Chosen for Purpose
“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 (NIV)
Yesterday, we discovered a glorious truth from Jude 24: that in Christ, we are without a single fault! Our baptism is a sacred symbol that we have been washed clean! Understanding who you are in Christ will set you free! It will change your whole perspective and behavior when you begin to accept your new identity in Christ. Consider for a moment with me what the Bible says about you as a Christ follower in 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV), “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.” Let’s break down that verse together. What is Peter saying about who you are in Christ and why He chose you?
You are a chosen people!
You are a royal priesthood!
You are a holy nation!
You are God’s special possession!
You are called out of darkness into His wonderful light! You no longer walk in darkness!
No wonder he writes that because of who we are in Christ, our purpose now is to declare the praises of God who has called us out of darkness into His wonderful light! Wow! Let these truths begin to sink in, and by faith, begin to thank God for making you a new creation in Christ as a royal priest!
One of the most liberating realities of these truths is that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can approach God directly as priests would. One pastor pointed out, “In the Old Testament, God’s people had a priesthood; but today, God’s people are a priesthood.” That means that each individual Christ follower has direct access into the presence of God! We do not have to come to Him through any other person on earth! In 1 Timothy 2:5-6a (NIV) the Bible says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people.”
Not only do we have direct access to God through Jesus, but we may come boldly into His presence with full confidence that we are His children. In Hebrews 10:19-22 (NLT), the Bible says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”
As a royal Priest, you have direct access to God, you have bold access to His presence, and you have unlimited access 24/7! Take a few minutes to review those five declarations of faith about who you are in Christ again. Write them down in your Bible in the first person:
I am a chosen by God!
I am part of a royal priesthood!
I am part of a holy nation!
I am God’s special possession!
I am called out of darkness into His wonderful light! I no longer walk in darkness!
Begin to declare the praises of God for all He has done in your life! If you have not yet celebrated your new identity in Christ through believer’s baptism, we invite you to join us for this special declaration of faith after any of our services this weekend at Woodlands Church. You can register now at wc.org/baptism.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.