1 PETER 2:9-11 – But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. “
THEME OF THE DAY: HIS CHERISHED POSSESSION. Do a little Bible study in today’s scripture along two lines. First, list everything the Apostle Peter says we are as Christians, not what we feel as Christians, especially when we have failed the Lord for the umpteenth time. Then identify our actions in life because of what we are as Christians. And remember this principle, who we are determines how we live. As for the Christian life, it is understanding who we are in Christ before God that dictates how we live. This order is important for our joy comes from our position which fuels are practice. So, about that little Bible study . . .
The Apostle Peter tells us five things about us in our relationship with God. As we list them, it would be okay to pause and praise the Lord with a loud voice over such amazing grace! Now the list. Here is how God sees and treats us – a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, and God’s people. Just think on two things – God sees and treats us as His prized possessions and people. This is about ownership. This is about bought property – Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). And the greatest blessing of being owned by God is the ability, privilege, and even right to make the opening verse of Psalm 23 personal – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). We are cared for, provided for, and protected because we are His possession and people. However, with the privilege comes responsibility and that is the next portion of our little Bible study.
As God’s people, His possession, we no longer live for ourselves and particularly the desires of our flesh. Peter would say, “Since we are no longer our own, abstain or stop living out the passions of our flesh.” Basically, the call is for us to stop living selfishly, stop allowing the evil passions of our flesh pull us into sin, and live as you are – God’s possession and people traveling through life as sojourners and exiles headed to our Father’s house! We actually should go back to chapter one of Peter’s letter and apply it to our lives as a people owned by God – As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16). And it makes sense, doesn’t it? If we are a people possessed by a holy God, then we are to pursue what He is – holy. It is the purpose of Him buying us with the high price of Christ’s blood.
So, what a tremendous blessing to have God call us “His possession” and “His people”! Such grace, such mercy, and both demand we live as He commands and desires – holy as He is holy, and when we grasp His love that would own us, the pursuit of holiness becomes a delight of discipline pursued with affectionate zeal!
PRAYER: “Father, I stand amazed of Your incredible love and grace that would make me Your cherished possession.”
QUOTE: “Live like we are, not how our flesh would dictate. We are God’s possession bought to seek Him and holiness.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim