1 Peter: Grace and peace in abundance
So you know how Peter has this reputation for getting it wrong, for rushing in without thinking. It appears I am sharing his impetuosity right now! I somehow managed to miss out out Peter’s letters on this journey through the Bible and skip straight to John’s letters. Oops! I was so cross when I realised. Not that it matters hugely, but I couldn’t help feeling I should have paid more attention to what I was doing, especially as this project is taking five and a half years to complete!
Anyway, it is what it is. The mistakes that Peter made were far more serious. He’s the one who was so outspoken when with Jesus and yet was the first to deny him after his arrest!
And so we end this year with a study of Peter’s two letters, the first dealing with persecution from outside the church, the second with troubles within. In this first letter, we’ll discover themes of separation, suffering and persecution, suffering and glory, hope, pilgrimage, courage, and most importantly, the true grace of God.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 1 Peter 1:1-2
Peter describes himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. An apostle is an important early Christian teacher or pioneering missionary. As one of Jesus’ original twelve disciples, Peter does not feel the need to qualify this title, as Paul sometimes does by saying ‘by the will of God’. No one questions Peter’s right to address himself as an apostle. He’s not just any apostle; he’s the main man. He was an important and influential man in the early church – imagine the excitement of receiving a letter from Peter himself!
After all, Peter is mentioned more in the Gospels than anyone else other than Jesus.
However, Peter is not addressing this letter to an individual or to a specific church. It’s addressed to all believers scattered across the known world at that time. It’s intentionally written to all Christians – including us – all who have been chosen by God to follow Him. There’s a responsibility that comes with being chosen (just think of the responsibility of those elected to parliament by a public vote…). We have been chosen for obedience. It’s a privilege, yes, but a privilege that comes with an important role to play.
That sense of belonging to a chosen people uplifts and encourages – it is certainly not intended to engender any sense of exclusivity and superiority. We have done nothing to deserve or earn our place in God’s family. So did God know before He extended an invitation what my response would be? Yes, He is all-knowing. Did that affect whether He extended the invitation or not? I don’t believe so. God is all-loving. I can’t fully understand this idea of fore-knowing. I don’t need to, I’m not God. I’m good with being chosen to be obedient to God and sanctified by His spirit. I’d rather put my energies into working that out in practice rather than wrestling with making sense of it all.
Being chosen is not simply a ticket to heaven. The work starts in the here and now. This is what’s important. Heaven touches earth when God’s will is done and His Kingdom comes on earth as in heaven as we regularly pray in the Lord’s Prayer.
The sprinkling of the blood is an Old Testament reference to the way things used to be done in a literal sense. Now, figuratively, the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus on us accomplishes the same things, cleansing us from our corruption and sin.
And finally for today, the greeting – Grace and peace be yours in abundance. I love it. It’s a familiar greeting among the believers, blending the elements of grace from Greek culture and peace from Jewish culture. In abundance.
There’s more than enough to go around. God’s grace and peace are available to all and will never run out. We don’t have to ration them or be stingy with them – let’s get out there and share grace and peace in abundance today!
