One House : 1 PeterSample

Chosen Race, Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation

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.

1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV

In today's reading, Peter continues elaborating on the blessings we have been given as believers. Firstly, he says that we are a chosen race. Christians become members of this chosen race not through physical descent, but through faith in Christ. This means that the chosen race is no longer ethnically exclusive to the Jewish people; the chosen race of God is those who have believed in his son.

Secondly, we are a royal priesthood. Christians don't have to be descendants of Aaron to serve as priests in God's temple. All who believe in Christ have been made priests in the new spiritual temple, and all make spiritual sacrifices to God. Thirdly, he calls those who believe in Christ a 'holy nation.' This new Nation isn't defined by an ethnic identity or geographical boundaries but by those who have sworn their allegiance to King Jesus. God's chosen nation is the church.

Lastly, Peter says that we've been given all of these great blessings so that we would "proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Our new status in Christ isn't for our own fame but for his! We are a nation and priests to God for the glory of his name.