Foreigners in a Foreign Land
Our Identity and Our Destiny, part 1
1 Peter 1:1-2
David Taylor
We just started a new series on 1 Peter, breaking it up into three mini series. The first, “Foreigners in a Foreign Land” (1:1-2:10) will look at what Peter says about our identity, our salvation, perspective on difficulties, and walking out the life of Christ. Then we will begin a series called “Living on Mission in a Foreign Land” (2:11-4:11) and finish 1 Peter with, “The Church in a Foreign Land” (4.12-5.14). Today we finish the first message in our series, Foreigners in a Foreign Land, with “Our Identity and Our Destiny.”
I want to share with you today about a different kind of identify loss, who we are as disciples and how often we lose our sense of who we are in God, believing lies others have told us. This morning, what word or words are the key factors that shape your identity, is it God's word and God's voice or is it or the words and and voices of others? This is important because the answer determines how we see the world and how we live our lives. Neil Anderson, in the Bondage Breaker, states, “No person can consistently behave in a way that is inconsistent with how they perceive themselves.”
Big idea - As God's people, we are chosen by God to be sojourners in a foreign land to fulfill his purposes.
Identity of Author
Peter identifies himself as an 'apostle of Jesus Christ.' Jesus chose the twelve apostles; none of the them chose to be one. It should be encouraging for all of us to see that Peter was chosen to be an apostle, was a significant leader of the early church, and wrote this epistle despite that he did not have a great track record. All of the people God used were generally insignificant and sinful people yet were used greatly.
Identity of Recipients
Peter wrote to churches made up of primarily Gentile but also Jewish Christians scattered across the region of what is today modern Turkey. They were suffering persecution and Peter wrote to encourage them to persevere with joy and hope in the midst of suffering. He describes them as those who are elect/chosen exiles. Exiles are strangers scattered across a strange land, foreigners in a foreign land. This is the same way the OT describes the patriarchs. See last weeks manuscript for more information.
Now lets wade into deeper water, Peter calls us elect exiles. All of us who believe the bible to be true, believe in election. Many pastors shy away from it or avoid it. But I have a responsibility to teach as clearly as I can what the whole bible teaches, not just the easy parts. The writers of Scripture see it as a great comfort and encouragement to our faith. Let me start out by saying you do not have to agree with me to be part of CCC, to be involved, to serve here, etc. The elders do not all hold to the same view. Peter describes us this way so it is important for us to look at it. Elect is used to describe God's people in both the OT and the NT. The verb form of the word is used twenty two times in the NT; seven of those speak of God electing people to salvation. The noun form is also used twenty two times; seventeen are used of us as God's people.
Let me review with you three ways that election is generally defined. One way is to say that God elects those he knows beforehand who will choose him. I do not think this is correct for several reasons. Two are that foreknowledge means more than prior knowledge and faith is a gift of God.
A more recent view is corporate election, God chooses a group of people (ie Israel and the church). But the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 1:5), the apostle Paul (Gal 1:15) and John the Baptist (Lk 1:13-17) are chosen and called to birth. And every group is made up of individuals.
Third is that God in his sovereign grace elects people to salvation. I think this is consistent with the way bible describes election as we will see today.
Now look at verse two, there are three phrases that describe the nature of elect exiles: according to the foreknowledge of God; in the sanctification of the Spirit, and for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling with his blood.
Foreknowledge points to something that happened pretemporal, before time began. We see this in Ephesians, “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him (Eph 1:4).” Paul also points to this in 2 Timothy, “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began (2 Tim 1:9).”
Foreknowledge means more than just a prior knowledge of us or predicting our future faith. Many times in Scripture, it is synonymous with love and to know intimately. It is used this way of Jesus in 1:20, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” Or “And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness (Mat 7:23).'” Here Jesus means he had no saving relationship with them. Jesus describes our coming to faith this way, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit (Jn 15:16a).” Paul says something similar in Galatians, 'now that you have come to know God or rather be known by God (4:9).' What Paul and Peter and Jesus are saying is that God the Father set his affection on us in eternity past to accomplish his saving work in us. Peter is saying to us who live in a place we are not quite comfortable in, where we feel out of place, don't despair, we feel that way because we are God's chosen exiles. The next phrase that describes elect exiles is 'in the sanctification of the Spirit.' Most of us understand sanctification as the gradual transformation of our lives to be like Christ. But it is also used in the past tense referring to our salvation. “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1Co 6:11).” It means God by his Spirit has set us apart for salvation (see also John 3:1-8). Lastly, elect exiles for obedience to Jesus Christ. This is what we saw in Ephesians 1:4, “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” And it is why Peter writes, “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall (2 Pet 1:10).” Obedience is our birth right and our destiny, a growing moral transformation into the character of Christ.
This description of us – elect exiles scattered in a foreign land gives us great hope that we have an identity that God defines, a destination that God has secured; not because of my works but because of God's sovereign grace. Peter describes us this way to give us a sense of belonging, hope of a better place, the power to persevere in trials and not avoid them, and even to overcome sin. To encourage us that it is God who defines us, not others.
Take aways . . .
My hope is not here and not in this life
My hope is found in how God defines me
My hope for change is found in God's promises
