Verse 5 had already spoken about being builted into a spiritual house to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Verse 9 seems to be a progression in a sense. First a chosen race. From all the races of the world God has chosen a people. We in this world make a big deal about race, sometimes with negative connotations, but one thing stands sure, you need to be in this race. The race chosen by God. From God's perspective we are either saved or condemned and under God's wrath. The whole scope of Holy Scripture addresses Humankind at the level of their greatest need, to escape the wrath of God that is coming. The Bible spells it out in great detail. We need to be in this chosen race.
Next, we have a royal priesthood. The chosen race's (the people of God from every race on the earth) occupation as it were, will be to offer acceptable spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. We, the members of that chosen race should be doing that right now. Offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. It is only through Jesus Christ that God will accept anything from us (the chosen race) It is Jesus Christ's sacrifice that makes our sacrifices acceptable to God. We should be offering up prayers to God for His glory, how do we do that? We pray for one another, we pray for the body of Christ, we pray for those people you come into contact with, your pray for your family and friends, your neighbor's, your country, and the world, God has given us a wonderful duty in our praying, for He uses our prayers as a means to bring about His will, and His Glory is displayed as He works out His will in the lives of His people and in the affairs of this world. That's why Jesus tells us in Luke that we should always pray and not give up.
Then, a holy nation. The chosen of God are to be light in the darkness of the world, the same darkness we all were in, not only in but held in by Satan's deception and cunning craftiness, also held in by the peer pressure of longing to be like the godless spirit of the world, and by our own sinful heart/nature. A holy nation was the promise God gave Abraham and the early Fathers in the faith. Yet the Bible states that they did not receive that nation. The nation of Israel failed to be that light to draw the rest of the world to the living and true God. Jesus Christ came and fulfilled that promise, and now we seek that holy nation, the true holy nation, the one the Father's longed to see - the city made without hands, the kingdom spoken of by Daniel. We, the chosen race or to point others to that holy nation, by directing them to pay homage to the King of that Kingdom, Jesus Christ.
And finally, a people for His own possession. Isn't it amazing that God has longed to have a people. Please don't misunderstand me I am not saying that God needed a people, God is not lacking anything in any capacity, nothing we can do can increase or diminish God. Yet, it pleased God to have a people of His own possession. We can only marvel at the glimpses of God's Glory that His Spirit leads us to in understand, through His Word and we are always very lacking in understanding. My insight is very lacking. I have read material from others a lot more knowledgeable than I am and they say the same thing. It is a good thing to read the material of the other Christians who have been gifted by God to teach and to preach and lead God's chosen race. Some of those men are R. C. Sproul, John MacArthur, John Piper, there are many more and we should read their works, and the works of others and see how God has worked in their lives. Please utilize the links at the top of this blog. Enrich your hearts by reading and studying this wealth of biblical sound material. We need to realize that the Church has been going steadily forward because Christ holds it in place, He does not let it fall away, He has all power and authority and He benefits His Church. He as well as the Holy Spirit intercede for the Church. (Romans 8)
We are to be heralds telling others about the excellencies of God,explaining how He called us out of darkness. The darkness that covers every heart that has not been brought into the light of Christ's salvation. The same darkness the chosen race was under and called out of. Only God can call someone out of that spiritual darkness. But, God uses means to accomplish His will. You may be the means God uses to speak the Word of God to someone. Not that you have any power - this point needs to be made abundantly clear - our speaking doesn't do anything - you don't have any spiritual power - you or I cannot speak life into a dead soul. In spite of the popular "name it and claim it" religion. Our words hold no power in the realm of demons and angels - Our situation was so dire that God had to come down and rescue us!!! That condition continues, we need Jesus Christ everyday - our life, breathe, and being is in Him. The darkness talked about here and other places is a darkness that we didn't even know we were in until we got out. We can only see this once we are saved (called out of darkness into His marvelous light) While we are in the darkness we think everything is fine, we are content, we are happy more or less, we have no desire for the things of God. We are on our way to hell, in darkness - In the book of Revelation it states Satan has the whole world under deception. Humans are forever trapped under Satan's dominion of deception. Your words or anything else you would like to use have no power or authority against him. But, Jesus Christ is another story. He has absolute authority and power and He has broken the power of Satan to deceive the people of God. The world (unsaved) are still under that deception. We are to be heralds for Christ, and His power and authority.
The excellencies of God's plan and purposes - that is Sovereign Power - and it is in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Verse 10 States that once we were not a people, but now you are God's people, once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Meditation on the Word of God is a means to transform our hearts. One great concept to think about is this wonder of God's mercy gives to those who were His enemies, yet, who He resuced. Once we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy. It does not matter how long we are in heaven, with Christ, it will always be the same - we have received His mercy and that is the reason we are there - the only reason. God has been merciful!! that statement will echo throughout eternity - it seems to me that it will always be on the lips of the chosen race - the people of God - God has been merciful!! we experience His mercy right now -each day is the mercy of God - because each day means that it is another today and each today is an opportunity for someone to be called out of darkness. Father, Thank you for being merciful to each one of us - through Jesus Christ.
Next time: 1 Peter 2:11
Blessings!
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