SCRIPTURE | 1 Peter 1:1–2 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as exiles, 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 the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

OBSERVATION | First we can learn from this passage that some are “chosen.” From pride and logic, we believe it is us who chooses the Lord. If this were the case we would have a reason to boast in our decision. We came to Him. We gave our lives to Him as if we were such a great gift. Sadly, the opposite is true. We are all full of sin, with hearts deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). We have nothing to give but our sinful rebellion to a holy God. In fact, because we are so bent toward sin we cannot on our own even chose Him. Yet, He chose to forgive some of us. He chose to give His Son in the place of our guilt.

John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would abide…”

Second, let us learn that He chose “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit.” This does not say and cannot say He chose who He did because He foreknew they would choose Him. If that were the case, it would read “He knew they would choose Him according to His foreknowledge.” But it does not say this. Inserting such an understanding is an error.  

Further, His choosing because He knows of our choosing, would defeat any reason for Him to choose. His choice must stand alone, with no hint of our own, so that He always gets all the glory alone. It is helpful to understand that our will only comes into conformity with what He has already willed. We, bent toward sin and weak in the flesh conform to His holy and powerful will. We, unknowing of His choice before the foundations of the world, only come to accept His will as we make it our own will. If it seems we have chosen the Lord, it is only a recognition that we were already chosen by Him. Sanctification is the same, which is our growth in holiness. Our sanctification is when our will and our work simply come into agreement and alignment with God’s.

Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who is at work in you, both to WILL and to WORK for His good pleasure.”

Third, let us learn that God did not leave His chosen without giving divine directions to be taught and obeyed. In this way, the Word of God is primarily addressed to and for those “who are chosen.” Though it is still a witness to those who are not. It teaches us of God’s covenant promises, calls us out of the world and away from world likeness, to live a life for God in holiness.

Fourth, we learn we have been chosen by “the sanctifying work of the Spirit to the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood.” No slave is chosen by a master to sit idly and please himself in life, but to get busy about His master’s business. Sadly, many have twisted error into the church and made God “for us” as if we were the lord and He were our slave. As if He is the one who is to do our bidding. Our understanding of prayers and His answering our requests has become more like a genie in a bottle who grants us our wishes. Instead however, let us remember verses like these where we are chosen for the Lord’s good and holy will. We are chosen for His “sanctifying work,” not our own.

In this same way, let’s stop making evangelism THE only work of the chosen. Discipleship, not conversion, is the word scripture uses and that requires teaching obedience to the Word. (Matthew 28) The modern church has been horribly adulterated by those who claim an evangelistic mission and yet turn people to a false version of Jesus. These who have a “love of the lost,” in little ways or in no ways at all turn people to the “obedience of Jesus Christ.” At least not any obedience that would be difficult and contradict the ways of worldliness.

So, if we are chosen “to the obedience of Jesus” what kind of obedience was His? Complete obedience. Absolute obedience. Obedience to the point of literally dyeing to do God’s will. The mission of the church is to teach true disciples to follow that same kind of obedience. “Making disciples… teaching them to keep all that I commanded you.”

Fourth we learn to take hold of the full authority and complete sufficiency of scripture. It’s all too easy to make our own version of “sanctification” and “obedience” if we lack the faith that scripture authoritatively speaks to all of life and doctrine sufficiently (see this teaching lesson). For if scripture does not speak to all of our life and faith, we are free to use human reason, psychology, personal preferences, ministry methods and whatever else as we will. Yet we cannot, for God has completely and adequately revealed His will, and every time we fail to “keep all that I commanded you” it is sin. For if God did not give us a complete and sufficient revelation in His Word, every thought, word and deed could no longer be judged by Him. And this is what many modern so-called Christian’s have labeled “Christian freedom.” It is their self-claimed right to live however they want in whatever “unclear” or “gray” areas they have created by obscuring the clarity of the sufficient and authoritative Word of God.

APPLICATION | May we repent from living in any way that we think as if it is right and acceptable to God. May we live only according to His sanctifying Word through the power of His Spirit. May we live as those who were chosen for His purposes. For if we are chosen, we are chosen for so much more than salvation from the guilt of our sin alone. We are chosen for Him and His glory alone.

Isaiah 43:7 “Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”

PRAYER | Father, I repent of living according to my choice and my will. I submit to Yours, in Your Word.  Conform my will to yours. Today I will begin to read and study scripture more seriously, more in depth and more often. So that I might not do as I please. So that “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Father, turn me to your Word to grow my confidence of your choosing and electing me, so that I might greater understand Your awesome grace, and so that I might live for Your glory alone. Amen

2 Peter 1:10–11 ­“Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and choosing sure; for in doing these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”