1 Peter 1:1,2

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 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 to you and peace be multiplied.”

Right at the start of his letter, Peter calls the believers “elect according to the foreknowledge of God.” He is emphasizing the fact that they are chosen ones. The Greek word for “foreknowledge” used here is the root from which the word “prognosis” is derived. It implies previous knowledge – God knew each one of these persecuted believers that Peter was writing to.

Christians have often debated over terms in the Bible like “elect,” “foreknowledge,” and “sovereignty.” There are two main opposing groups. The Calvanists believe that God has chosen people for heaven and for hell. They state that Jesus did not die for everyone; there is limited atonement. The other group is the Arminians who believe that election is God’s choice for those who persevere in faith.

But the writers of the Bible never intended these words to be a cause for debate. Our puny minds cannot fully understand God’s foreknowledge. Paul reminded the Corinthians of the carnality of unnecessary divisions (1 Corinthians 3:4) and the futility of knowledge without love (1 Corinthians 13:2). Truth should never be used as a club to fight with someone, but rather as a scalpel to carve out something beautiful. Instead of debating over theological terms, we need to understand them within their context. We need to use truth to build up, not break down.

In his letter, Peter uses these words to encourage suffering Christians – to remind them that God had chosen them and knew what they were going through. It is the same for us – God knows each of us from the beginning and knows the trials we face.

Foreknowledge is a matter of relationship. For example, Amos 3:2 says, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth…” This doesn’t mean that God didn’t know other people, but that he had an intimate relationship with Israel. In Hosea 13:5 God says, “I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great draught.” He was saying that He was close to them and was aware of their struggles. In Psalm 1:6 and Matthew 7:23, we are told that God knows the righteous and not the wicked. God is omniscient; He knows everyone. These verses speak of a relationship rather than mere knowledge. In chapter 2 verse 9 of the same epistle, Peter calls the believers “a chosen generation,” borrowing from Deuteronomy 7:6.

God came down to earth and was tempted in all things, that He might be our High Priest. When we pour our hearts to Jesus, we have the assurance that he knows and understands because He has experienced what we do (Hebrews 2:18, 4:15). Ephesians 1:4 says, “…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…” Christian confidence is knowing that we are special to God and are seen by Him.

Persecution is all around us. But when we as Christians know in our hearts that God has chosen us and that He knows all about the trials we face, we can stand up and boldly proclaim the name of Jesus.