“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.” – 1 Pet. 1:1b-2
The Trinity is not a perplexing theological formula to be solved. It is glorious reality that we should delight in.
We have all these silly comparisons we like to use for describing the trinity—the reality is that He is one God in three distinct persons. We say God is like water. Water can be a liquid, solid, or gas. Or he is like an egg. An egg has the shell, the yoke, and the egg white. It’s laughable when you think about it. Trying to accurately describe the infinite, uncreated God who created all things (including water and eggs) by using our created, sinful, finite minds is impossible at best. It’s heresy at worst.
We should look at the realities of the Godhead as revealed to us in Scripture. Instead of trying to figure out the formula of how it works, we should just marvel in wonder.
Our identity as God’s chosen people who are exiles on this earth is defined by the work of all three persons of the Trinity. This should cause us to delight in God. Our salvation, from start to finish, is entirely Trinitarian. Consider these wonderful implications seen in Peter’s greeting.
“According to the foreknowledge of God the Father.”
Our salvation rests in the Foreknowledge of the Father. Foreknowledge means simply to know beforehand. God knows all things—past, present, and future—at all times. He knows it all beforehand in eternity past. If you let your mind wander there, you might feel overwhelmed. God is not a man (Num. 23:19). We are not meant to fully comprehend how he works. We are a creature and finite. He is the creator and infinite.
In his foreknowledge “he works all things according the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11). This means that God does not merely know all things, but purposes all things. Do you feel the difference? His knowing is his doing. There is nothing God does not know and orchestrate for his glorious will. Nothing surprises God. God never says, “didn’t see that coming.” He never says “oops.” To believe that there are things that God does not know is heresy against his very character.
Moreover, it is out of his foreknowledge that the Father sovereignly and graciously saves his people through the gospel and conforms them into the perfect image of his Son (Rom 8:29). We should be rejoicing in awe every day that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be adopted as his children (Eph. 1:4-6).
Read the inspired words of Paul below and worship God the Father today for his wonderful foreknowledge that has saved us and adopted us to his child forever in Christ Jesus.
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” – Romans 11:33-36
Scripture for further mediation: Isaiah 46:9-10; 55:8-11
Recommended Book:Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves