10And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you. 11To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
12Through Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
13The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does my son Mark.
14Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
1 Peter 5:10-14
When Peter concludes his first epistle with greetings from the church “in Babylon,” which he describes as “chosen together with you” (1 Peter 5:13), he ties the end of his letter to its beginning.
In the opening verse, he addresses his readers, the scattered believers across Asia Minor, as “elect exiles” (1 Peter 1:1). These two descriptors, “elect” and “exiles,” seem to stand in tension: one speaks of divine favour and eternal security, and the other of displacement, alienation, and suffering in a hostile world. Yet Peter holds these truths together, painting a picture of a people beloved by God, marked by His sovereign call, yet enduring the trials of a world that rejects them.
By declaring that the church in Rome (“Babylon”) is “chosen together with you,” Peter extends this identity beyond the scattered communities of Asia Minor to encompass the believers in the heart of the empire. Their election is not a solitary privilege, but a shared reality that binds the church into a single universal body, transcending geography, culture, and circumstance.
This language of election is deeply rooted in the rich soil of the Old Testament. God’s chosen people, Israel, were set apart as a holy nation (Deuteronomy 7:6–8). The Lord declared to Israel, “You are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6).
This election was collective, tied to the covenant with Abraham and his descendants, and anchored in the promise of a land where God’s presence would dwell. Its purpose was profoundly missional: through Israel, God intended to bless all the nations of the earth (Genesis 12:3). Israel’s calling was not merely to enjoy divine favour, but to serve as a light to the Gentiles. They were to be a conduit of God’s redemptive plan for the world (Isaiah 42:6).
In the New Testament, however, the doctrine of election becomes centred on the person and work of Jesus Christ. No longer is election defined by physical descent from Abraham, or from residence in the promised land. Instead, it is defined by union with Christ, the true Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16).
As Paul writes, “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:29). This shift dismantles the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile, creating a new humanity in Christ (Ephesians 2:14–16). When Peter speaks of the Roman church as “chosen together with you,” he is proclaiming that the election that once distinguished one nation now gathers people from every nation into one family through the Messiah. The scattered exiles of Asia Minor and the believers in Rome are united not by ethnicity or geography, but by their shared identity in Christ, the elect One.
The Apostle Paul elaborates this vision across his epistles. In Romans, he declares, “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him” (Romans 10:12). This universality of God’s grace breaks down barriers that once separated humanity and distinguished God’s people from those outside.
In Colossians 3:12–14, Paul addresses the church as “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,” urging them to clothe themselves with virtues such as compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, qualities that reflect their new identity in Christ. Even more profoundly, in Ephesians 1:4–5, Paul traces election to the eternal counsels of God: “He chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will.”
This love binds believers together as a family, adopted into His household. The “us” in Paul’s writing mirrors the “together with you” in Peter’s letter: a communal election that forges the church into a single Body, not a collection of isolated individuals pursuing private spirituality.
Both Peter and Paul wield the doctrine of election as a pastoral tool, offering comfort and strength to believers facing trials. In 1 Thessalonians 1:4, Paul writes, “We know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you,” anchoring their endurance in the certainty of God’s choice. This assurance is vital for a church under persecution, reminding them that their suffering does not negate their status as God’s beloved. Similarly, Peter’s letter to the “elect exiles” is saturated with encouragement, urging them to stand firm in their hope (1 Peter 1:3–9).
In Ephesians 4:4–6, Paul connects election to the unity of the church: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
To be chosen is to belong—not only to Christ but to one another.
The contrast between Old Testament and New Testament emphases on election is not a contradiction but a fulfillment. Israel’s election was particular, tied to a specific people and place, and preparatory, pointing forward to the coming of the Messiah. God’s plan and purpose for calling Abraham out and unto Himself was fulfilled in Christ.
In Christ, election is revealed as both broader and deeper: broader, because it now encompasses every tribe, tongue, and nation, as seen in the promise to Abraham; and deeper, because it is rooted in spiritual union with the Son of God, who fulfills all of God’s promises (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Peter’s phrase “chosen together with you” encapsulates this reality, declaring that the Roman church and the scattered exiles are part of one new humanity in Christ (Ephesians 2:15), a people called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
This unity carries profound implications for the life of the church.
First, it offers solace to suffering Christians, assuring them that they are not alone in their trials. Believers in Rome, Asia Minor, and beyond share the same calling, the same hope, and the same divine love.
Second, it guards against pride, for election is entirely God’s initiative, not a reward for human merit. As Paul reminds us, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). I have often seen debates about election and free will, and all these discussions have their merit; yet I believe that when we come before the throne of Grace, we will not say “I am so glad that I chose to follow Christ,” but rather we might say, “I thank God that He, in His perfect goodness, redeemed and saved me.”
Third, it lifts the church’s gaze to the coming soteriological horizon, where the full scope of God’s electing purpose will be unveiled. In Revelation 7:9–10, John beholds a multitude “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages,” standing before the throne and the Lamb, clothed in white robes, singing praises to God. This is the ultimate fulfillment of the “chosen together,” a vision of unity and worship that transcends all earthly boundaries.
For Peter and Paul, election is a vibrant reality. It grounds the believer’s identity in the unshakable love of God, strengthens them to endure suffering with hope, and binds the church together in an indissoluble unity. To be “chosen together with you” is to stand in the stream of God’s eternal purpose, a purpose that began with the call of Abraham, flowed through the covenant with Israel, and now, in Christ, has widened to embrace the nations.
It is a call to live as one people, united in faith, sustained by grace, and destined for glory.