THE CHOSEN PEOPLE OF GOD

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

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. 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.

1 Peter 2:9-10

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

One of the most difficult places to be in life is alone, isolated with no affiliation or connection to others.

As we read the scriptures, it’s clear right from the onset that we were created for relationship. For after Adam was created and placed in Eden’s garden, God Himself said this:

“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18

God then surrounded Adam with all the wild animals, birds, and livestock, and although the first man named every living creature God brought to him, none of them were a suitable helper and so God put Adam “into a deep sleep” before removing a rib and using it to create a woman who would become one flesh with her male mate (Genesis 2:19-24).

Adam and Eve would go onto to have children and form the first family, the family that all other created people trace their genealogy to as they are the starting point of every family tree.

This matter of family can be extended beyond the biological level when we consider life as a Christian for the scriptures are clear that a person becomes a child of God whenever they believe in Jesus as Savior and receive the free indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All Jesus believers, past and present and future, form this family with God as the everlasting, Heavenly Father, a family of people who were first chosen by God before coming to Christ and gaining salvation.

Indeed, the Christian family is one that shares the bond of being the chosen people of God.

With this truth in hand, let’s now look at our scripture verses from the second chapter of 1 Peter:

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. 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. Vv. 9-10

Before we proceed, we need to remember who Peter was writing this letter to because it drove the words he composed. In chapter 1, we learn the identity of his target audience:

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. v.1

First note that these Christian brothers and sisters of Peter were displaced, dispersed in foreign lands and no doubt feeling detached and segregated from their fellow Jesus believers. It was into this place that we find Peter reminding them of their unique value and standing with God through Christ.

Yes, they may have been scattered and distant from others in the church but that didn’t remove their identity as a “chosen people”, “royal priesthood”, and “holy nation”. They had been, were, and would always be “God’s special possession”, a people who were “called out of darkness into His wonderful light” where they received the fullest measure of His mercy through their belief and faith in Christ Jesus. Ultimately, it was through this saving grace that the people could declare God’s praises.

Friends, today we are counted just as much the chosen people of God as god’s elect in first century A.D. We are a modern day royal priesthood and holy nation under the leading of a perfectly holy God who has given us a mercy we gladly receive and offer up our praises in gratitude.

Do you find yourself feeling lonely and in need of connection to something that you can belong to that will not only make you feel wanted but valued, cared for, and loved as well?

My hope is that you will come to Jesus, profess your belief in Him, and then join a blessed family of Christ believers, a family of children belonging to the Father God of all who are ready to embrace you in relationship and fellowship, revealing the love of the Lord while doing so.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.