1 Peter 1:1-2
This first letter of Peter notes that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ; that he walked physically with Jesus and learned directly from Him during the physical ministry of Jesus while He walked the earth.
This letter was intended to be a traveling document to give instruction to those who were living abroad due to being driven from their homes from the persecution that followed the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 6:1-8:3).
One more thing that we learn from this introduction is that Peter addresses this letter in 1 Peter 1:2 (NKJV) to the, “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace be multiplied.” This means that this letter and the instructions found in it are for those who have accepted that Jesus shed His blood for their sins that they may be saved from them in Him. And the greeting for these people is, “Grace to you and peace be multiplied” (1 Peter 1:2). God is all knowing, and He knows before things happen how they will take place. He knows who will answer His call on one’s heart with a “yes LORD”, and He knows who will answer His call on one’s heart with a “no.” In sanctification of the Spirit is growing in spirit with God for those who answer His call with a “yes LORD.” And to grow in spirit with God is to grow in obedience to Him in respect of the blood that His Son Jesus, our Savior, shed on the cross in our place so we don’t have to. For those who are living in Christ, the message that Peter sends is, “Grace to you and peace be multiplied” (1 Peter 1:2).
This is a promise directed at those who will seek the LORD.
We often find people crying out to God in times of need, great sorrow, and the trials of life; even those who do not seek to live as our Creator God teaches us to in the Bible. If we want God’s blessings on our lives, we should be striving to live our lives according to what is pleasing to Him and not to the ways of this world/sinful nature. The good part is that for those who are living in the sinful nature, God is ready and waiting for you to open your heart and invite Him in through His promised Holy Spirit for all who will believe in Him. If this is you, I invite you to open your heart to Jesus today and ask of His forgiveness and begin living a new life in Him where His grace abounds, and His peace is multiplied daily.
Dear LORD,
Please help us to understand the importance of today’s Bible lesson in that if we want Your blessings on our lives, we must make a commitment to seeking Your will for our lives in obedience to You. We cannot continue living in willful sin and expect You to bless us for our sinful lives, but that forgiveness awaits all who will come to Jesus and ask with a sincere heart. Jesus teaches us in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth, and the life. And that no one comes to You LORD except through Him. Please give us the strength today to open our hearts to Jesus and begin living a new life in Christ that we too may receive Your blessing of grace and peace. In Jesus name I pray, amen