Update: I realize that I had done a very short entry (2023-09-26) on the first epistle of Peter before so I am merging the data here and delete the old one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peter writing to the saints <\/strong>(v.2) <\/strong>in the Northern half of Turkey (Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia<\/strong>, not Pisidia in the South), whom he knows not<\/strong> (v.1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapter 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n v.2: Elect according to the foreknowledge<\/em> of God the Father\u2026\u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03b3\u03bd\u03c9\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd (prognosin<\/em>) here is not the kind of foreknowledge the Pelagians or the Molinists are tempted to define as precognition or prognosis. This is not a 100% forecast of what will come to be, as if God needs to obey a set of rules in Himself. If so, this Author is no better than our common authors of novels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n v.6-7: When we pray for challenges, we are not praying for negativity, as GCC's Pastor Chris often identify it as (it may not be surprising seeing him coming from a generation and culture of not taking up much challenges in life). We are praying for both negativity and positivity that only result in good. Not just one or the other. But here, negativity is stressed. So the wording is best put as challenges rather than negativities, to avoid misunderstanding. For challenges are always negative yet opening the possibility for positivity that is always, always, greater than non-challenges.<\/strong> The focus is in the worth of such sufferings and trials. \"If need be<\/em>\" is truly needed. Only through this may greater praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ be found. The genuineness of faith is to be tested, as it is more precious than gold that perishes. The best verse that is most direct for praying for challenges would be: Psalm 119:71<\/strong> and Psalm 139:23-24 (with a little help from Google Gemini). Not only so, John 16:33 is God's promise that we will face suffering<\/strong> (not IF we will have tribulation).<\/p>\n\n\n\n v.11: \"Spirit of Christ\" - John Calvin in his Galatians 3:19 commentary joined it with Exodus 3:2, that the Angel who appeared to Moses can be no other person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n v.12: John Gill interestingly associated the hint of the Cherubim facing the mercy seat in Exo 25:20, with \"which things the angels desire to look into\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n v.20: Calvin treated this verse briefly on the question that \"What if\" Adam had not sinned. Or if before Adam had sinned, how could the remedy not be posterior to the disease? Calvin answered: God's foreknowledge. But he referred curious minds to his Institutes for further investigation. One could probably find it in Book III, Chapter 23<\/a>, on the keyword of \"foreknowledge\". Where \"decree\" and \"foreknowledge\" are of equal standard: \u2026he foresees the things which are to happen, simply because he has decreed that they are so to happen\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Peter writing this to the strangers (saints) of 5 cities: Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. I'm trying to find a mnemonics to memorize these 5: PGCAB. PongalCosby? Peter Going Crazy B? Chapter 1 - a reminder of who we … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/nycphantom.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-1.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n