A Chosen Generation

 

 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

There are so many wonderful passages of the bible that we can call our own. I Peter 2:9 is certainly no exception. It is one of my favorites.

I come from a middle-class family with no ties to royalty that I am aware of. But because of what Jesus did for me on the cross, I am privy to being a part of His chosen generation and royal priesthood. 

But what does that mean? Biblically speaking, of course.

I like the way this site puts it. (see: What does 1 Peter 2:9 mean? | BibleRef.com  )

What does 1 Peter 2:9 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑] b

In contrast with those who reject Christ and are destined to "stumble," Peter now describes the chosen people of God.

Peter uses language that had been used to describe God's special relationship with Israel. As Israel was, we—believers, the church—are also a chosen race. Unlike Israel, though, we are not a race in the sense of our family, ethnicity, skin color, or country of origin. We are a spiritual race, in the sense that, in Christ, we share a single spiritual Father. In that same meaning, we are a "holy nation," a specific group of people called out and set apart from all other nations.

Christians, together, are a royal priesthood. In Israel, under the Law, one tribe was given the task of serving as priests, performing the duties of mediators between God and the rest of the nation. Very few held the honor and responsibility of actually coming into God's presence. But in and through Christ, the King, all believers are priests with direct access to our Father. We need no other mediator.

Finally, God has formed this nation, this race, this priesthood to take possession of us. We are His people in a very real way. It's not just that we pledge our allegiance to Him; it's that He has taken ownership of us. We belong to Him.

Why? For one, He has made us to declare His praises. That's more than just a natural response to our Father's mercy or something we should do to be polite. Declaring God's greatness is one reason for our very existence. When we praise Him, we fulfill our purpose. He has called us out of the darkness of a meaningless life, and an eternity apart from Him,

 and into His wonderful, marvelous light. Because we belong to Him, we belong in His light

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I happened to watch a program on tv this week about a woman who had been in a cult at one time and had gotten so indoctrinated by them that she allowed them to starve her baby son to death. 

Who does that? Who allows it to happen? Why?

She has since been able to get out of that cult and now goes around telling her story and with deep sorrow about what had happened her life. 

We are not her judge as she lives with the consequences of it and tries to warn others. 

But Friends, it makes me think about my own life. Never had I ever thought it would be ok to do that to my child because at an early age I gave my heart to Jesus. And at my worst, would I have ever considered something so terrible. 

God called me out of darkness, and into His marvelous light. And even though her sin was seemingly greater than mine, in reality it is not. For sin is sin, no matter what it is. And the difference is what verse 10 says:

 Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:10

We have obtained mercy. Those of us that have asked God. He has given it to us.

No matter what we have done, or how big or small we may think our sin is, we can obtain God's mercy because we are a part of his chosen generation. 

How thankful we are that he loves us that much!

Thanks for coming by, Friends.

God bless!