Mission Venture Ministries

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

What are distinguishing marks of the people of God which separate them from the world? 

Believers are blessed, being chosen to be royal priests represent the fact that we have been united with Christ. We are His body, and whatever glory Christ receives we receive as well. Romans 8:17 calls us coheirs with Christ. It means we will reign with Him eternally, and here on earth, our responsibility is to draw men unto Himself and to lead people in the worship of Him as priests. 

Peter wants us to realize that Christians are different from the world because they know Christ. 

Believers have been saved from the darkness of sin and out of this world, in order to be a unique people who worship God. 

Like Peter, Paul urged the Ephesians from prison that they would live a life worthy of the calling they had received (Ephesians 4:1). 

We are “called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). Therefore, the purpose for which we have been called by God to become one of His chosen is to be holy! Everything in our lifestyle should center on the fact that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10). 

We are to be teachers of God’s commandments to the nations. We are to be the light to the world revealing the way to God. We are to be those who draw people to God, and not to be a hindrance to their acceptance of Jesus. We are set apart as priesthood, so we are not acting like the world, but imitating Jesus. But this separation does not mean that we are not interacting with the world. Often Christians get the idea that we need to stay away from the world because of its sinfulness. But we are called to access the world, while maintaining our holiness. We interact with the world and show them the way to God, teaching God’s truths.

While it is true that believers are different, it is the believers’ standing as the adopted children of God, joint heirs with Christ Jesus, and God’s own unique people that make us “God’s special possession.” 

Since we are God’s special possession we must proclaim the goodness of being God’s people. In being different and being set apart, we need to tell people what a blessing it is to live this way. It is not tiresome to be God’s special people, on the contrary, we want to tell people and show people that this is the good life. In fact, not acting as the people of God will cause people to stumble and fall in life. But those who are God’s will not be put to shame. 

Christians are God’s special possession who has obtained mercy. They are a royal priesthood, and living stones. Believers are part of God’s spiritual house and a holy nation; and as such, we must abstain from the passions of the flesh. 

Our calling is identified as “the heavenly calling” (Hebrews 3:1), and we are told that the called (Romans 1:6) are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). But we also are told to “give diligence to make your calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). There is much in Scripture about our calling, and although the calling is God’s work and prerogative, we are expected to add to our faith “goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).

Those who are born again are different from the world around them because they are being transformed by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. They are also different because, having been born again by the Spirit of God and believing in Christ for salvation, they have received “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

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