The previous verse described the addressees of I Peter by their geographical address. This verse describes them according to their spiritual address.
Elect
“Election” is to special privilege. Often, as here, the New Testament uses of the election of salvation. It means election to eternal life. “Election” is a title of dignity, which applies only to the Christian. The preeminent thought in election is privilege, not deliverance from judgment.
The word “elect” means to pick out or choose out of a number. It was used in Greek literature to select a gray hair out of a number of black hairs. In other ancient literature it was used for “picked troops.” Some solders were chosen over others because of their unusual gifts in the art of war. They were crack troops. They were hand picked men.
God hand picked the believers scattered over Asia Minor. In an election we chose a candidate from a slate of contenders. God is the one who makes the selection. Both God’s selection and our decision are involved in the process. Both election and free will are equally taught in Scripture. They are the corresponding halves of the doctrine of salvation. Election is the God’s side and free will is our side.
Election is one of the greatly misunderstood subjects of the Word of God. A great mirage of doubt and pride has arisen around this doctrine. On one side, a perversion of the doctrine of election leads to fatalism. Election does not mean that God choses some to the saved or others lost. The Scripture clearly teaches that all men are lost and need to be saved.
On the other hand we often hear people say they “found the Savior.” The Savior was never lost. We have it backward; he found us. We did not choose him; he chose us first.
It is amazing that God choses us knowing what he knows about us. Of all the creatures on this earth, he choses us. He knows everything about us. He knows our sin. We are undeserving, yet he selects us. He watches over us so that we will not die before we come to know Christ. He sends ministering angels to watch over our salvation (
Hebrews 1:14 ). Everyone elect will come to him (John 6:37 ).The test of whether we are elect is whether we come to Christ (John 6:37). Just as steel always attracts to a magnet, the elect always attract to Christ.
None of this lessens our responsibility to make a decision for Christ. The Bible also teaches the freedom of the will.
John 1:11-13, ”He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 5:40, “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”
John 6: 37, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”
Rev. 22:17, ”And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”
Principle:
Scripture teaches both sovereign election and the free will.
Application:
The Bible teaches both the sovereign election of God and the free agency of man. Man, however, is free only in a relative sense, or else there would be billions of semi-gods and God would no longer be the first cause of all things. Therefore, we are only free to choose within the framework God has set up for us.
Think of an architect who designs a building. The architect draws up the plans but there is latitude. When the carpenter constructs the building, he follows generally the plan of the architect. The architect does not plan how the carpenter should drive each nail, lay each board. He leaves that to the choice of the carpenter.
God has elected some to be saved, but he has given to each person a human will to choose to be saved or not.
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