BIBLE PASSAGE – 1 PETER 2:9
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light".
As we saw yesterday, the key phrases are –
A. A chosen people
B. A Holy Nation
C. Gods special possession.
All gearing us towards our purpose which we are called for.
All these four descriptive phrases are similar to the titles used for Israel in Exodus 19:5 & 6 5 “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
These verses talk about a moment of sacred bonding for the people of Israel, Peter uses the same words as being inclusive of the Church, of you and me. Both these verses talk about our responsibility as “priests” – that of our servant hood and a bridge builder between God and man. Charged with such a huge responsibility, how could Israel do this? How can we do this? By “being a Holy nation” in Israel’s case and being “Holy” in our case. And why? So that we let our light, which is a reflection of the light of Jesus Christ, so shine before this dark world that the world will see that light, and recognise where it came from through our praises, and see the way. We have been set apart. And being that, we definitely are a peculiar people, but, only if we recognize our responsibility and purpose, according to scripture and act on it.
Are we actively pursuing that responsibility and purpose is a question we all need to ask ourselves.
Note By the Editor:
On a concluding note, we would just like to quote Olin Williams on this Bible passage –
“The modern church is slowly beginning to lose this. Instead of maintaining God’s holiness and values, the church is becoming to be another social place. Believers are losing their distinctiveness as God’s chosen and not continue in His marvelous light but are regressing into the darkness of the world”.
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light".
As we saw yesterday, the key phrases are –
A. A chosen people
B. A Holy Nation
C. Gods special possession.
All gearing us towards our purpose which we are called for.
All these four descriptive phrases are similar to the titles used for Israel in Exodus 19:5 & 6 5 “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
These verses talk about a moment of sacred bonding for the people of Israel, Peter uses the same words as being inclusive of the Church, of you and me. Both these verses talk about our responsibility as “priests” – that of our servant hood and a bridge builder between God and man. Charged with such a huge responsibility, how could Israel do this? How can we do this? By “being a Holy nation” in Israel’s case and being “Holy” in our case. And why? So that we let our light, which is a reflection of the light of Jesus Christ, so shine before this dark world that the world will see that light, and recognise where it came from through our praises, and see the way. We have been set apart. And being that, we definitely are a peculiar people, but, only if we recognize our responsibility and purpose, according to scripture and act on it.
Are we actively pursuing that responsibility and purpose is a question we all need to ask ourselves.
Note By the Editor:
On a concluding note, we would just like to quote Olin Williams on this Bible passage –
“The modern church is slowly beginning to lose this. Instead of maintaining God’s holiness and values, the church is becoming to be another social place. Believers are losing their distinctiveness as God’s chosen and not continue in His marvelous light but are regressing into the darkness of the world”.
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