Comfort For The Chosen

Well take your copy of God's Word and turn back to the book of one Peter and we are going to finish up, believe it or not, the first couple of verses that we've been wading through here over the last several weeks as we have launched into our study, this new study of this amazing book verse Peter. And so let's reread those first two verses just to get 'em in our minds and our hearts this morning as we begin. First Peter chapter one verse one, Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ to those who reside as aliens scattered throughout Pana, galacia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bethia who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood, may grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Father, thank you for preserving this book for us, this letter that Peter wrote thousands of years ago so that we could benefit from it. And Lord, I ask that the same spirit who inspired Peter to write these words would now illuminate us to understand exactly what you meant by what he wrote here and that we would accurately understand some deep stuff this morning. But Lord, I pray that we'd all leave here recognizing that it's practical stuff that really is truth for the road, truth for life that should make a radical impact in the way we think and the way we live. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Well, as I've been working my way through my 22 commentaries on one Peter, as I've been preparing for this series, I've had to avoid getting bogged down in all the background discussion on whether or not Peter was the author of this letter. And I'll be honest with you, I typically skim over most of that stuff because whenever I go start a study of a book and it says, one Peter, I just take it as God's word that this was written by Peter and I don't create problems where there aren't problems or at least try not to like it seems so many Bible scholars do. But because of the prominent position that Peter held in the early church, there was no shortage of documents which falsely claimed to have been written by Peter. And so one of the main reasons, some doubt that Peter wrote this letter is in their minds it's highly unlikely that an uneducated fisherman could have written such a polished sophisticated letter.

Now granted Luke recorded in the Book of Acts that Peter was considered uneducated and untrained by the Jewish religious leaders of his day, but that didn't mean he was illiterate, it simply meant that he lacked formal rabbinical training. Furthermore, Peter mentioned at the end of this letter that Snis also known as Silas, the Paul and Silas served as e Mannu or secretary who may have helped him with some of the syntax and the grammar and why the Greek is so polished here in this letter. But more importantly, and most importantly, Peter wrote unto the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which means that the Holy Spirit superintended Peter as he dictated this letter to Snis who wrote down word for word exactly what God wanted written.

And so if we believe in the inspiration of scripture and we do, that means that each and every word in this letter is the word of God. Second Timothy chapter three, verse 16, all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. In fact, just look over a few pages to the right. And second, Peter and Peter himself gave one of the clearest, simplest explanations of the doctrine of inspiration of scripture anywhere in the New Testament. In two Peter chapter one, verse 20, he says, but know this, first of all, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation or really inspiration is what he was referring to. There again, this is second Peter chapter one, verse 20 for no prophecy. Verse 21 was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God a way to maybe picture this as a ship on the ocean being moved along by the wind, by the wind of the Holy Spirit and the wind of the Holy Spirit pushing it in the direction that the Spirit wanted it to go.

And so if all of this is true and it is, we must respond accordingly. And I love what Paul said about the Thessalonians in his first letter to the church on Thessalonica in First Thessalonians chapter two, verse 13, he said, for this reason, we also constantly thank God that when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. And so we need to always keep in mind as we study through this book and any book of the Bible that God is speaking to us and so we need to pay close attention to what he has to say to us. And in this portion of his word, what God wanted to say and still wants to say to his people who from the beginning have been aliens and strangers and foreigners and sojourners is stand firm, stay faithful in a hostile world that misunderstands and maligns and mistreats us because of our commitment to Christ.

But as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, he doesn't just want us to hunker down or to huddle up or to hide out until we make it to our heavenly home. This is not a book for spiritual preppers who out of fear isolate themselves from the world. In fact, it's the exact opposite. Peter presents a strategy here for how we as exiles can evangelize the lost and win over a watching world that is growing more and more antagonistic to the gospel. How do we do that By living holy lives and behaving in a way that convicts unbelievers and leads them to Christ. And so this book is all about being alien ambassadors or exile evangelists or winsome wanderers, whatever title you want to put on it, it's about that. And the better that we learn and apply the principles that Peter taught in this book to better prepared, we will be to face the gathering storm of opposition and oppression that is coming against Christians and the church in our day.

Some of you may have read the article that I was sent recently by someone in the church about that Canadian pastor that was recently arrested when he flew back into Canada from traveling around the US basically going to churches telling us, warning us that what we're seeing in the government today and in the western world is very much of what he experienced when he lived in Poland. He he's of Polish descent and he moved to Canada and he's saying, Hey, this is exactly what we experienced in Poland under a communist rule that we're starting to experience the same kind of government overreach and restrictions. And so this man landed and he was arrested on the tarmac for violating covid protocol. And again, it's coming and I don't know about you, but I've never felt more like an alien or stranger in the world than I do right now.

So the question is, where are we to find our hope and our comfort as God's people in these troubling times? What should encourage us to hang in there and stay the course in the midst of all the trials and difficulties and sufferings that we face in this world? Well, according to Peter, the first and most important thing we need to remember is that God has chosen us out of this world. And again, I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago. Check out how Peter identifies the recipients of this letter. And some of you, I'm assuming most of you have a American standard like I do, but some of you may have an ESV or NIV and I think they do a better job translating this phrase here to those who reside as aliens. Because the first word in the Greek text there is lec lec, which translated means elect.

And typically, as I mentioned before, the New American standard follows the exact word order in the Greek text, but in this case, the translators likely made a theological decision to connect election with for knowledge. And so they moved it down at the end of the verse instead of having it translate at the front of the verse. But in doing so, I think they took out a bit of the shock value in that when Peter put Penn D Parchment to encourage and strengthen the suffering saints, the very first word that the Holy Spirit brought to his mind to address them was elect.

He just went there. And I think it's so instructive for us to consider that Peter began this letter by referencing one of the most controversial and hated doctrines in the history of Christianity. But he states it in a nonchalant matter of fact way without any apology, without any explanation really, which indicates that it was a familiar truth, not just to the apostles who accepted it and appreciated, but also to those who were going to be reading this letter, the believers in that day. And the fact that Peter started off by mentioning this word elect should tell us that this doctrine that has caused so many debates and so many disputes down through the ages was never intended to confuse or to create conflict but to comfort.

Now, granted, the doctrine of election is difficult to understand and perhaps even more difficult to embrace, but God never expected us to reject it, but to rejoice in it, literally Peter addressed them as elect exiles. That's what the ESV says. The NIV wanted to make sure we didn't miss it. And so this is how they translate it to God's elect. They put it in the front and they also put it at the end to God's elect, strangers in the world scattered throughout poncho glacia ca cascia, Asian bethia who have been chosen according to the four nos of God the Father. So they include the word chosen twice, even though it's only mentioned once.

But I want you to notice after addressing his readers as elect exiles who are chosen, he follows that up with three prepositional clauses or phrases that I think were intended to elaborate further on election. He says, who were chosen, number one, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, number two, by or in the sanctifying work of the spirit. And then thirdly, to obey or for obedience to Jesus Christ. And obviously I'm sure you see this with your own eyes in the text, but just to point it out that these three phrases not only explain the doctrine of election, but they emphasize the role that each of the three members of the Trinity play and the process or progression of our salvation.

If you're familiar with the letters of Paul, you know that in the first chapter of his letter to the church and Ephesus, he did a similar thing where for really this one long sentence in the Greek, in Ephesians chapter one verses three through 14, he talks about the three members of the trinity and the part that they play, the role they play in salvation. The father elects the sun redeems and the spirit seals. We don't have time to look at that because it's such a lengthy text, but maybe just to make a note of that, Ephesians one verses three through 14.

So here in the opening line really of this letter, Paul intended to open the eyes of the believers. He was writing to the glorious realities of their salvation by highlighting for a lack of better way to say it, three steps. The three steps of salvation were the three stages of salvation. In short, Peter wanted to remind us that God has chosen us and set us apart by his spirit for himself to obey his son Jesus, who shed his blood on the cross so we could live in a covenant relationship with him. In other words, maybe stated in the most simplest way I can say it is he explains how we became God's people.

If you're one of God's people this morning, you need to know how that came to be, and that's what we're going to learn from this text today. First of all, we were selected by the Father. That was when we were chosen. Secondly, we're sanctified by the spirit. That's how we were chosen. And thirdly, we were sprinkled by the son and that is why we were chosen. So let's look first of all at this first phrase, how we were selected by the Father, again, which answers the question when we were chosen. So look at that phrase, who are chosen at the end of verse one. Again, the word there is elects or electo. The called out ones the elect. It's a word that means to pick out, to select to choose. And before the New Testament was written, the term this term chosen was solely used to describe the nation of Israel.

Listen to how it's used in Deuteronomy chapter seven, verse seven, the Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you because you are more in number than any of the peoples, for you are the fewest of all peoples. But because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which he swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Later in Deuteronomy chapter 14 verse two, he says, for you are a holy people, holy means to be set apart to the Lord your God. And the Lord 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 Psalmist talks about the nation of Israel being chosen. Psalm 1 0 5 verse 53, Psalm 1 0 5, excuse me, verse 43, and he brought forth his people with joy, his chosen ones with a joyful shout.

And then in Psalm 1 35, Psalm 1 35, verse four, he says, for the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own people. So God's sovereign selection of Israel to be his chosen people serves as the foundation for our understanding of how God sovereignly selected us to be His chosen people. And you talk to most people and about God choosing the nation of Israel, all the other nations of the world, he chose one nation, one people group. Most people don't argue with the fact that the Jews are God's chosen people. We all know that. We all accept that in the Old Testament, but when we get to the New Testament, why all of a sudden there's all this huff and argument about, well, what do you mean we're God's chosen? Again, God's sovereign election of Israel in the Old Testament to be his chosen people is the foundation for us to understand how sovereignly selected us as his chosen people as well.

Jesus regularly referred to the doctrine of election, Matthew 2214. Many are called, but few are what chosen Matthew 24, verse 22. This is in the olive it discourse. When Jesus was teaching about the end times, he said, unless those days had been cut short, no life would've been saved, but for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short for false Christ and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead if possible, evenly elect. And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of the sky to another.

In Luke 18 verse seven, Jesus said, will not God bring about justice for his elect who cried to him day and night? In John six verse 70, Jesus answered the disciples, did I myself not choose you the 12 and yet one of you is a devil, John 1516, you did not choose me, but I chose you. And then in the great high priestly prayer in John 17 verse six, Jesus was praying to the Father, I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours and you gave them to me. In other words, God picked a group of guys to be his disciples, and of course he was not just praying for his disciples, but all of Christ's disciples from then till now that we are part of that group that God gave to Christ out of this world.

Paul often mentioned the doctrine of election. His letters Romans 8 33, who will bring a charge against God's elect? Ephesians one, three, he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. Colossians three 12. So as those who have been chosen of God, first Thessalonians one, four, knowing brethren, beloved by God, his choice of you, second Thessalonians two 13, but we should always be give thanks to God for you brethren, beloved by the Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation, two Timothy two 10. For this reason, I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen so that also you may maintain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with its eternal glory. Titus one, one Paul, a bond servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of those chosen of God. So Jesus talked about it. Paul talked about Peter's former fishing partner, John included it in the last letter he wrote, while in exile on the island of Patmos, the book of Revelation, revelation 1714. These will wage war against the lamb and the lamb will overcome them because he is lord of lords and king of kings and those who are with him are the called and chosen and faithful.

And now here in one Peter, Peter referenced the doctrine of election and applied this term that was formally reserved for the Old Testament Jews to Christ and New Testament saints. Look at chapter two verse four, and coming to him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is guess what that word is, LECs is the choice or the chosen and precious stone. He says it again in verse six, for this is contained in scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a chosen stone an S. So he applies this chosen term to Christ but not also to Christ's people. Verse nine, but you are a what chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. And then notice the last chapter, chapter five 13.

She who is in Babylon chosen together with you, sends you greetings and so does my son Mark. This could have been of reference to either the church in baby, or excuse me, the church in Rome. We decided that Babylon was a code word for Rome or it could have been a reference to his wife. We know Peter had a wife, so this could have been a reference to his wife who was also one of God's elect or perhaps the body of Christ there in the book of Rome. So all that to say scripture couldn't be clearer, that sovereignly selected a group of people out of all the other sinful rebels in the world to be his own, not because they were better than everyone else or they did something to make God choose them. He simply chose to set his affection on them because of his grace and for his glory.

Ephesians one makes that so clear for the praise of his glory. Now, I realize that for some of you who may have been raised in churches where all the emphasis was placed on man's responsibility to choose Christ, this is hard to hear and even harder to accept that God chooses those who are saved. But it's important to remember that while God chooses those who are saved, God makes it abundantly clear in his word that we are all responsible to choose Christ, to receive Christ as our Lord and Savior and he will hold us accountable if we reject Christ.

And in our finite minds, this seems like a logical contradiction. I agree, but even so, we must faithfully maintain the biblical tension between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. And we would do well to follow the example of Jesus who said this in John 6 37, all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out man's responsibility. And then he goes on just a few verses later and says, no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him. He highlights God's sovereignty. You say, well, which is it was Jesus talking out of both sides of his mouth. No, he was simply looking at salvation. First of all, from our vantage point, the need that we all have to repent and believe the gospel and then looking at salvation from God's vantage point that none of us would repent and believe the gospel had it not been for God drawing us to himself.

We typically share our testimony. I guess the way we share our testimony reveals that we generally look at our salvation from our vantage point. We say, I grew up in this kind of background and I was this or that, and then I went to this camp and I heard this message and I was convicted and I repented of my sin and I committed my life to follow Christ. And then I got baptized and it is all what we did, which is that's salvation from our vantage point. That's what happened from our vantage point. But if we were to share our testimony from God's vantage point, we would all begin this way in eternity past, God chose me to be one of his own. And when I went to that camp, God opened up my eyes and helped me to understand the gospel. He regenerated me by his spirit.

He brought me who was dead in my trespasses as he brought me back to life granted me repentance and faith, right? And again, we don't typically talk like that because why that's looking at our salvation from God's vantage point. And we just need to understand when we talk about the doctrine election, that's what we're doing. You mostly, you heard me say this a hundred times and that by now, but there may be someone that this will be helpful for. The way I try to have it make sense in my mind is if you're looking at standing before the gateway that goes into heaven, there's a banner that's above the gate that says whosoever will may come. In other words, whoever wants to go to heaven, it's free for the taken. It's your choice, it's your decision. And so you decide, you know what? I'm going to pursue Christ. I'm going to follow Christ. I want to have an eternal relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus. And so you go through the gate of heaven and then you get inside and you turn around and you look up and there's a banner on the inside of the gate that says, chosen before the foundation of the earth.

Again, as I've said before, the doctrine of election, you could liken it to a family secret. It's not something that you lead with when you go out to share the gospel this week with your coworker or classmate. Hey, you know you're either chosen or not chosen, and I'm not sure which one it is, but let me tell you the gospel, it has absolutely nothing to do with Spurgeon was classic. Somebody said, Hey, Spurgeon, if you're so convinced that God has chosen those who would be saved, why don't you just preach to the elect? If you know those, the only ones that are going to listen, the only ones that are going to get saved, why don't you just preach to the elect? He says, well, if you'll pull up their church and show me the E on their back, I will. The point is, you never know who is and who isn't, and so you just cast the seed and you trust the Lord that he'll accomplish his work through us as the means to bring the elect to salvation.

By the way, that's what sets us apart from hyper Calvinists. Hyper calvinists just sit around and contemplate the fact that we've been chosen. And so it doesn't matter, right? So it becomes a fatalistic thing. It doesn't matter if we go and share the gospel with anybody because if God's chosen, they'll get saved somehow. Some way He doesn't need us to do it. Like no, guess what? He not only ordained who would be saved, but he ordained the means how they would get saved, and that's through other believers who share the gospel. So we get to participate in this. But getting back to the question here, Paul went on to, or excuse me, Peter went on to explain when were chosen, when did this happen? Well, he says here, according to the foreknowledge of God, we were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God. Now, in order to make election more understandable or perhaps more palatable, some say or translate or interpret the foreknowledge of God as the God looking down through the quarters of time and seeing who would accept Christ and based on that, those are the ones who he chose to say, well, there's no question that God foresaw the future, but the word for no means so much more than knowing what would happen ahead of time.

For starters, just look at how the same word is used in the immediate context here. Look at chapter one, verse 20 talking about Jesus Christ, for he was for known before the foundation of the world.

Surely this doesn't mean that God knew Jesus was going to die on the cross and then rise again from the dead. I saw it happen. And so yeah, that's what's going to happen. For no doesn't mean observed, it means planned or decided. We know that from Acts chapter two, verse 23. Peter himself in that great sermon he preached on the day of Pentecost, said This man, Christ delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God. This is all part of God's plan, didn't catch God by surprise. You nailed to a cross by the hand of godless men and put him to death. Again. There's Peter keeping that tension between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility.

So before God created the world, that's what he's saying here. Before the foundation, he was for known before the foundation of the world, before God created the world, he predetermined that Christ would shed his blood and serve as a substitutionary sacrifice to pay for the sin of all those who would repent and believe. And I would submit to you based on what the scripture teaches, that at the same time God predetermined that Christ would die. He also predetermined those for whom he would die, and it had nothing to do with what we would or wouldn't do. And if it did, then God is no longer sovereign over salvation. We are because he's simply responding to us. Oh, oh, they're going to choose. Okay, I'll choose them. That's not the Bible. Jesus. The Bible says, you did not choose me. I chose you.

And furthermore, if God simply saw that we were going to choose Christ and chose us, that means we can take some of the credit or some of the glory for our salvation, which we know that's not biblical if. And so that's really from a grammatical standpoint, just looking at the text here, but also from a theological standpoint. When God looked down the quarters of time, which he did, he didn't see anyone seeking him, let alone choosing to repent and believe in Christ. Psalm 14, verse two, the Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They've all turned aside together, they become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one. So from God's viewpoint, all he saw was a bunch of sworn enemies who were hostile towards him and it deserved nothing but hell.

And yet in his grace and mercy, he chose some of us even though we were his sworn enemies. What's more the word for no know communicates more than intellectual knowledge. In other words, it's not prior knowledge of someone's actions or decisions. God knows people personally. It refers to God setting his affection on us. He chose to enter into an intimate relationship with us. In fact, if you're familiar with the Old Testament, you know that this word is used in the context of sexual intimacy between a husband and wife, Genesis four, one. Now Adam knew his wife and she conceived in Boca, Jeremiah one, five, before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, God said about Jeremiah, Amos three, two oh children of Israel, you only I have known of all the families of the earth, the NAS and the NIV. Translate that verse you only I have chosen among all the families of the earth. Romans 11, two, talking about the nation of Israel, God has not rejected his people whom he for knew.

And then perhaps the scariest verse of all is in Matthew chapter seven where Jesus warned that many who claim him as their Lord and master assume they're going to heaven because of all that they do in his name. They're going to be shocked when they get there. And Jesus says, depart from me. I never foresaw you. What does he say? I never knew you. It's not that he never heard of you. I've never heard of you. Who are you? Of course he's heard of you. His point is he didn't have a personal intimate relationship with you.

Now, obviously this is a profound and mysterious doctrine that's beyond our human comprehension, and Peter purposely stayed out of the weeds here, didn't try to explain and expound on all the intricacies of election like Paul did in the book of Romans. And if you want to weigh deeper into this doctrine of election, you can listen to my series that I preached on Romans nine called, I think it was just called Unconditional, God's sovereign Unconditional Election. There's a four-part series there you can find online. I tried to faithfully expound what Paul was saying in Romans nine, which is to me the jugular text for the doctrine of election anywhere in the Bible.

So we took some time just to hang out there for a little while, hit the parking break and talked about it. So if you're curious to learn more about this, please find those messages online. I can help you do that if you're interested. But for now, what did Peter want his readers to do? What does he want us to do? I think it's simply to bask in the glorious reminder that we are God's chosen people. There's nothing more comforting, nothing more encouraging than that, especially when you feel like you are viewed and treated like the redheaded stepchildren of the world.

You're not some outcast as you may feel like you are one of God's children that he has chosen and he's known you for a long time longer than you've been alive. He's had a relationship with you before time began in eternity past, and somehow we were wrapped up in that wise, brilliant, unfathomable plan of salvation that God designed in eternity past that would include his son as a groom who needed a bride. And we got to be that bride. Amen. So we were selected by the Father, number one. Number two, we are sanctified by the spirit. So we already answered the question when we were chosen. Now let's talk about how we were chosen. And Peter goes on here to say, by the sanctifying work of the spirit, you were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father by the sanctifying work of the spirit.

And we know the word sanctification means to be set apart from the world, to be set apart from sin, to be holy or distinct different from the rest of the world. That's what it means to be sanctified. And when we usually think and talk about sanctification, we think and talk about it as the process of spiritual growth that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in our lives. After we get saved, we talk about progressive sanctification, that this ongoing process of being conformed more and more into the likeness of Christ. But because the context here is clearly an explanation of election, I think it is better to see this as a reference to the salvific work of the Holy Spirit when he initiates and activates God's choice in us by regenerating us and granting us ance and va.

Lemme try to maybe break this down a little bit. The doctrine of salvation includes three aspects or three phases. We know them as justification, sanctification and glorification. Justification is that one time event that occurs at the moment of our conversion when God applies the substitutionary work of Christ to our account, forgives our sins and declares us righteous and blame us before. And that's what happens in the past sanctification. It is the gradual ongoing process that begins the moment we're justified, whereby the spirit of God sets us apart from sin and grows us and matures us and conforms us more and more into demons of Christ. That's the present aspect of salvation. And then there's a third aspect, a future aspect of salvation we know is glorification, right? That final act when God accomplishes in our lives, the moment when we die or when Jesus comes back, when all of our sin will be permanently removed and we will be perfectly conformed to Christ for all eternity.

So that's justification, sanctification, glorification. Now, if we were to break that down even further and just zoom into sanctification, the Bible says that there are also three aspects of sanctification. There's a past aspect of present aspect and a future aspect of sanctification. Here's what we know as number one, positional sanctification. That's when we are instantaneously set apart from sin unto God, the moment we're justified when we're clothed in the righteous of Christ and we're considered saints in God's eyes. That's already happened. Then there's progressive sanctification. We've already talked about that, where we're continually growing in Christ and then there's perfect sanctification when we're finally set apart from sin forever at our death or at the rapture. So what Peter was focusing on here is that first aspect of positional sanctification, which follows logically after election. And let me say it this way, maybe to make it hopefully simple. God, the Father chooses us in eternity past to be saved. And God, the spirit causes us to be saved in space and time. Lemme say that again. God, the Father chooses us in eternity past to be saved. And God, the Spirit causes us to be saved in space and time.

And I come up with that statement based on the teaching of the scripture that salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit. He's the one given the credit for salvation throughout the New Testament. Probably the most familiar passage is John chapter three, right when Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night and Jesus said, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And Nicodemus is like, what? I got to go back inside my mom and come out again. That's kind of weird. He says, no, no, no. I'm talking about being born of water and the spirit that which is born of the flesh is flesh that which is born to the spirit of the spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, you must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it's comes from and where it is going.

So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. In other words, salvation is a mysterious event that's accomplished by the Holy Spirit. In Acts chapter 11, when Peter, again, we got Peter here, which is, it's interesting to see how so much of what those that want to deny that Peter wrote first Peter. You see so many, I guess, connections between what happened to Peter and the Gospels and particularly what happened to him in the book of Acts that is very clear. This is Peter writing this in Acts chapter 11 when he himself was astounded that God decided to save the Gentiles. He gave it a report back in Jerusalem. They were questioning what Gentiles are saved. And this is how he described his event or his experience with Cornelius, right? That first Gentile that placed his faith in Christ. Acts chapter 11, verse 15. And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as he did upon us at the beginning. And I remember the word of the Lord, how he used to say, John baptized with water, but you'll be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if God gave to them the same gift as he gave to us, also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could stand in God's way. And when they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God saying, well then God is granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life. Peter attributed the repentance of the Gentiles to the work of the Holy Spirit.

And in some cases, in fact, a number of cases being saved is described as being sanctified. Acts chapter, we're in the book of Acts there, acts chapter 26, verse 18, listen to how Paul, these are the words of Jesus. In fact, talking about Paul's ministry, how God would use him to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me. So again, the context is being saved and Jesus himself used the word sanctify. Romans chapter 15, verse 16, Paul says, he was called to be a minister of Christ to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable sanctified by the Holy Spirit in talking about the work of the Holy Spirit, one Corinthians chapter one, verse two, to the church of God, which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus.

Again, I think that's a reference to the positional sanctification there. How about chapter six, verse 11, such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the spirit of our God. Was Paul getting things mixed up and confusing the order of salvation? No. He was talking about using the word justified and sanctified synonymously. There again, talking about positional sanctification. I think Second Thessalonians chapter two, verse 13 probably is the best commentary on this. Another example, two Thessalonians chapter two verse 13. But we should always give thanks to God for you brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the spirit and faith in the truth. Again, all in the context of salvation, he's using the word sanctified. And then lastly, Titus chapter three, verse five, he saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.

So again, I think this is how Peter was using the word sanctified here in verse two, was simply as positional sanctification. In fact, he went on to describe salvation as being called out of the world into God unto God to proclaim him to others, right? Chapter two, we already looked at that you are God's chosen people so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. By the way, the language that Peter used here in the original Greek indicates that the sanctifying work of the spirit is not just a one-time thing, it's an ongoing activity.

So we do have the idea of progressive sanctification even in this text as well. But how did it happen? We were chosen or elected before the foundation of the earth according to the ows of God by the sanctifying work of the spirit. So the spirit of God, that's how it went down, that's how it was applied, if you will, to our lives. And then thirdly, Peter mentioned that we were sprinkled by the sun, and this answers the question why we were chosen. This is very important. And if you've kind of checked out, because this is like lots of theology this morning, please reengage because this is very practical. Notice he says, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood.

This is the third and final phrase that describes our response to the saving work of the Holy Spirit. This is the reason why God shows us in the first place you ready for this to obey Jesus? And again, based on the context which is election or salvation, I don't think Peter was referring to how we live our lives after we get saved, but how we initially get saved, which is by obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do I have your attention yet? Wait a minute. This sounds like he's, he's drifting into workspace. Salvation. Well, I would simply say this, the New Testament makes it clear that the gospel is something to be obeyed and conversion is often referred to as obedience. Listen to John in his gospel, how he used faith and obedience interchangeably. John 3 36, Hugh believes in the Son has eternal life, but he does not obey. The son will not see life with the wrath of God abides on him. So I like obedience is some optional thing.

It's part of what it means to be saved. And Paul's epic treatise on the doctrine of salvation, the book of Romans, he referred to salvation in terms of obedience. You might remember this when we studied this, just the last book we studied together, how he talks about the obedience of faith that he had been called as an apostle to bring about the obedience of faith. Romans two, eight, he talks about those who would not obey the truth. Romans six 17, thanks me to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed. Romans 10 16, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. Romans 1518 again, he talks about how his ministry resulted in the obedience of the Gentiles.

Romans 16, he ends the book again talking about the obedience of faith, describing salvation as the obedience of faith. And then Second Thessalonians chapter one, verse seven, Paul says this, the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels inflaming fire, talking about Christ's return, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God. And to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. Peter right here in the first chapter referred to salvation in terms of obedience to the truth. Look at verse 22, since you have in obedience to the truth, purified your souls for sincere love of the brethren, and he describes salvation. We read it earlier before communion, verse 24, as dying to sin and living to righteousness in Acts chapter five, verse 32.

And he was confronted about what he was preaching. He said, we are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. So again, he's describing those who have been saved and he describes it as those who obey God. So what should we conclude from all these verses? I think it's simply this. Being saved requires more than just believing or accepting some facts about God's sin in Jesus. It is believing so strongly in these facts. There's the faith that you turn from sin. There's repentance and commit your life to follow and obey Jesus.

And then obviously that initial submitting of our lives in obedience to the Lordship of Christ will naturally lead to a lifestyle of obedience to Christ, which is the greatest evidence that we're truly saved. And we don't have time to look at all these references, but you just need to go to one John chapter two, for example. And it talks about how do you know you're safe? Well, do you obey or not? Not you're saved by obeying, but your obedience proves that you're saved. And again, this doesn't mean that you're going to obey perfectly or automatically, right? You get saved and all of a sudden everything in your life changes and you never sin again. And all those things you struggled with for all those years before you came to Christ, go away like that. And there may be some things that hang on for a little while that frankly you don't even know are wrong. But as soon as you find out that they're wrong, your initial attitude is to submit, to give it up to mortify it.

So we're not going to obey automatically or perfectly. I mean, just listen to Paul in Romans chapter seven, one of the strongest, most mature Christians who ever lived talks about his ongoing struggle with sin. But I think what this means is that from the moment we come to Christ, we should begin to see a decreasing frequency of sin in our lives and an increasing frequency of obedience that we should sin less and less over time. That's what it says in one John chapter three verses six through 10. And then notice this last phrase, which is kind of a quirky little phrase and be sprinkled with his blood again in light of the context here, which is salvation. The sprinkling of blood was probably a reference to the old covenant that God established with his people at Mount Sinai, which was a preview of the new covenant that God established with his people at the cross.

And you can go back to Exodus chapter 24 verses three through eight and see how basically God called Moses gave them, God gave them his law, and Moses killed a bunch of bulls and had a bunch of blood. And the people said, we'll, obey your word. We'll obey your law. And so they made a commitment at the beginning of this old covenant. They made a commitment to obey. And the way they sealed that was Moses took that blood and sprinkled it on him. Well, in the same way, this is I think figurative of Jesus's sacrificial death to redeem God's elect. And the moment we place our faith in him and we commit to obey him, we receive all the blessings of forgiveness that flow from his shed blood. Instead, we being sprinkled with his blood, not literally, but figuratively.

And then just quickly here at the end, he says, may grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. This is a familiar prayer or wish reminiscent of Paul's letters. In fact, Peter says the same thing at the beginning of a second letter, grace and peace be multiplied to you and the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Grace is God's undeserved and unearned kindness and favor in our lives that begins with salvation, but then sustains us on a daily basis, am miss all the distresses, all the difficulties of life. Peace is that settled confidence and rest that we have as a result of being reconciled with God. But that also enables us to have that inexplicable calm in the midst of turbulent times.

And Peter prayed that these suffering saints would experience the maximum amount of God's grace and peace in their lives. Is this your experience? If this is not comforting to you, if this is not refreshing to you to be reminded how much God loves you and how he's chosen you and set you apart unto himself by his spirit to live in obedience to Christ, if you don't know anything of God's grace, you don't know anything of God's peace, then maybe it's because you're not saved. The good news is that God's grace and peace can be yours by turning from your sin and coming to Christ in obedient faith.

And for those of you who may be sitting there thinking, well, okay, that sounds great, but how do I know if I'm one of the elect? I know how your minds think. Some of you guys are like, well, how do I know if I'm one of God's elect? If he hasn't chosen me, then why bother? Lemme close with the words of ch h Spurgeon who was a committed, and in his morning and evening on July 17th, he was commenting on one Thessalonians one, four, knowing brethren, beloved during election of God, listen to what he said. So wise, so balanced. Many people want to know whether or not they've been chosen by God before they look to Christ, but they simply cannot learn it that way. It is only something to be discovered by actually looking unto Jesus. If you want to ascertain whether or not you have been chosen, this is the only way to assure your heart before God.

He said, let me ask you, do you sense that you are lost and guilty sinner? If so, then go immediately to the cross of Christ and confess that to him and tell him you've read in the Bible. Whoever comes unto me, I will know wise, cast out, look to Jesus and believe on him, and you'll prove your election immediately. If you'll give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust him, then you are one of God's chosen ones. But if you stop and say, I want to know first whether I'm elect you ask not what. In other words, you shouldn't be asking that question. Wrong question, go then to Jesus, as guilty as you are leaving all curious questions about your choosing alone, go straight to Christ and hide in his wounds and you'll know that you have been chosen. The Holy Spirit will give you the assurance you need, and you'll be able to say, I know whom I believe, and I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I've committed to him, and this is how he ends.

I love this. Christ was at the Everlasting Counsel, so he knows whether or not you were chosen, but you cannot find it out any other way than to simply put your trust in him. And when you do, his answer will be, I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore, with loving kindness I have drawn you. And then this is the last sentence. He says, there will be no doubt about God having chosen you when you have chosen him. Amen. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this what could be considered a complicated text, but there's so much rich truth in here that I hope that as you grant us grace to unpack it in our minds and our hearts and apply it this week. Lord, as we think about it in our quiet times as we meditate on this message, perhaps talking about it together with our grow group, Lord, that would just, this text would just kind of fall off the bone as it were, and just really have a life-changing impact in all of our hearts and our minds. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.