As promised, I will try to deliver something more substantial than current events and funny websites this morning. And what better way to do that than to let you in on some stuff that I’m learning about in 1 Peter. I just started studying it this morning and already I have had some serious things to talk about. For instance, Peter tends to use a lot of “Calvinspeak” if you will. Now, words like “chosen”, “foreknowledge”, and “predestined”, when encountered in scripture, may cause problems for some, but most likely you have a particular way to interpret such issues. I’m sitting here at my desk very cautioned, because I know that if I venture off into this realm, there is a chance that I will separate myself from several of you who read this based on some of my theological positions. But, thankfully I know I have been blessed with mature enough friends in the faith, that you can handle it, and even embrace it. So I feel that I must indulge myself this morning (probably several mornings) for the sake of not skimming over some very clear biblical truths present in this book, because these issues are not peripheral to faith, but foundational. Now, I realize that calvinism is not central to the plot of 1 Peter, but, as I said, it is foundational to what Peter is trying to communicate, I believe.
As for this morning, I must point out that you cannot move past Peter’s first sentence without dealing with predestination. Now, some of you may say that foreknowledge is distinct to predestination and that believers are chosen based on God’s foreknowledge of their acceptance of Him. Unfortunately, this is not an idea that is communicated in the Bible. Notice in verse 1 and 2 that choice precedes foreknowledge. Election originates in the eternal will and purpose of God the Father. The foreknowledge ( Acts 2:23) of God refers, of course, to what God knows beforehand. God’s foreknowledge has an element of determinism in it because whatever really happens that God knows beforehand exists or takes place because of His sovereign will. Therefore when Peter wrote that God chose according to His foreknowledge he did not mean that God chose the elect because He knew beforehand they would believe the gospel (the Arminian position). God chose them because He determined beforehand that they would believe the gospel (the Calvinist position; Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:3-6; 1 Thess. 1:4; 1 Peter 5:13).
Now, unfortunately I am out of time, but hopefully this will give your think tanks a stir. Are there any other interpretations out there?