Persecuted Elect Exiles

The point of the election is not to give a man a meter by which he can judge salvation. Men cannot write some off as “unelect.” Rather election is the reflection of God’s grace of freedom from worrying. One of the most comforting verses in the bible is Romans 8:28 which reads: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Paul then goes on to explain that we have not only been elected but saved. Paul starts this passage out by saying that his present sufferings are not worthy of comparison to future glory.

Election is the fact that God is calling men to future glory. The call of God is a sure thing, God does not lie and he doesn’t change his mind. (Numbers 23:19) If you are called of God it is a sure thing. The assurance is of salvation. With salvation comes the glory of God. We are not just saved to suffer, we are saved to be glorified by God. You are not just elected to be a part of the family of God, you are elected to be an heir with Christ.

As Christians we inherit both the good and the bad. We are elected to suffer as Christ suffered, and then to be glorified as Christ has been glorified.

1 Peter is a letter to those who are suffering. Peter opens up with the fact that they are elect exiles to reflect to them one of the great attributes of God, his providence. God provides for the persecuted in times when they are well off and in times when they are not. He is the constant provider. He is the refuge for the chased, the contender for the wrongly persecuted, and the God of the everlasting covenant. He elected believers to have part in the inheritance of Christ, he devotes himself to giving us relief in their time of struggle, and dedicated himself to seeing that good would be done for us for all eternity. That my friends, is the doctrine of predestination