“To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood.” 1 Peter 1:1-2

The Apostle Peter is giving his readers a grid, a way of seeing and understanding who it is that they are in the world. The Bible corrects our vision, and enables us to see things truly, as God does. He transforms us by the renewing of our mind. (Romans 12:1-2) And so at the beginning of 1 Peter the Apostle gives us a way of understanding who we truly are as God’s people.

First, we are strangers (Greek – paroikos) scattered around the world. Peter states this truth two other times in 1 Peter 1:17 & 2:11. The word ‘stranger’ is a rich and important word. It means literally ‘away from home’ or ‘alongside of home,’ and carries even the idea of homelessness. Of course the whole idea and reality of ‘home’ carries a lot of meaning for us. Perhaps we have experienced ‘home’, and still hunger for a true home where we belong and are welcomed and loved. And so to be away from home brings a sense of absence and longing.

Was this literally true for the recipients of 1 Peter? Perhaps it was true to some degree. In the ancient world there were three layers of people. First, there were the citizens who had full rights and privileges. Then there were total strangers who were just passing through and had no identity whatsoever. And then there was a middle layer, the ‘paroikos’, the ones who resided there but were not citizens. The realities of this segment of the population included some social deprivation that was inevitable with the absence of rights. They were often displaced and dislocated, even though it may be where they were now living and working.

But I believe that Peter was referring to more than their immediate situation. I believe that he was connecting them to the people of God throughout the centuries; that he was giving them a metaphor that described who they were in this world as God’s people. And the reality is that God’s people are ‘in the world but not of the world.’ We see this throughout the history of God’s people: Abraham (Genesis 12;1, 10, 15:13); Moses in Midian (Exodus 2:22); Israel in general (1 Chronicles 29:15, Psalm 39:12). And of course we know that Jesus has no place to lay his head. This is further elaborated in the book of Hebrews. (Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16)

Secondly, Peter balances this hard truth of their being ‘strangers’ with the wonderful truth of being ‘elect’ and ‘chosen’ by God. We see the entire trinity involved here in making them God’s people: The Father who chooses according to his foreknowledge; the Spirit who sets them apart; the Son who makes this possible through the shedding of his blood, with the goal of obedience to him. We may be strangers and aliens but we are part of God’s family and loved by Him. This more than makes up for any difficulty experienced in being a ‘stranger.’

The challenge then is to know the truth – to see through the eyes of God. And then we are to live according to that truth. Our citizenship is in heaven, and we are only passing through this world on our way to an eternal kingdom. And so, ‘grace and peace be yours in abundance.’

Pastor Tim, October 28, 2007