“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.” – 1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB
A People of God’s choosing sealed with the proof of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13 ‘And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
1 John 4:13 ‘This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22 ‘Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.’
Royal Priesthood
Revelation 5:6-10 Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”
What were the duties of a Priest in Israel?
Sacrifices
Teaching
Maintained the sanctuary
Stood guard over the Tabernacle
Speak the blessings of God over them (the Lord bless you…)
Prayed for the people
Lead the people in worship
Access to God’s presence
“Christians exercise priestly functions but always as members of a group who all exercise the same function.” Schreiner, T. R
Holy Nation
Nation – a people with a specific identity and loyalty, with defining characteristics
“Holy Nation” – a new group of people living in wholehearted devotion to God
Holy – sacred, pure, devoted to One purpose, dedicated without reservation, in the Holy process of sanctification
Jesus’ Good News brings in people from every nation/ethnicity (John 3:16, Acts 1:7-8, 10:9-16, 1 Corinthians 1:9:19, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Galatians 3:27-29, Ephesians 2:19, Philippians 3:20-21)
‘So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ‘ Galatians 3:26-28
Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘ Philippians 3:19-20
W. A. Grudem, So we are a new spiritual nation which is based now neither on ethnic identity nor geographical boundaries but rather on allegiance to their heavenly King, Jesus Christ, who is truly King of kings and Lord of lords.
People for God’s own possession
We are purchased with the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:14)
We belong to God:
But we are treasured!! (Peter echoes the verse in Ex. 19:5 and Isa 43:21)
‘God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. ‘ 1 Corinthians 1:9
‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ‘ Ephesians 1:3
‘He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:14
‘He has lavished his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. ‘ Ephesians 1:8
Lavished: abundance, more than enough, leftovers
What is our new Nation?
When we are born again, our salvation includes being incorporated into a new community. (a group of people having a particular characteristic in common.
This Community = Church
This community is:
Communal in nature: between God and a people (not an individual all y’all). This bond entails a communal vocation, a mission; in the exercise of its priestly role, this people exemplifies God’s holy character and propagates his will. J.B Green
Ephesians 2:19-22 ‘So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.’
As a Holy Nation, Royal Priesthood/Community/Church, We are to:
Declare Praises and offer spiritual Sacrifices
Do good deeds
Hebrews 13:15-16, Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
Serve as Representatives of God by how we live
Scottish Baptist Minister Alexander MacLaren said it this way: The world takes its notions of God, most of all, from the people who say that they belong to God’s family. They read us a great deal more than they read the Bible. They see us; they only hear about Jesus Christ.
Everything we say and do, both in public and private should represent God!
What should I do this week?
Continue to meditate on Ephesians 1 and 2 as well as 1 Peter 2:9-10
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the depth of these verses
Allow the verses to affect how you think, what you do and how you feel about yourself (based on what Jesus is doing in you!).
Practice being a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession.