Reading Peter (2) : Don't get squashed!

Peter is writing to mostly Gentile converts to Christ in "Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia." These were provinces of Asia Minor under Roman rule. In addressing them at the very start, he mentions a few things about their faith. He says that their election was "in the foreknowledge of God the Father," he says that it proceeds "in the sanctification of the Spirit," and he says that its purpose (yes, your faith has a purpose!) is "for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood." The greeting in its entirety is:

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

It is this last phrase that I find intriguing and want to talk about. Peter's letter will explicate all this, so as we go forward through his brief letter we should be able to fill out what he means by "obedience to Christ" and by "sprinkling with his blood."

In this post I simply want to rummage through the next section of Pete's letter, verses 3 to 12, which comprise, which in the ESV Bible is under the heading, "Born Again to a Living Hope," and see if we cannot shed some light on his understanding of sanctification. 

The section amounts to Peter's singing the praises of God for the faith of the "elect exiles." In verse 3 to 9, his focus is on the ultimate resurrection of believers "in the last time." This is the outcome of their faith (v.9). It is called, in the ESV translation, "the salvation of your soul." In Wright's New Testament for everyone, "the rescue of your lives."

Starting at verse 13, which begins with the word therefore, Peter summarizes the way these Christians should live until the great day of "the revelation of Jesus Christ."This section, verses 13 to 21 urges several in the meantime behaviors. As you await the final resurrection of the elect, Peter seems to be saying, this is the way you should live. The controlling statement of his argument is this:

[S]et your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (v.13)

This is the way to be prepared for whatever may come. This is the way to be "sober-minded." Otherwise, you'll simply be "conformed to the passions of your former ignorance." Which seems to imply that their sanctification will not have gotten very far.

So if we asked the question at the start, what part do we have to play in the ongoing sanctification which, as Peter and indeed the whole NT contends, is an ongoing reality of the life of a Christian, then one part of the answer is this: to set our minds on the proper things; or, as the ESV Study Bible footnote puts it, "thinking rightly about reality."

We'll store that away for now. Our question isn't entirely answered, but perhaps we're on the right path. The fact remains, though, that very often I am conformed to the passions of my former ignorance. Or, to draw on Wright's translation, I'm squashed into the shape of the passions I used to indulge in when I was still in ignorance.

Yeah, still. It's a problem. We'll see if we can learn more from Peter in the next installment of this series.

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Part 1 of Reading Peter is here.