1 Peter 1:20-21

v. 20 “He was chosen [foreknown] before the creation of the world, but was revealed [made manifest] in these last times for your sake.”

I started out my time looking up a few of the words that caught my eye. Not neccessarily because I don’t know what they mean, but because I want to understand more their meaning in context with the rest of the chapter. Also, because words we use so often become less meaningful or come to mean something completely different over time. Many times I find that I know what a word means, but cannot easily put the meaning into words. Sometimes simply looking at other places where the word is used can help us understand.

Chosen – “Elect”- [or as the KJV uses foreknown] – This word is also used in Romans 8:29; 11:2 in reference to God’s elect

Creation- [foundation in the KJV] – Used the same way in the in 10 other verses “…creation [foundation of the world]…”

Last – Same word used in 1 Peter 1:5

Times – Same word used in 1 Peter 1:17

v. 21 “Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”

Hope – This is the same word used in 1 Peter 1:3 when Peter refers to our “Living Hope”

Jesus Christ was chosen before time began, before even the world was made to take our place. To redeem us by His precious blood. To be our “Living Hope.” Even though God knew full well our rebellious and evil nature. Also, for whatever reason God chose to wait until “these last times” to reveal Christ. This shows that the coming of Jesus was of His timing, which we have to trust is the best timing.
Verse 21 goes on to emphasize the fact that it is through Christ that we have access to God. We are only able to come to Him through Christ. Through Him we have belief and faith in God. Our fellowship with God is restored. God is ultimately the person we believe in and seek, but ONLY through Christ. He raised Christ from the dead and glorified Him. So we place our faith and hope in God. He is our “Living Hope.” However, we can only have all of this through Christ and His blood, His precious blood that purchased our Salvation.

Other Opinions

When using the Inductive method of Bible study I like to read the opinions of others after I pray, read, and think about a scripture. Here are some insights I thought interesting from two sources I read today:

v. 20

“God’s eternal foreordination of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, and completion of it in these last times for us, are an additional obligation on us to our maintaining a holy walk, considering how great things have been thus done for us….Redemption was no afterthought, or remedy of an unforeseen evil, devised at the time of its arising.”

It is incredible for me to know that God did not just throw this plan together at the last minute. Every detail was planned out and ordained by Him. Our Salvation through Christ was not a knee jerk reaction to the fall that took hundreds of years to plan and execute…wow.

v. 21

“The raising of Jesus by God is the special ground of our “believing”: (1) because by it God declared openly His acceptance of Him as our righteous substitute; (2) because by it and His glorification He received power, namely, the Holy Spirit, to impart to His elect “faith”: the same power enabling us to believe as raised Him from the dead. Our faith must not only be IN Christ, but BY and THROUGH Christ. “

Jamieson, Robert; A.R. Fausset; and David Brown. “The First Epistle General of Peter.” Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Blue Letter Bible. 19 Feb 2000. 28 Feb 2008.

Also, in a message on 1 Peter I read a section of Chuck Smith ties the mention of Christ’s sacrifice in with Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Application

• All of this gives us more reason to seek a Holy Life, to please God, and to Love Him.
• Realize that He was chosen for our sake before the world began. This is the ultimate expression of love. (Romans 5:8)
• Realize Christ was revealed at the appropriate time. His sacrifice was not a knee jerk reaction to our sin.
• Realize our faith is not only IN Christ but BY and THROUGH Him. Also, our Living Hope is in God, through Christ.
• Believe in God through Christ.