As the entirety of the Trinity was involved in the creation (Gen 1:27) and our making and forming (Gen 2:7), so the entirety of God is intimately involved in our saving and our being created - in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10)
Genesis 1:1 in the beginning, God
Genesis 1:2 the Spirit hovered
Genesis 1:26 ”Let us make them in our…”
Genesis 3:8 “God walked in the cool of the day”
God has reached out with all His force, with the entirety of His Triune Self to save us and purchase us to Himself...
Eph 1:3-8, 11-14
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he b predestined us for adoption to sonship c through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,
11In him we were also chosen, e having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
John 3:16 “God so loved… that He sent His Son” (John 1:1-4)
John 14 “I must go so that I and the Father can send the Spirit the Spirit will teach you everything”
1Peter 1:1-2 God’s expressing His entire divine Self in His saving and keeping. (Ephesians 1)
1Peter 1:1-2
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
To God’s elect ...exiles scattered throughout…, ...who have been…
...chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, (Rom 8:29; Eph 1:3-14; Heb 1:2)
"to select, choose," also used as a substantive/noun) – properly, selected (chosen from, out of), especially as a deeply personal choice – literally "chosen, out of a personal preference (intention).” Describes people who choose to follow the Lord, i.e. become God's choice by freely receiving faith from Him.
With forethought (Eph “before the creation of the world”)
...through the sanctifying work of the Spirit - set apart, created, now, in Christ Jesus, for good works, beautiful works, works prepared in advance for our doing (Ez 11:19-20; 18:31; 36:26; 37:14; Jer 24:7; 32:39)
Everything we see here is a matter of God’s speaking and our hearing, our hearing and doing...
...to be obedient to Jesus Christ - our, the redeemed of God, loving Jesus in return for having been loved, trusting His commands as much as we trust Him… and
Submission and compliance to the One who saves, better stated - purchased: bought for His own at a price
Submission to what is heard - obedience as the response to one speaking - hearing the Lord’s voice (John 11:43 “Lazarus come out!”; John 5:25; 10 “my sheep know my voice and they follow”, John 14:15,21-23; 15:10 “if you love me, heed or obey my commands - my speaking”)
...sprinkled with his blood
Cleansed from all unrighteousness, forgiven of our sin - not only set apart but made ready to do what we have been created to do - truly vessels of noble purposes; right, just, fair things, good things (Lev 16 - God’s declaring of the value of life and life-blood, the foreshadowing of Jesus giving Himself as an atonement for sin and the lives of mankind to show life’s and mankind’s value by offering His own life; Ps 51:7; Heb 9:13,24;10:22;11:28;12:24)
Purification - cleansed from the guilt of their sins by the blood of Christ
It is not only God who sees, speaks, and saves, but it is Him who exerts Himself in the saving, keeping, and completing or making perfect (Eph 1:14; Phil 1:6; 2:13) in accordance with His will - He is acting upon us, with us, for us, to His glory!
“...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
“...it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose”
We might ask ourselves the following questions:
What is the goal of our faith?
What is God’s purpose in saving us in the world and keeping us here?
What is our role here on Earth?
An overview - 2Peter 1
