Greetings for Exiles (1 Peter 1:1-2)

This sermon was preached on 13/2/2011

A common features of modern life is the presence of refugees, those who are exiles from their home country. Often, those exiles are not found in one country but instead they are located in several countries. Living in exile is not just a modern phenomenon, it has been found throughout history. Such exile may be caused by politics (a decision by a government) or by poverty (the homeland cannot support them) or by curiosity (discover what life is like elsewhere). Sometimes the exiles may only have a sentimental connection to the homeland; with others the strongest desire of their heart is to return home.

One of the races that knew exile was the Jews. They, along with many other peoples, had been forced into exile by the Babylonian Empire, and we can read about their feelings in Psalm 137. When the Persian Empire defeated the Babylonians, one of the policies of the new rulers was to let exiled people return to their homelands. Some Jews chose to go back to Palestine, but many chose to remain where they were, and over subsequent centuries Jews spread throughout the known world. We can read in the Book of Acts, for example, how Jews were found in the various cities to which the gospel was taken.

Peter was very familiar with the existence of the Jewish diaspora and he begins his letter by using that exiled people as a picture of the situation of his readers. The difference was that his readers were not away from the land of Israel, instead they were away from heaven. Like many of these Jews living in Gentile countries, the Christians had never visited their homeland, yet like them they drew their identity as a people from the place to which they belonged. Peter will stress several times in his letter that his readers, although they are away from heaven, they are still an identifiable people.

In addition to using the Jewish diaspora as an illustration of life in exile, Peter also calls his readers by the term ‘foreigners’. Some interpret this word literally and suggest that his readers were not natives of the areas mentioned by him, but instead were Christians who had been expelled from Rome during times of persecution (Peter was probably in Rome when he wrote this letter – the reference to Babylon in 5:13 is generally regarded as code for Rome). It is more likely that the term is being used symbolically to stress that all Christians in those places were exiles from heaven.

Two questions

The first question to ask is, How did Peter’s readers become exiles from heaven? He identifies the places in which they were living (Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia), but they were not where they felt at home. No doubt, many of them had been born there, but what made them exiles was the wonderful fact that God in his grace had come to them with the gospel. Part of that gospel concerns the offer of life in another country. We are familiar with the incentives that are given to move abroad. In a similar but far higher manner, God offers residents of this world a place in his kingdom.

The second question to ask is, ‘What kind of person do exiles want to hear?’ Imagine if I sent a message to a group of British exiles informing them that everything was fine. My message would be of no significance because I don’t have any authority to give it. What these British refugees need is a message from a government minister. Similarly, Christian exiles in the first century (and in the twenty-first century) need to hear from a person with suitable authority. Peter had such authority because he was an apostle who spoke on behalf of his Master and did so here in an infallible way because he was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

When a resident of a country wishes to emigrate, he must obtain official documentation before he can go. Sometimes he has to wait a while before he can travel because he does not decide when he can leave; instead he will be given a date or time when he can go to his new home. So we can picture the person with his documents, all ready to leave, but waiting for his new Ruler to say when he can come. This is the situation in which Peter’s readers found themselves. They had accepted the invitation (the gospel offer), they now had the evidences they could travel (detailed in verse 2), and they were going through various experiences while they waited for their time to go home.

The travel documents

Peter mentions three details that we can liken to the possession of essential certificates that proved they were now citizens of heaven despite the fact that they still lived in earthly countries. The first is that they had been selected by God, the second is that they had been sanctified by the Spirit, and the third is that they were linked to Jesus Christ. An obvious feature of this description is that the Persons of the Trinity act in harmony with one another, even although each has specific functions.

First, they were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Many people are frightened of the doctrine of election because they deduce from it that God is against them. Of course, there are aspects of it that are above human understanding and it is wise for us to leave them alone. Yet there are features of it that will help us appreciate why it is a comforting doctrine. First, it is a reminder that God is in control (the alternative is complete anarchy). Second, the number of the elect are many and they will come from every country and from every period of history. Third, the only way of discovering who the elect are is by believing in Jesus.

What does Peter mean by foreknowledge? Some suggest that the word means God looks down through history and sees all who will believe (imagine he has a large telescope that takes in all that takes place, and part of what occurs is individuals here and there accepting the gospel). That is a picture of a powerless God who has to sit and discover who will be converted. The true meaning of foreknowledge is not knowledge of their actions but knowledge of them as persons, in other words, his eternal love for them. As the exiles wait for the day on which they will travel to their homeland, one authentic document clarifying their identity says that they are those whom God eternally loved.

What was the mind of God focussed on before the creation of the universe? It is possible to answer this question in two ways: one way is to list separate items and the other way is to combine them all and say that he was focussed on his eternal purpose. God foreknew people for whom he had great plans. His intention for Peter’s readers was that they would live in his homeland eventually. So their documentation stated that it was God’s desire and goal for them to travel from earthly locations to heaven.

Second, they were sanctified by the Spirit. The order of the three descriptions here is important for understanding what Peter means here by sanctification. Usually we use the word to describe what occurs during the Christian life, but here Peter uses it to explain what takes place at the beginning of the Christian life. When each of them became exiles upon accepting the invitation they received in the gospel message, the Holy Spirit who had enabled them to understand and embrace the offer came and dwelt within them. His presence in their hearts set them apart to God.

We can imagine how a person hoping to travel home would be given something to assure him he would yet get there. In the spiritual life, the guarantee that each Christian exile will reach heaven is the indwelling Spirit. Again, a would-be traveller to his homeland may have watched DVDs of it in order to get samples of what happens there. In a similar way, the indwelling Spirit gives samples to Christian exiles of heavenly experiences. Again a would-be exile may have to learn the language of his homeland instead of the language of his current geographical area. The Spirit also teaches Christian exiles how to speak in a heavenly manner. Someone meeting a Christian exile should realise from his assurance, his experiences and his conversation that he hopes, one day, to go to another country.

Third, the Christian exiles have as one of their evidences their relationship to Jesus Christ. Peter mentions two details: one is their obedience to Jesus which means that they acknowledge him as Lord (here the apostle probably means their initial act of obedience when they trusted in Jesus, but that initial obedient act was the first of a lifelong series of obedient acts); the other is that they receive the cleansing effects of his sacrifice which means that they are still sinners (it is possible that Peter has in mind the occasion when Moses sprinkled the Israelites with blood to confirm that they had entered a covenant relationship with God).

These two features of obedience and cleansing will take place throughout their years of exile. And they will discover that the more devoted to Jesus that they become, the more aware they are of their need of cleansing. This twofold relationship is clear evidence that they possess the right documentation for travelling one day to the heavenly homeland.

Of course, we have to ask ourselves if we have the right travel documents. It is no use turning up at the airport with a train ticket. It is no use coming to the desk with a wedding photograph if the officials want to see our passport. That is how it is in the spiritual world as well. We must be the chosen of the Father, we must have the Spirit indwelling us, and we must have a relationship with Jesus. These documents are given to us experientially when we accept the invitation to repent of our sins and trust in Christ and wait for the day when we will travel to the heavenly homeland.

The heavenly provision

Sometimes, a country whose citizens are refugees in a hostile country will endeavour to send them provisions through a third party such as the Red Cross. Although Christians are exiles in an unfriendly world, the rulers of the heavenly country don’t need to employ a third party in order to get provision to their subjects. Instead they send a continual supply of grace and peace to them. They need grace to enable them to live through whatever comes their way and they need peace to comfort them as they do so. And it is important to remember that these blessings come from the God who is in covenant with us.

It is important to note that right away Peter tells these Christian exiles not to attempt to find any help from the country in which they are strangers. There is nothing in the world that can enable them to live for God and there is nothing in the world that can give a sense of peace to them.

Further, we should note that Peter wants them to realise that they need fresh supplies of grace and peace continually. Sometimes we can miss out on the full amount of blessing at any given time because we prefer to focus on past experiences that were marked by divine provision. Of course, we should not forget them, but neither should we focus on them. Instead we should expect daily provision from heaven.

And we should also observe that heavenly supplies, even in an unsympathetic world, are not niggardly. Wherever they are, as long as they adhere to their travel documents, they will receive ample heavenly supplies. Peter will consider many features of their lives in his letter, and some of them were very demanding. He will comment on official persecutions, social relationships, and church associations, and in each of these areas his readers will need large amounts of grace and peace. Not only does he assure them that grace and peace will be provided, he also prays that it will happen. Promises are not given by God so that we can cease to intercede for others.

Peter, the authoritative spokesman for Jesus, reminded his readers that although they were currently exiles the triune God was working on their behalf. This was the encouragement that he gave them before he, as a shepherd of God’s people, would proceed to deal in more detail about specific issues. And this is what he would say to us: ‘Before you isolate particular circumstances, look at the travel documents that you have been given by God and also remember that he will continue to give fresh grace and peace to you.