floor of this building, as we are right now, and not fall through the floor or have the building collapse is because of those steel beams that are holding us up. Without those beams, we’re going down—quite literally. 

And just as this building needs that framework of thick steel beams in order to be structurally sound, you and I need to have a healthy grasp of the theological teachings of Scripture in order to survive and even thrive in the midst the difficulties that will inevitably come our way. Just as this building is only as strong as the steel beams holding it up, you and I are only as strong as our understanding of biblical truth. And even apart from the trials that you’ll experience, keep in mind that, as a Christian, you’ll never grow beyond your understanding of biblical truths. Just like this building will never expand beyond whatever steel frame is in place, you and I will never grow beyond whatever theological understanding we possess. So, that’s why these verses—and really the rest of Peter’s letter—are so heavily theological. 

Now, getting back to passage here, Peter’s just referred to his audience as “elect exiles” in verse 1. Then, in verse 2, he elaborates that doctrine of election in four ways. Remember that election is simply the teaching that God chose those of us who are Christians for himself. We’re his chosen people—his elect people. And we see in verse 2 that there are four qualities of our election. 

First, Peter says, we’re elect “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” By the way, notice the Trinitarian arrangement of what Peter says here. He first talks about the Father, then about the Holy Spirit, and then about Jesus. All three Persons of the Trinity play an important part in saving us from our sins. So, our election is first of all “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” 

This word “foreknowledge” doesn’t just mean that God looked forward in time, saw that we’d put our faith in Jesus, and then chose to rescue us based on that foreseen faith. That’s one interpretation of foreknowledge, but I believe there’s a better one. Romans 8:29 teaches that God didn’t “foreknow” a fact about certain people; he “foreknew” those people themselves. Before they were even born, he set his affection upon them and determined to have a unique relationship with them. Additional verses that support this understanding of foreknowledge include Jeremiah 1:5, Amos 3:2, and Matthew 7:22-23. 

The point is that our election by God is totally unmerited and undeserved. God didn’t choose to save us because we were worthy of being chosen. We were actually profoundly unworthy. Instead, the reason God chose us is simply because that’s what he wanted to do. He set his affection upon us before time even began and, in his love, determined that we’d be the recipients of his saving grace. 

Then, second, Peter says we’re elect not only “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” but also “in the sanctification of the Spirit.” The word “sanctification” simply means to be set apart as holy. For example, it’s not a perfect illustration, but there’s a sense in which we’ve set apart these Lord’s Supper trays and plates that you see up here for a holy purpose. You know, if I came in here during the week and saw someone eating their lunch off of one of these Lord’s Supper plates, I’d consider it a bit unexpected and unusual. Those plates aren’t made for a casual meal—they’re made for the Lord’s Supper. They’re set apart for something special. 

Similarly, through the work of the Holy Spirit, Christians are “sanctified” or “set apart” as well. We’re set apart from a life of sin in order to live for God. One aspect of this occurs instantaneously at our conversion when God sets us apart for himself. That’s often referred to as “positional sanctification” since it primarily involves a change in our position. And that “positional sanctification” that occurs instantaneously at conversion is foundational for another kind of sanctification, which is often referred to as “progressive sanctification.” It’s progressive in that it takes place gradually over a lengthy period of time. And it involves a change not in our position but in the way we actually live. Essentially, “progressive sanctification” simply refers to the lifelong journey of growing in godliness. We gradually become more and more “set apart” to God in the way we live. 

And as I look at what Peter writes in this verse, I don’t see any reason why he can’t be referring to both kinds of sanctification. Through the Holy Spirit, Christians are set apart to God. And since Peter’s relating it to the doctrine of election, we might say God’s chosen us to be set apart to him. He’s separated us from the common things of this world and set us apart for something holy—namely to know him and have a relationship with him and worship him for all eternity. 

Then, moving forward in the verse, Peter says that we’re elect “for obedience to Jesus Christ.” God chose us for a purpose; there’s something he intends for us to do. And that something is “obedience” to Jesus. This obedience is so foundational to what it means to be a Christian that the Apostle Paul even uses it synonymously with conversion. In 2 Thessalonians 1:8, he says that God will judge those “who do not obey the gospel.” That’s the phrase he uses—“obey the gospel.” I imagine most of us would expect Paul to speak of “believing” the gospel, as he does in other places. Yet here, he talks about the need to “obey” the gospel. And of course, this initial obedience to the gospel manifests itself in a subsequent lifestyle of obedience as well. 

And back in our main passage, we see Peter likewise affirming that obedience to Jesus is an essential component of Christianity. Genuine Christian faith entails not just a change in our beliefs but a change in our lives. In fact, I’d say that a change in our beliefs will inevitably lead to a change in our lives. It’s impossible to have one without the other. If your faith in Jesus is genuine, it’s going to show up in the way you live. 

In addition, thinking of the historical situation of Peter’s original audience, I believe Peter’s also reminding them that it’s okay to be treated as outcasts by society. It’s okay if society rejects them. Because their job isn’t to earn the approval of society but to earn the approval of Jesus. Their ultimate allegiance isn’t to Caesar or to any regional governor or to the social norms of the day. Instead, their ultimate allegiance is to Jesus. He’s the one they’re responsible to obey. It kind of reminds me of the way children sometimes behave. Many times, older siblings will take it upon themselves to boss around their younger siblings and act as though their younger siblings are obligated to obey them. So, the parents have to remind those younger siblings that their older sibling isn’t the boss. They’re obligated to obey not what their older sibling tells them to do but rather what mommy and daddy tell them to do. Similarly, Peter’s reminding us that our duty as Christians is to obey Jesus. We shouldn’t be worried about seeking society’s approval but rather about seeking Jesus’s approval. 

Then finally, Peter says that we’re elect not only for obedience to Jesus but also “for sprinkling with his blood.” This “sprinkling with…blood” is a reference to what happened in the Old Testament in Exodus 24:3-8 when Moses sprinkled the Israelites with the blood of animal sacrifices in order to symbolize their entrance into a covenant with God. The blood symbolized the lives of those animals that were sacrificed in order to atone for the sins of God’s people. It was as if the animals bore the sins of the Israelites instead of the Israelites having to bear their own sins. The result of this was that the Israelites could be cleansed of their sins and enjoy a close relationship with a holy God. So, for the Israelites to be sprinkled with blood symbolized their cleansing from sin. 

Similarly, Peter says, we’ve been sprinkled—but not with the blood of animals. Instead, we’ve been sprinkled with the blood of Jesus. In reality, the blood of animals was never actually sufficient to take away sins. It just pointed forward to the blood of the ultimate sacrifice—the sacrifice of God’s own Son on the cross. Jesus died on the cross to make atonement for our sins. God’s wrath was poured out on him so it wouldn’t have to be poured out on us. As a result, when we put our trust in Jesus to rescue us on the basis of his death and subsequent resurrection from the dead, we’re cleansed and forgiven. That’s what Peter’s referring to when he speaks of us being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus. He’s referring to our cleaning and forgiveness, which are prerequisite of course for having a relationship with God and enjoying eternal life in heaven. 

And this really is the quintessential aspect of our election. God’s elected us to be saved from our sin and enjoy eternal life one day in heaven. So, in a sense, it doesn’t really matter that much how we’re treated here on earth. It doesn’t matter how intense the opposition becomes or how uncomfortable the social exclusion becomes or even how painful the persecution becomes. Who cares? We’re saved! God’s elected us for salvation! 

So, for those who are Christians, the next time you’re tempted to feel discouraged by the way things are going in society or resentful for how you’re being treated or anxious as you think about what might happen in the future, just remember that you’re one of God’s elect. He’s chosen you and he loves you and he won’t let any lasting harm come to you. You might be an “exile” now, but God’s promised to be with you every step of the way during this earthly exile and bring you safely through it all until he one day calls you to your heavenly home. Your future is unshakably secure. That’s the confidence we have as God’s elect people. 

Brothers and sisters, never forget that we’re on the winning team. We’re on the real “right side of history.” The right side of history isn’t what some purple-haired professor at Harvard says it is. It’s not what some social influencer says it is. It’s not what some talk show host says it is. We know the real right side of history from reading the Bible. And according to Peter here in our main passage, we as Christians are on the right side of history. We are God’s elect. 

So, no matter how bad things get in this country, there’s ultimately no reason for us to be discouraged or anxious or intimidated, and there’s every reason for us to continue to live by our Christian convictions and engage in the gospel mission Jesus has called us to and look forward with joyful expectation to what God’s promised for our future. After all, as Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

And also, if you’re here this morning and haven’t yet put your trust in Jesus, I want you to know that God offers to rescue you as well. You too can become one of God’s people and enjoy all the blessings and benefits we’ve discussed this morning. God loves you and desires that you turn to him. And he promises to save you if you’ll put your trust in Jesus alone for that rescue. So, I’d encourage you not to leave here today until you’ve done that.