“Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
to those who have obtained
“Obtained” comes from two words: equal and honor or value. This term is an unusual word for the idea of receiving. “Obtained” occurs only four times in the New Testament, and it uses this word for shooting crap (Lk 1:9-10; Jn 19:24). “Obtained” means to receive, choose by lot, and decide by gambling, implying that the process somehow relates to God’s favor. The church selected Judas by a decision based on the casting of lots,
Ac 1:15-17, “And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.'”
The idea of “obtained” is to have an assignment. God assigns us to His plan. This assignment takes place when we initially believe in Christ. If we die within one second after believing in Christ, we enter eternal life.
Believers in Asia Minor came to Christ by the process of divine provision– “by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” We do not acquire salvation for ourselves but receive it by divine grace. It comes to us independent from our control. We receive it as in the casting of lots. No merit of our own deserves such salvation. Our merit comes through Christ.
Note the word “obtained” is not the word “attained.” We obtain salvation as a gift, not as a work. We cannot attain salvation; we cannot work for or earn “precious faith.”
PRINCIPLE:
God assigns each person who believes in His eternal plan.
APPLICATION:
God assigns every person who believes in Christ to His eternal plan. We may have failed in every possible way as Christians, but we are still in the plan of God. God has a purpose for our lives. God’s plan for the one who is already a Christian begins with 1 John 1:9. Exercising that promise frees us to serve the Lord again.
God assigns people to eternal life apart from merit. We cannot work for salvation because Christ already has done all of the necessary work.
Ro 4:5-6, “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works.”
If we win the lottery, it is no credit to us. It was sheer luck. Succeeding, in that case, has nothing to do with skill. Winning was the result of the lot falling on us. There is nothing in us to merit salvation. All the merit resides in Christ. Do you believe that? Why not accept His generous offer of salvation free of charge?
