1 Peter 1:1-2 - “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied for you.”
In v.2, Peter's use of the word sprinkled (ρ́αντισμόσ - hran-tis-mos - purification) takes the OT student straight back to (Exodus 24:7-8) when Moses took the book of the covenant and read in the hearing of the people; and they said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." Upon the people's confession, Moses took the blood of young bulls sprinkled on the people, and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you in accordance with these words." The covenant signified Israel's sanctification before the Lord. At that moment, God set apart Israel as His own possession and servants for His work.
As Israel entered into a covenant with God by blood, so people today may be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ by entering into a covenant ratified by His blood in the new covenant. Just as Israel, by entering into the covenant, was set apart for obedience and the work of the Lord, so too are believers today. In every age since the sacrifice of the Son of God, He has desired that all men be saved through Him and come to the knowledge of the truth. In my opinion, Peter makes it clear that the atoning blood of Jesus and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit will move the believer to obedience in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The only thing that will interrupt God's operational work is if the believer has not been converted and committed to the new life that God wants for His children.
In (Ephesians 5), Paul encourages the readers to imitate God when he contrasts darkness vs. light and entreats them to prove what is pleasing to the Lord. Our Lord Jesus, in (John 15:4-6), put it like this, when He said, " Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” How we abide in Jesus is not left to our own opinion; our Lord clearly spells it out throughout the synoptic gospels and the book of John. For some, what’s missing is the truth of God’s word beyond their own historical doctrinal statements. That’s a link in the chain they need to cut out, and let the text do the talking without the hindrance of a preconceived christology, born out of some creed, council, or formal statement of faith.
Just this morning, I visited many websites of various “Christian” assemblies and read their sections on what they believe. Some were succinct, while others were extensive. It was surprising to see how many profess confidence in scripture and claim to be Bible-believing groups, yet hold to some traditions not found in the bible. Also, it was interesting to read how many hold to their particular definition of faith, which omits or adds elements based on human devices. Some had long, drawn-out creeds that by their own admission found roots in the writings of men. It’s no wonder there's such a great lack of unity.
The question all believers need to answer is, have I accepted and acted on being sanctified? Each one will know the answer to the question when they come to understand what sanctification is.
In (1 Corinthians 1:2), Paul is addressing the assembly of God in Corinth. Let’s take a look at that text.
“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified (ἁγιάζω) in Christ Jesus, called to be saints (ἅγιος) together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours…”
From the text, you can see the similarity between the two words in both English and Greek: “sanctified” and “saints”. Let’s now look at the definitions of the two Greek words.
- sanctified (ἁγιάζω) - sanctify; make holy; dedicate; consecrate - It refers to the process of when a believer is made holy and set apart for God. In this context, the core meaning is that the believer is being set apart for the use God intends. Believers are sanctified when he or she lives according to God’s design and purpose. It has a deeper significance than this summarization. I encourage all believers to look deeply into this theological truth, and by seeking it, you’ll learn why the writers of the Bible teach what they do about our relationship to our Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit.
- saints (ἅγιος) - sacred; holy; pure; consecrated; dedicated; worthy of God - You can see in the passage that Paul indicates that there are those in Corinth who have been set apart for God’s intended purpose, and are continuing in holiness. They are doing the things they have been called to do by God in Christ.
Ever since the Garden, God has required his people to be holy. Nothing has changed, even though many claim that God has changed in the new covenant. He has not. God requires His people to be fit for sacred space. You can’t study scripture without realizing our Sovereign Lord God has a plan for His people, and that plan requires holiness. Only the holy can be glorified, but that is a lesson for another time. Sadly, many people believe that faith in Jesus and reconciliation to God the Father are as simple as an intellectual thought, a statement of faith, or a prayer for deliverance. You will not find that teaching in God’s holy word, unless you pluck out a scripture here and there to try to prove your point. The student (disciple) of Jesus can see right through that tactic. Pupils (disciples) of Christ know that God commands participation in the kingdom to be pleasing to Him. On the day of the Lord, His people, the (ἐκκλησία), will be those who kept seeking and kept knocking, who hungered and thirsted for righteousness. It will be those who took the Holy Spirit seriously when Peter quoted Leviticus, when Yahweh said, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” My wife and I pray every day for the church, for God’s people to be increased in faith. To walk in the light as our Lord is Light. To abide in Him and to be guided by God’s Holy Spirit. It requires effort, but not as much as being nailed to a cross as a sinless man and our Holy God.
I gave every effort to make this lesson as brief as possible. It’s by no means an exhaustive study of the topic nor the scriptures. There’s much more to learn from this study, and I pray and hope you will endeavor to do so. May our God and Father and our Lord Jesus Christ bless you in all ways to walk in holiness. No one will do it completely, which is why we have a King and High Priest sitting on His throne at the right hand of God. He knows those who are striving for holiness, and He has and will supply what is lacking. God bless you in your walk with Him!
In every age since Jesus walked among people, many Christians have disagreed with our Lord’s teaching. The truth that Jesus commands obedience to the Will of God disturbs the peace of many believers. Whether it’s purposeful or simply in ignorance, some will choose to refrain from engaging the text. It's simply not in vogue, and can make teaching the truth of God's word a source of heated disagreement, leading to division. It's usually those who teach the words of Jesus who are labeled divisive.
I think it’s best to take Paul’s advice from (2 Timothy 4:2) when He writes,” I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” In Greek, the phrase “in season and out of season” has a more profound, yet unlikable, yet succinct phrasing.