Sunday, November 10, 2013

PART FOUR: JUDGMENT BEGINS WITH THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD



2. A Thematic and Contextual Overview of the Epistle Itself as a Whole

             As we consider an overview of this first epistle, Peter has a clear theme throughout. It could be summed up in the following manner:

God's chosen people in Christ, be holy as He is holy. And don't be surprised at the trials and sufferings you are going through for Jesus' sake. He said this would happen. He went through it and so must you. Keep in mind, also, that the Spirit of blessing and glory rests (and will rest) on you as you suffer because you are doing God's will.  This is precisely what a life of following Christ looks like. In all your suffering, entrust yourselves to a faithful God who will strengthen, confirm, and establish you no matter how great the conflict or from what quarter it comes.    

Along with this summary for gaining an overview of the epistle, notice as well how Peter addresses himself to his recipients at the beginning of this letter. Peter says they are "elect exiles of the dispersion." That is, no matter how dispersed they are in various places in the world, no matter how seemingly rejected and insignificant they may feel or appear to be in the eyes of others, they are held together in a unity created by God's own choice. God knows who they are and where they are. They are significant and highly honored. That is, they aren't scattered nobodies in God's eyes. They live together in the Land of Promise where God dwells, the heavenly Jerusalem, seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. From God's perspective, they are all there in "one accord."

 Notice, too, that they are "elect" according to what? Their own religious choice? Their hard work or willpower? No. They are "elect" in this way: "According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood" (1 Peter 1:1-2). God is doing the work here. God chose them; they did not choose God. That is, they chose God because God first chose them. The arm of man cannot diminish the identity of God's people or dislocate them from God as their dwelling place. In all the wanderings of the nation of Israel on the way to Canaan, Moses rightly says, "Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations" (Psalm 90:1).

 Consider that this involves nothing less than God the Father's foreknowledge which brings about the sanctification of the Spirit for obedience to Christ and sprinkling with Christ's blood. That is, God is the author and finisher of this faith. In Christ, God begins the work and completes it. This is why Peter says, as he ends his greeting in chapter one, "May grace and peace be multiplied to you" (v. 2). He is praying according to the purpose and action of God already demonstrated in Christ to abundantly bless His people .

Now let us pause here for a moment and think again about the legalistic understanding of 1 Peter 4:17-18 which we just considered. Are God's people "barely" or "scarcely" saved? No way. Because of the way which is Jesus, no way. Jesus is our stand in for righteousness. He is our representative to the Father. Now I ask, did Jesus "barely" come forth from the grave? Did Jesus "scarcely" keep the Law on our behalf? Did Jesus "barely" pay for sin? Did Jesus "scarcely" give Himself that we might live? Is there any scarcity, any slenderness, either in the Father's love or the work of Christ for our salvation? No, beloved! There is only largeness, wideness, bigness of love and mercy in Christ! Why else would Paul teach the saints to pray that they would know how high, how long, how wide, and how deep the love of Christ is? If the love of the Father or of Christ were "barely" or "scarcely" given it would definitely be measurable. We could point out its limits. We could comprehend it easily. We would see its boundary lines. Specify its dimensions. We would be able to say, "Oh, it is this high, this wide, this deep. It it starts here and ends there. Yes, there is one side and over there is the other side."

There is no "barely" or "scarcely" in God's redemption, God's gift of His Son for our salvation.  Stand on the shore, look at the ocean before you, and tell me if you can see where the ocean ends. That's a little of what it is like to measure God's love. If you are more daring, go the deepest part of the ocean, dive into the deep and see if you can touch bottom. Why does the Word of God point to oceans and mountains and skies when it speaks of God? Because of His vastness, His majesty, the greatness of His steadfast love and mercy. He cannot be measured in His love for us.

Do we, therefore, we who trust in Jesus "barely" or "scarcely" have acceptance with God — "barely" or "scarcely" go to heaven? A thousand times no! Did we not hear His Spirit teach our hearts to say for Jesus' sake, "Abba, Father"? Do you not know that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life? Do you not know that you are always on His mind? That He has your name engraved on His hands? That He is counting the days until He sees you? That He knows how to finish what He starts? That no one and nothing can separate you from God's love? That no one can take you from your Father's hand? Just let them try! 

Oh, no, beloved! You are not "barely" or "scarcely" saved. I tell you in Jesus' name that yours is an abundant salvation. The cross which saves you is an overwhelming victory over sin. The empty tomb stands for an astounding and decisive defeat of death and all the powers of hell. The Christ at God's right hand has all authority in heaven and on earth. This is an amazing grace which we have in Jesus. When He comes, there will be a trumpet blast and the shout of an archangel and you will yourselves go up to heaven shouting, "Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory to God in the highest!"

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