March 07, 2022 – Monday
1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV
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.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Comment.
How many Christians think of themselves as a chosen people, as a royal priesthood, and as part of a holy nation? Or think of yourself as, as God’s special possession? I believe many of us who are Christians shy aware from such descriptions just as we shy away from thinking of ourselves as saints. Nonetheless is it true, we are often called saints (KJV, ESV, etc) or holy ones/God’s people (NIV) by Paul in his writings. For example, in 2 Corinthians 13:13 we read All the saints greet you (KJV) or All God’s people here send their greetings (NIV).
Perhaps the reason we shy away from such descriptions is that we know we don’t always live up to such words or worse don’t really try. Nonetheless, Peter is clearly telling us, those who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior, are indeed members of a holy nation and are members of a royal priesthood. Peter even tells us why; that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Recall that we were not just in the darkness, but we were part of the darkness as it says in Ephesians 5:8,For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.
Of course, we want or should want to praise Jesus as He is the one who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. Following Him keeps us in the light as Jesus said in John 8:12, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life and in John 12:46, I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. In accepting Christ, repenting of our sins, and following Jesus we have come out of our darkness and now live in His light. Let us accept that doing so makes us a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession. We are chosen because we have accepted by faith what we know to be true, that Jesus died for all of our sins so that we could be forgiven and go to heaven. This is the mercy spoken of in verse ten, we have received mercy through Christ on the cross dying for our sins.
This is nothing to be ashamed of, nor is it something to brag about for it is not our doing, but the doing of God out of His love and mercy for us. He permits us to chose to accept Jesus’ free gift of grace and become the people of God. Let us accept the truth of this and do our level best to live as His saints, His holy ones, or simply as God’s people.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, As unworthy as we are, you have set us apart as Your people through You Son. Thank You for such kindness and mercy. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek