TUESDAY August 18, 2026

The Foreknowledge of God

...elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
1 Peter 1:2

In his gracious salutation, Peter developed the subject of election. Although this topic has been the source of much theological debate, it is easily explained. You see, God did not limit His salvation to just a few. Although salvation has been made available to all, people have been given the opportunity to accept it or to reject it. God created every human being with personality––their own will. We are not like puppets on a string; we are able to make our own choices in life. But consider this: God is all-knowing; He already knows those who will accept or reject Him.

Consider the truth and simplicity of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Anyone who chooses to repent and come to Jesus Christ by faith can do so at any time. Calvinism is a belief that God has preordained only certain people to be saved. The rest are eternally lost no matter what they do––not so. Again, notice what Peter is saying about God’s character, the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father! In other words, He already knows those who are His––those who made a free will choice to accept Jesus Christ.

The foreknowledge of God means He already knows everything that is going to happen in our lives. He is God. He knows how many people are going to perish, and how many are going to be saved. You may say, “Well, if He knows that, then why do we get to choose?” As I have already said, God has given us a free will, but He already, in His foreknowledge, knows what we are going to choose. You see, you choose where you want to spend eternity; it is all your own choosing.

Peter shared the involvement of the Trinity in our salvation––the foreknowledge of the Father, the sanctification of the Spirit, and the blood of Jesus Christ. Why not choose to repent and ask for forgiveness of your sin? Then you will become born again and sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
~Romans 6:17~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!