Grace in Focus — Introduction to 1 Peter (1 Peter 1:1-2)

Date: January 5, 2026
Hosts: Bob Wilkin & David Renfrow
Length: 13 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off a new commentary-style series on the Book of First Peter. Hosts Bob Wilkin and David Renfrow introduce the letter, exploring its historical context, authorship, and core themes. They particularly discuss how suffering fits within the Christian experience and address common misunderstandings about salvation in First Peter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Are the General Epistles?

• The general epistles are biblical letters not addressed to specific individuals or churches, but to broader regions or groups.
  • David Renfrow: “They're not addressed to a certain individual or a certain church or a city like Paul did. They're just to maybe a region…” (01:24)
• Includes 1 & 2 Peter, James, Jude, the Epistles of John, and Hebrews.
• Revelation, except for chapters 2 and 3, is a distinct genre (apocalyptic).

2. Authorship and Historical Setting of 1 Peter

• Authorship: Written by the Apostle Peter.
• Dating: Likely penned between 67–68 AD, near the end of Peter's life.
  • David: “Peter probably...died around 67, 68 AD. He had been in Rome for about a decade.” (02:39)
• Political Background:
  • Nero becomes emperor, notorious for persecuting Christians—blames them for the burning of Rome.
    • David: "To deflect all of that attention away from himself, he blamed Christians for burning Rome...he brought a bunch of Christians to Rome and killed them out in public…” (04:12)
• Sets the stage for why suffering is a major topic in 1 Peter.

3. Purpose and Audience of the Letter

• Audience: Born-again believers ("elect pilgrims").
  • Contrasts the view of some commentators: some say Peter wrote to a mixed crowd of real and “professing” believers, but Wilkin and Renfrow hold he wrote to genuine Christians.
    • Bob: "Our view is he's writing to born again people and he wants these people to be overcomers, to overcome the suffering..." (05:07)
• Purpose: To encourage Christians experiencing persecution, helping them put suffering in perspective.
  • David: “Not only that, put their suffering in perspective…Why are we going through this? You promised everlasting life…so now we're suffering, right?” (05:47)
• Suffering does not conflict with eternal life; Jesus predicted it (John 16:33).

4. Outline of 1 Peter (07:11–08:02)

• Greeting: 1 Peter 1:1-2
• Preface (Nature of Salvation): 1:3–12
• Main Body (Main Focus): 1:13–4:19
• Section on Corporate Suffering: after 4:19
• Conclusion

5. The Meaning of 'Salvation' in 1 Peter

• Common misinterpretation: "Salvation" means only rescue from eternal condemnation.
• Wilkin and Renfrow argue that “salvation of your souls” (1:9) refers to fullness of life now and in the future, not just escape from hell.
  • Bob: "If you take that view, then you must persevere through suffering in order to make it into Christ's kingdom, which is the way a lot of people interpret first Peter, right?" (08:27)
  • David: “A lot of people in the Christian world are kind of programmed to hear certain words, and they can only mean one thing...That's just one word that is misunderstood a lot of times.” (08:50)
• "Souls" translates from Greek "psuke"—can relate to psychology, life, or wholeness.
  • Bob: "We get words like psychology and psychiatry and things like that.” (08:02)

6. The Greeting: ‘Elect Pilgrims’ and Exile Theme

• “Elect” (chosen) is better translated as referring to their status as chosen pilgrims/exiles, not as predestined for eternal life.
  • David: “I prefer that translation, too, where it says it should say elect pilgrims, because that's the Greek wording.” (10:21)
• “Elect to be pilgrims”—chosen for their unique role in history, scattered throughout the Roman Empire.
  • Bob: “This idea of election to eternal life is not taught anywhere in the Bible, and it’s certainly not taught here in First Peter 1.” (10:37)
• The question of whether Peter addresses Jewish or Gentile believers: Renfrow proposes it’s both, linking “pilgrim” status to Paul’s teaching—“we are citizens of heaven” (Phil. 3:20).
• Geographic references (Pontus, Galatia, etc.) correspond to regions in modern Turkey.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nero:
  • Bob Wilkin: "Wait a minute, I thought Nero was a bad guy. Didn't Nero burn Rome and stuff?" (03:00)
  • David Renfrow: "Oh, he did a lot of wonderful—things and killed a lot of people, including his own family." (03:05)
• On Perspective in Suffering:
  • Bob Wilkin: “But everlasting life and suffering are not incompatible. In fact, as Peter's going to say, they're quite compatible. We can expect...tribulation.” (06:20)
• On Word Meanings:
  • Bob Wilkin: “Yes. I have a book, the 10 Most Misunderstood Words. And one of them is this word safe and salvation.” (09:07)
• On Pilgrimage and Citizenship:
  • David Renfrow: “…we are citizens of heaven. We're on this earth for just a short time, but we are going to heaven. And see, that gives perspective to suffering.” (11:10)
• Series Sign-Off:
  • David Renfrow: "Keep grace in focus." (12:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:03–02:08: General vs. Pauline Epistles
• 02:39–05:07: Historical context—Peter’s life, Nero’s persecution, and audience suffering
• 07:11–08:02: Outline of First Peter
• 08:02–09:15: “Salvation” in First Peter—Greek, context, mistaken interpretations
• 10:15–11:58: On “elect pilgrims,” exile, and identity
• 12:08–12:42: Wrapping up and connecting dispersion history

Conclusion

This engaging introduction sets the stage for a deep dive into First Peter, focusing on suffering, the real meaning of salvation, and how the early Christians’ identity as “pilgrims” shapes the entire letter. The hosts provide clear distinctions between common theological interpretations and their Free Grace perspective, promising further exploration in the series.

Next up: The preface of First Peter—suffering and the salvation of your soul.

“Keep grace in focus.” (12:42)