Chosen

Happy Birthday to you, whether it’s your physical or spiritual birthday, I hope and pray this devotion from 1 Peter 1:2 is comforting and uplifting.

This one verse is so theologically rich it blows my mind. It continues the thought in verse 1 of the elect. The NIV begins this verse with, “who have been chosen.” Most other translations including the ESV says, “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” Foreknowledge—that attribute of God which provided him in advance with all the facts concerning the elect. God knows all things past, present, and future. God knows all things before they happen. God has predicted, correctly, future events that affect His creation. We also see the sanctification of the Spirit. Peter explains how believers become part of God’s elect; we are set aside as God’s Holy People.

We also see obedience which conveys the idea of listening and applying to what is heard. He is encouraging them to be obedient to the Lord. The final thing is the “sprinkling by His blood”. Our obedience doesn’t save us, but our salvation drives us to obedience. Only the Grace and Peace God offers us will save and keep us until the day we enter eternity for our salvation to be complete. This also is a verse that helps us understand the Triune Godhead in salvation. God foreknew, Holy Spirit sanctifies, and Jesus cleanses.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This is how Warren W. Wiersbe puts it, “As far as God the Father is concerned, I was saved when He chose me in Christ before the foundation of the world. As far as the Son is concerned, I was saved when He died for me on the cross. But as far as the Spirit is concerned, I was saved when I heard the Gospel and received Christ. Then it all came together, but it took all three Persons of the Godhead to bring me to salvation. If we separate these ministries, we will either deny divine sovereignty or human responsibility; and that would lead to heresy.^[1]”

Mike R

 ’67 / ’83 Jacksonville FL

^[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 392.

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA