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RELATIONAL VIBES

FEW THINGS ARE AS LIFE-GIVING IN A FRIENDSHIP OR RELATIONSHIP THAN WHEN YOU JUST KIND OF "GET" EACH OTHER. THE INITIATION OF IS RESPONDED TO WITH EAGERNESS BY THE OTHER. WHEN YOU START A SENTENCE, THE OTHER CAN FINISH IT. THE OTHER PERSON ACTUALLY JUST REALLY LIKES YOU. YOUR PRESENCE, YOUR FRIENDSHIP, YOUR COMMRADERIE, ETC.

IN 1 PETER 1:2, WE GET SIMILAR CONOTATIONS WHEN PETER USES THE WORD "EKLEKTOS" - TRANSLATED ELECT, CHOSEN, CHOICE.

1 PETER 1:1-2

PETER SAYS THAT THAT THE GOD'S PEOPLE ARE PILGRIMS IN THE WORLD AND ARE ALSO ELECT, CHOSEN, OR THE CHOICEST.

THE KJV PROBABLY GETS THE WORD-TO-WORD TRANSLATATION THE BEST:

" 1 PETER, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST, TO THE STRANGERS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT PONTUS, GALATIA, CAPPADOCIA, ASIA, AND BITHYNIA,

2 ELECT (EKLEKTOS) ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT, UNTO OBEDIENCE AND SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST: GRACE UNTO YOU, AND PEACE, BE MULTIPLIED."

I ALSO LIKE THE YOUNG'S LITERAL TRANSLATION OF EKLEKTOS:

" 1 PETER, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST, TO THE CHOICE (EKLEKTOS) SOJOURNERS"

IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN PETER IS USING THIS WORD EKLEKTOS, HE'S USING IT IN A SIMILAR WAY THAT SOMEONE MIGHT SAY THAT CANDIES OR MEAT OR WINES ARE "THE CHOICEST. THEY'RE THE MAKERS, BUTCHERS, MANUFACTURERS FAVORITES.

PETER SAYS THAT THESE FOLKS-OF-FAITH THAT ARE SOUJOURNING THROUGH THE WORLD ARE GOD'S FAVORITES.

WHILE I DON'T ALWAYS LOVE THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION, I THINK EUGENE PETERSON IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK HERE:

"1-2 I, PETER, AM AN APOSTLE ON ASSIGNMENT BY JESUS, THE MESSIAH, WRITING TO EXILES SCATTERED TO THE FOUR WINDS. NOT ONE IS MISSING, NOT ONE FORGOTTEN. GOD THE FATHER HAS HIS EYE ON EACH OF YOU, AND HAS DETERMINED BY THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT TO KEEP YOU OBEDIENT THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS. MAY EVERYTHING GOOD FROM GOD BE YOURS!"

IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE FEEL A BIT OUT-OF-STEP WITH SOCIETY AND MAY FEEL A BIT FORGOTTEN ABOUT OR LEFT BEHIND - PETER REMINDS THEM THAT THEY ARE GOD'S FAVORITE. THAT HE'S AWARE OF THEM. THAT HE IS WORKING IN THEM.

OUT-OF-STEP

THERE IS AN "OUT-OF-STEP-NESS" THAT CHRISTIANS OUGHT TO FEEL WHEN LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

  • WHILE EVERYONE IS LIVING BEYOND THEIR MEANS, CHRISTIANS ARE LIVING WITHIN THEIR MEANS AND BEING GOOD MANAGERS OF GOD'S RESOURCES.
  • WHILE EVERYONE KEEPING AN EYE ON DEBTS OWED, CHRISTIANS ARE FORGIVING DEBTS.
  • WHILE EVERYONE IS LIVING EXCLUSIVELY TO ENJOY THE FRUIT OF THEIR LABOR, CHRISTIANS ARE ENJOYING THE FRUIT OF THEIR LABOR AND BEING GENEROUS TOWARDS GOD'S PEOPLE.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE LIVE OUT-OF-STEP WITH THE WORLD WE CAN BE TEMPTED TO THINK:

  • "ARE WE DOING IT RIGHT?"
  • "IS THIS THE RIGHT WAY TO LIVE?"
  • "HAS GOD FORGOTTEN OR ABANDONED ME?"

THE CLAIM OF SCRIPTURE IS A RESOUNDING "NO!"

EVEN THOUGH WE ARE OUT-OF-STEP WITH CULTURE, MARCHING TO THE TUNE OF A DIFFERENT DRUM, AND EVEN A LITTLE PECULIAR - WE ARE GOD'S CHOICEST.

GOD IS AWARE OF US.

WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT KIND OF "GET" EACH OTHER AND ARE LEARNING TO "GET" GOD AND THE LIFE OF FAITH MORE AND MORE.