1 Peter 1:2

‘(Elect) 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.'

And who are the ‘elect'? Here they are clearly defined, and it will be noted that it is in terms of the activity of the whole Godhead, an activity which results in our being fitted for His presence and becoming obedient to His will.

· Firstly they have been chosen ‘according to the foreknowledge (prognosis) of God the Father'. This word ‘foreknowledge' does not just signify ‘knowing about beforehand'. It involves a direct sovereign activity of God whereby by His own will He enters into relationship with all who are His from eternity past. In other words He has us marked down for His own and relates to us from before the world began.

The ‘knowledge' indicated by ‘gnosis' is the ‘knowledge of experience' in contrast with ‘the knowledge of the intellect' (oida). A man ‘knows' his wife when he engages in the most intimate activity with his wife (Genesis 4:1). When God ‘knew' Abraham He was personally choosing him out (Genesis 18:19). Christians are ‘known by God' (1 Corinthians 8:3; Galatians 4:9) because He has entered into a special relationship with them. It is a relationship word. We might therefore translate prognosis as ‘entered into relationship with beforehand'.

We can compare here Acts 2:23 where Jesus was ‘delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge (prognosis) of God', signifying that what happened to Him was the work of God, fixed by His counsel, and experienced by Him even before it happened. God was with Him in it before its occurrence. Compare also Romans 8:29, ‘whom He did foreknow, them He did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, and whom He did predestinate them He also called.' Once again His foreknowing is the first stage of His activity. It begins the work of God which He has determined from beginning to end. All began with His active ‘foreknowing' of them. Note that it was  those spoken of  who were foreknown, not their future. He foreknew them. Thus Paul could declare that those whom God has foreknown could never be cast away (Romans 11:1) because their destiny is the result of His active will. They are His.

For this idea of being ‘known' beforehand by God compare Genesis 18:19, “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham what He has spoken of him.” There once again to ‘know' meant to ‘set the mind on and choose out'.

· Secondly it is ‘in/by sanctification of the Spirit.' These words are very important because they indicate that the sanctifying (setting apart to God) work of the Holy Spirit is assumed throughout the whole of the letter. It undergirds everything that is said. Furthermore those who preach the Gospel do so by ‘the Holy Spirit' Who was sent forth from Heaven (1 Peter 1:12). Those who have been born of God desire ‘spiritual' (logikos) milk, the milk of the word (logos) which has caused them to be ‘begotten' by God (1 Peter 2:2 with 1 Peter 1:23), and are built up a ‘spiritual' (pneumatikos) house (1 Peter 2:5). If they are reproached for the name of Christ ‘the Spirit of God rests on them' (1 Peter 4:14). His presence is assumed at every stage in the work of obedience which results from His sanctifying activity.

The word ‘sanctification' means to be ‘set apart for a holy purpose', and where it is ‘of the Spirit' it results in that person becoming ‘a new creature in Christ Jesus' (2 Corinthians 5:17), and being ‘begotten again to a living hope' (1 Peter 1:3). The fact that this phrase comes before being ‘sprinkled with the blood of Jesus', and results in entry into a state of ‘obedience', indicates that this sanctification is inclusive of an initial activity of God prior to, and resulting in, salvation for the one in question. It is initially by this activity of the Spirit that men and women are brought to believe, and are transformed in the inner man (are brought to the obedience of faith - Romans 1:5), while at the same time being made pure by being ‘sprinkled with the blood of Jesus'. This active work of the Spirit results in ‘belief of the truth' (2 Thessalonians 2:13), and therefore in the response of faith that ensures the full enjoyment of salvation, the consequence of which is that we are ‘in Christ', with our lives ‘hid with Christ in God' (Colossians 3:4).

As a result we can be spoken of as ‘those who have been sanctified once for all' (1 Corinthians 1:2), even though we have not yet been made completely holy inwardly. The Corinthians were in fact far from holy inwardly. And yet they were seen as ‘sanctified once for all'. It means that we have been set apart with perfection in view, because the glory of God has descended on us as His Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19; compare John 14:23). We have been taken over by God. And thus, because Christ ‘is made unto us sanctification' (1 Corinthians 1:30) as He encloses us within His own sanctifying of Himself (John 17:19), we are ‘perfected for ever' in His sight (Hebrews 10:14). In Him we have thereby been ‘set apart as holy', as being wholly for His use and glory, just as the sanctified vessels in the Temple were wholly set apart as holy (although the latter was not by the Spirit', the Spirit introduces a new, living element into sanctification as Peter makes clear in 1 Peter 1:3). We can compare also, ‘you have been washed, you have been sanctified, you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God' (1 Corinthians 6:11), where sanctification occurs in parallel with justification, which incorporates a similar idea. This sanctification is as true of the youngest believer as it is of one of sixty or more years standing. They have been ‘begotten by God', ‘born again', ‘newly created', and ‘set apart as holy' by God, in a work which will continue on and bring them to perfection in the Day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). We should compare here Hebrews 10:14.

· Thirdly it is ‘Unto obedience.' Obedience was central to the saving work of Christ. ‘He learned obedience by the things which He suffered' (Hebrews 5:8). This was not just something that happened on the way but was an essential, for that was why He had come, to do the will of His Father, and it was this obedience that fitted Him to be a sacrifice on our behalf (Hebrews 10:5). So through the sanctifying work of the Spirit we are united with Him in His obedience, an obedience which was fulfilled on our behalf (compare Romans 5:19), and will be fulfilled in us in our lives.

It is as a result of Christ's will having been set to obey God in this way, in other words ‘through His obedience', that it became possible for us to be sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:10). But such a work on our behalf must itself inevitably have its outward observed and inwardly experienced effect within ourselves. Thus we are absorbed into His obedience and can be called ‘children of obedience' (1 Peter 1:14).

Being conjoined with Him in His obedience initially results in the first acts of obedience which are ‘repentance' (Acts 2:38; 1 Thessalonians 1:9) and ‘belief of the truth' (2 Thessalonians 2:13), and this must result in a continuing ‘obedience of faith ‘ (Romans 1:5; Romans 16:19; Romans 16:26), which is an ongoing obedience (Romans 6:17) which results from His working within us to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13) as we ‘obey the Gospel' (1 Peter 4:17; Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8), and are ‘obedient to the truth' (1 Peter 1:22). Thus by the sanctification of the Spirit the one foreknown of God is borne forward by His irresistible will, becoming obedient as He Who was foreknown of God was obedient in the face of suffering (1 Peter 1:19). This ‘required obedience' will be outlined practically in 1 Peter 2:11 to 1 Peter 3:12.

It is unfortunately true that we may temporarily resist Him at times, and fall short in our obedience, but if we are His we can be sure that at such times our resistance will be taken note of and broken down by His chastening or by His love through the Spirit, so that we are eventually carried along in His purposes. Indeed we are warned that if we are without this chastening, which results in such obedience, then it make it clear that we are not true sons and daughters of God our Father at all (Hebrews 12:8).

· Fourthly it accomplishes ‘the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus.' This is usually interpreted in terms of the sprinkling of the blood of the covenant offerings on the altar and on the people in Exodus 24:1, with the idea that those sprinkled are incorporated within the covenant. We can compare with this, ‘this is My blood of the covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins' (Matthew 26:28). And we would not argue with this as being an aspect of its meaning. Certainly our being set apart in holiness does bring us within the new covenant (Galatians 3:17; Hebrews 8:8).

But it should be noted that the verbs used for sprinkling in Exodus 24 LXX are prosecho and kataskidazo while in LXX (which Peter was using) the word used here, hrantismos (sprinkling), is used only in respect of the sprinkling with the water of purification and expiation into which had been mixed the ashes of a sacrificed heifer (Numbers 19:9; Numbers 19:13; Numbers 19:20; compare Numbers 8:7). This water for purification or expiation was sprinkled on those who had been defiled, but were now restored, and was in order to remove the taint of their uncleanness, and it was used in conjunction with various offerings.

Connection with this aspect of cleansing comes out in that this letter is mainly written to ex-Gentiles. All Gentiles were seen as ‘unclean' because of the way that they lived, and the idea is that those who have come to Jesus and have been sprinkled with His blood are now clean. They are no longer ‘unclean Gentiles'. And we should notice in this respect the call to be ‘holy' in 1 Peter 1:15. These words are taken from Leviticus 11:44 where they were a call to avoid all that leads to uncleanness and to be holy. So there is a great emphasis here on being made spiritually ‘clean' and fit to come into God's presence and enjoy the promises. It is a further confirmation that they are a part of the new Israel.

(The first thing that a Gentile who wanted to become a Jew in the time of Christ had to do was have an initial once-for-all bath for the ‘removal of uncleanness'. This is replaced here by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus).

All this would tie in with the idea that the blood is sprinkled on those who have been brought into a state of obedience through the obedience of Christ (see introduction). They have come under His covenant and are now committed to Him. They have been spiritually ‘healed' from anything that was rendering them unclean. Thus they have also now been sprinkled so as to purify them as a result of their ‘healing', their having been made clean by God.

This would further tie in with the idea of ‘sanctification' above, and indicate our being made clean, pure and acceptable to God. But here the water of purification, which had initially been made into an atoning medium through receiving the ashes of the heifer (Numbers 8:7), is seen as replaced by the even more efficacious blood of Jesus (compare 1 John 1:7). And this idea of shed blood (1 Peter 1:19) incorporates within it the whole compass of Old Testament sacrifices and offerings (Hebrews 10:12). It is because they have been sprinkled with His purifying blood that they are sanctified in God's eyes (compare Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 13:12). The verb hrantizo is also used in Psalms 51:7 (LXX Psalms 50:9) of the sprinkling with hyssop, and there it was for the removal of uncleanness seen in terms of sin. For the use of hyssop as a sprinkler in this way see Numbers 19:6; Numbers 19:18; Leviticus 14:4 (but note also Exodus 12:22, although ‘sprinkling' is not mentioned there). So the main emphasis here would appear to be on the removal of spiritual uncleanness.

However, all ceremonies undoubtedly included within them to some extent both the thought of positive participation in the covenant, and of the purifying in the eyes of God of the persons involved, and we may similarly therefore see here both the idea of being brought into personal participation within the covenant through His blood, and that of being made pure in the eyes of God. As with entering into the state of obedience (the equivalent of coming under the Kingly Rule of God), so also with the sprinkling, it is initially once for all, but then continues on as a necessary ongoing process (1 John 1:7).

So they are ‘chosen' as those who have been ‘foreknown by God the Father', it is ‘in the sanctification of the Spirit', and it is unto the ‘obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus'. It will be noted that all these themes will be taken up in what follows in this chapter. For the ‘sanctifying' work of the Spirit see 1 Peter 1:3. For ‘obedience' see 1 Peter 1:14; 1 Peter 1:23. For ‘setting apart in present holiness' see 1 Peter 1:15. For the effectiveness of ‘the blood of Jesus' see 1 Peter 1:18. For the significance of ‘foreknowledge', and how it associates us with Jesus Christ in His death see 1 Peter 1:20. Note also that ‘obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ' are here in 1 Peter 1:2 closely connected in one phrase by the use of one preposition, emphasising the closeness of the connection between them and indicating that both are ‘of Jesus Christ' (see introduction).

The Resources That We Can Draw On.

‘Grace to you and peace be multiplied.' Here Peter now reminds us of the resources that are available to us, resources which are ‘multiplied' to us by God (compare Ephesians 1:3). The first resource is ‘the grace of God', that is, the unmerited, undeserved compassionate activity of Gods on our behalf mediated through Jesus Christ. (G-R-A-C-E = God's Riches At Christ's Expense). Thus the Gospel is the Good News of the grace of God (Acts 20-24). It is by the grace of God that we are ‘sanctified in the Spirit unto the obedience of Jesus Christ, and the sprinkling of His blood' (1 Peter 1:2). It was by the grace of God that the church was first built up as the Spirit fulfilled His ministry (Acts 4:33; Acts 11:23; Acts 13:43; Acts 14:26; Acts 15:11; Acts 18:27). For ‘grace' indicates the undeserved, unmerited favour of God which is active towards the weak and unworthy, revealed through the power of His Spirit. It is totally apart from merit (Romans 11:6). It is the grace of God which brings salvation to all men and women (Titus 2:11). It is by His grace that we are declared righteous through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). It is in grace that we stand and hope in the glory of God (Romans 5:2). It is by the grace of God, and His gift through grace by our Lord Jesus Christ, that our offences have been dealt with (Romans 5:15) enabling us to reign in life by Him (Romans 5:17). It is the grace of God which reigns (in us) through righteousness unto eternal life (Romans 5:21). We owe everything that we are in Christ to the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10). And in our lives God is able to make all grace abound towards us, so that we having all sufficiency in all good things might abound unto every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). His grace is sufficient for us in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is in His grace that we have been ‘engraced' in the Beloved, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:6). It is by grace that we are saved (Ephesians 2:5). And so we could go on. For His grace is revealed to us and made effective in us by the working of His Spirit. In the words of Peter, grace is ‘multiplied' to us.

And because we experience continually the grace of God we have ‘peace', peace with God (Romans 5:1) because we are accounted as righteous by Him, peace from God (Romans 1:7; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Galatians 1:3) because He is concerned for our wellbeing and we walk in faith before Him, and the peace of God which passes all understanding filling our hearts in and through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15).

Note On The Triunity Implied in Peter's Descriptions in 1 Peter 1:2.

In these introductory words Peter speaks of ‘God the Father' (1 Peter 1:2), and then of ‘the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 1:3) This immediately implies a unique relationship of Father and Son. This relationship is depicted especially clearly in John's Gospel, although also reflected in the other Gospels (see below on 1 Peter 1:3). As ‘God the Father' God is over all things (Malachi 2:10; Ephesians 3:14), but as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ He has a unique relationship with Him, and with those who are ‘in Him'. Especially to be noted is the fact that in such a context Jesus can be called ‘our Lord', and this when speaking of Him in the same breath as God the Father (see also Acts 2:36; Acts 7:59; Acts 20:21). It is ‘God the Father' and ‘Jesus our Lord' to Whom we look.

In contrast to the Jew it was God Who was ‘our Lord'. And in the ancient Gentile world divine beings were called ‘Lord'. No Jew who did not recognise the divine nature of Christ would have so spoken of Him in such direct relationship to God. We can compare how Paul similarly uses the terms ‘God' and ‘Lord' so as to parallel Jesus with God (1 Corinthians 8:6). There is in this a clear indication of co-divinity.

Significant from this point of view is the reference to the ‘sanctification of the Spirit'. While indicating a separateness of the Spirit, this need only imply here the extension of God's invisible activity (the idea behind the term Spirit when used of God in the Old Testament), but Peter will later refer to Him as also ‘the Spirit of Christ' (1 Peter 1:11) indicating that He can be the Spirit of both Father and Son, and in 1 Peter 1:12 He is ‘the One sent from Heaven', while in 1 Peter 4:14 the Spirit of God rests on His people. Thus triunity is at least implied.

We should compare with Peter's words (given in brackets in the following quote) the description in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, ‘God chose you from the beginning (elect according to the foreknowledge of God) unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit (in sanctification of the Spirit) and belief of the truth (unto obedience), whereunto you were called in our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ).' For other triune statements of God see also Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14.

End of note.