Scripture of the Month

April, 2004

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”--I Peter 2:9

Having studied three verses taken from I Peter as the Scripture of the Month, you should already have an idea that holy living is one of the major themes of this book. It starts with a determination of the mind to be obedient children of the Holy God. Having been purified by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, believers are ready for the implementation into the ministry of holiness. Peter used three lively descriptions to identify the resurrected Christ: Living Hope (1:3), Living Word ( 1:23 ), and Living Stone (2:4). In this section (2:4-10), Peter used a new metaphor to exhort us to holy living. The foundational truth to holy living is having fellowship with Jesus Christ, the Living Stone. Though people rejected Him, yet God chose Him as the foundation of a living organism—Church. Those who believe in Him will have fellowship with Him and like living stones will be used as materials to build into a spiritual house. Believers not only make up the house (church), but rather serve in it as well, ministering as royal priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Peter closed this section with a forceful reminder that, in contrast to the disobedient who are destined for punishment, believers are a chosen people. Just as the Jews were the chosen people of the Old Testament, the Church (believers) is the chosen people of the New Testament. The responsibility that was solely entrusted to the nation of Israel is now transferred to the Church. At Mount Sinai , Yahweh said to the Israel nation, “You will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6). Now the Church is called a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.

Do you know you are specially chosen? Do you realize you are special in the sight of God and of the world? What a privilege it is to be given these descriptions by God Himself! With the privilege comes the responsibility. Our responsibility is to live a holy living so that we may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into the wonderful light. If you haven’t caught on, let me spell it out clearly for you. Our life is all about God! God saved us to reveal His mercies.