You are a Chosen Race

“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. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:9-12 ESV)

Who is being addressed here? They are the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for the sprinkling with his blood (1 Peter 1:1-2). And the elect are all those who are chosen out by God for the rendering of special service to him, i.e. the chosen of God to die with him to sin and to live to him and to his righteousness in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living, by the grace of God, as persuaded of God for faith in him.

But it isn’t as though we have no choice in the matter, as some would have you believe. Even though the faith to believe in Jesus Christ is not of our own doing – not of the will nor of the flesh of man – but is gifted to us by God, and it is persuaded of God, so as to align with God and with his will and purpose for our lives, we still have to submit and surrender ourselves to the will of God. We have to deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him (Luke 9:23-26), by our choice, but only in his power, and only by his grace. For if we do not, we do not have eternal life with God.

[1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Acts 26:18; Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 1:18-32, etc.]

So, this is not speaking of those who merely make professions of faith in Jesus Christ, who give lip service only, but whose lives are not surrendered to God to do his will, but who are still living according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit. Many are those who profess faith in Jesus Christ with their lips but whose hearts are far from him, for they are following after a gospel created in the minds of human beings who are of the flesh who want salvation from sin but who do not want to yield control of their lives to God.

But for those of us who have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with him to now walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness, we are God’s chosen race, his holy people, his holy nation, a people for his own possession, whether Jew or Gentile by physical birth. Only those of genuine walks of faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus are his chosen people. All those who do not believe in Jesus, who are living in rebellion against him, who are not conformed to his will, are not his true people.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; John 8:18-19,38-47; Jude 1:5; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]

And this is certainly not teaching that as God’s true people that we will live in absolute sinless perfection (1 John 2:1-2). We might not. We might sin, at times. But if sin is what we practice, i.e. if we deliberately and habitually sin against God and against other humans, especially without conscience, and without true remorse, and with deliberate malice and hatred in our hearts and a desire to hurt other humans, then according to the Scriptures we are not those of true faith in Jesus Christ, and we will not have eternal life.

[John 10:27-30; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,15-17; 1 John 3:4-10; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31]

So, now that we have a biblical picture of who those are (and are not) God’s chosen race, his royal priesthood, his holy nation, a people for his own possession (he is Lord – owner master of our lives), we need to also understand what our biblical responsibility is to God, as his chosen race. For not only are we to die to sin daily and to walk in obedience to his commands, in holy living, but we are to be those who are sharing the true message of the gospel with the people of the world, in daily practice.

And we get a hint here as to what that gospel message entails, i.e. “who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” For darkness is sin and light is truth and righteousness and Jesus Christ and his gospel message. For by genuine faith in Jesus Christ we die with him to sin and we are reborn of the Spirit of God to now live holy lives, pleasing to God, in walks of obedience and surrender to the will of God for our lives. Sin is no longer to be our practice, but we should all be following our Lord in obedience.

A Believer’s Prayer 

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray 

To be Yours, and Yours always.

Lead me in Your truth today.

May I love You, and obey.

Lead me in Your righteousness.

When I sin, may I confess;

Bow before You when I pray;

Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.

Life with You will never end.

You are with me through each day,

Giving love and peace always.

You will ne’er abandon me.

From my sin You set me free.

You died on that cruel tree,

So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;

From this world to set me free;

Live with You eternally.

Oh, what joy that brings to me.

I will walk with You in white;

A pure bride, I’ve been made right

By the blood of Jesus Christ;

Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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