Peter addresses his first letter “…to the chosen ones… that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood…” What does Peter mean when he tells his readers that they are chosen for sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ? The answer lies in understanding the purpose for Jesus’ death. Hebrews 9:19-23 explains: “For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” Moreover he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry in the same way with the blood. According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission. It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Hebrews 10:3-7 continues: “But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire, but you prepared a body for me; You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’” The meaning of these verses is plain. Jesus Christ offered His sinless life as a sacrifice on our behalf so that our sins can be forgiven. As it is written in Romans 8:3, “For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…” If we will accept Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, we are chosen. On the other hand, “…if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)
Peter closes his greeting with this beautiful blessing: “Grace to you and peace be multiplied.” The word “grace” conveys the idea of “free gift” or “God’s favor.” Peter wants those he is writing to, to experience more than the usual amount of God’s blessings.
The word “peace” as it is used in the Bible, means more than a lack of trouble, persecution or war. It points instead to the inner calm that Jesus gives even in the midst of trouble. Jesus told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.” (John 14:27) Christ can give peace because He has faced every kind of trial and has been victorious. He said, “I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) If we are one of God’s chosen, then we too can share in Christ’s peace, even though we are going through trouble.
The next section of Peter’s letter gives praise to God. But Peter is writing to people who are suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ. It is possible that at least some of them had been driven from their homes and were refugees. In these circumstances one would think that Peter would begin his letter with words of sympathy expressing sorrow for the plight in which his readers found themselves. Instead, Peter praises God! When we read his words we discover that a follower of Jesus Christ truly does have much to be thankful for even in the midst of trouble and persecution. Peter writes:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again [NIV, “has given us new birth”] to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)
One thing to praise God for is His great mercy. Whatever trouble a Christian finds himself in, he always needs to remember that God has rescued him from something far worse – that is, the punishment for sin. Psalm 103:10 says, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.” The apostle Paul illustrates God’s mercy in more detail in his letter to Titus, chapter 3, verses 3-5: “For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us…”
A second reason to praise God is for the living hope that he gives to all who follow Christ. The Christian can look beyond the present suffering and see the glory and peace that God has promised to all who submit to Christ. The book of Hebrews reminds us: “Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:35-36)
A third reason that Peter gives for praising God is that He has given us, that is the followers of Jesus, a new birth. This refers to a new spiritual life. Colossians 2:13 says, “You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.” As the apostle Paul reminds us in another place, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Notice that Peter says that God’s mercy, the Christian’s living hope and the new birth, all three, come through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is essential to understand this point. Without the resurrection it is impossible for anyone to obtain these blessings. The Apostle Paul writes, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)