Message Devotional: Being God's People

Being God’s People

May 19, 2013

1 Peter 2:1-3; 9-12

So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.  Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.  “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

A Christian cannot follow God and remain as they are.  Becoming God’s person requires a change of life, attitude, and action.  Peter lists several things that must be “stripped off” (deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, unkind speech).  He also warns believers to stay away from “worldly desires” and to live properly.  The phrase worldly desires cover a wide range attitudes and actions.  Galatians 5:19-21 gives a partial list.  From selfishness, to anger, to drunkenness, to sexual immorality our previous sinful nature will try to reassert itself.  Our behavior maters.  A follower of Jesus must work hard to live rightly and honorably no matter what.

If this is what we are to stay away from, what is it that we are to embrace?  Peter likens us to newborn babies crying out for pure spiritual milk.  A follower of God finds nourishment in God’s word, prayer, worship, and in the company of other followers.  We discover new life in salvation as we partake in these things.  We are given a new identity.  God’s people.  Royal priests.  A holy nation.  We are now citizens of God’s kingdom rather than the kingdoms of this world.  It is a high calling and a high placing.  This identity is greater than any previous understanding of life there may have been.  So we live with wonder and joy inside this kingdom.  It changes who we are, how we think, and how we live.  If we were to take a hard look at ourselves today, who are we living for?  This world or the Kingdom of God?