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The Foreknowledge of God
Petros; Πέτρος
Week Three
Core Four – The Foreknowledge of God and the Plan of Redemption
Redemption – Redemption relates to deliverance from a circumstance or condition. Most often, this involves paying a price to “buy back” the person or thing that is being ransomed. In the New Testament, redemption is almost exclusively related to Jesus’ death on the cross. God redeems humanity at the cost of Jesus’ life, which is given freely, in order that humans might be delivered from spiritual slavery and death. Jesus told His disciples that His purpose for coming was to give His life as a ransom for the redemption of men.
1 Peter 1:1-5 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 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. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:17-21 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Content and Biblical Context
Let’s look at 1 Peter 1:1-2… Almost provokingly Peter bids the churches to see and to think of themselves more through the eyes and thoughts of God – chosen, regarded, selected, loved, valued, intentional and purposed. This description of people who are both chosen by God and foreigners in the place of their residence lends itself to the spiritual understanding of parepidēmos as describing the Christian’s earthly life as a temporary residence in this world, on the way to the Christian’s ultimate home in the realized kingdom of God. From this understanding we can conclude three strong positions of theological understanding here from Peter’s introduction, to describe the recipients of this letter:
- They are chosen based on the sovereign foreknowledge of God the Father.
- They are chosen by the sanctifying work of the Spirit.
- They are chosen for obedience and sprinkling of the redemption blood of Jesus Christ.
They become a people with gratitude and a sense of mission, to acknowledge themselves not merely as the fortunate recipients of the goodness and grace of God – but as those chosen/selected to live in this world as aliens. It is important to recognize a literal truth being spoken here that must carefully be interpreted with the intent and meaning that Peter (the author) intended. Clearly Peter does not intend that we exist here on this earth as other-worldly extraterrestrial creatures. And although ET’s life probably matters to someone, somewhere… the intended meaning and original etymology of the word “alien” must be understood and embraced in its deepened and most literal context.
The understanding is revealed to those Christians and followers of Jesus who by God’s Master Plan are facing all variety and manner of suffering. And doing so while they are living by faith, scattered around/across the globe/world as ones who are alien [parepidemos] (foreigners, strangers, incompatible, opposed and adverse) to the ways – the will – the powers and ideology of this world and its present darkness.
1 Peter 1:2-3 clearly indicates that the audience’s circumstances and sojourning do not come about as a surprise to God – He Knew, He Knows, and He Has Always Known. He knew their difficulty, their suffering, and their sorrow. He knew the meaning, the purpose, and the outcome, for all that they were going through and all adversity that was to come. The meaning of their difficulty and righteous suffering allowed for them a rare and special communion with Christ. Suffering for the sake of the name of Yeshua, is never meaningless, as it will always accomplish the purpose, plan, and the will of God in our lives.
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
Matthew 5:10
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I Peter 4:14-16
If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
Because righteous difficulty and suffering always has meaning – it always serves good purpose. The purpose for righteous suffering is found within the plans and will of God for the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Ephesians 1:4-12
Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
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The Reunion Church
- 8153 W. Cactus Rd., Peoria, AZ 85381
- 623-979-5465
- info@thereunionchurch.life