Identity Found || 1 Peter 2:9 || Manna for the Mind #132

Welcome to Day 132 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional! This series is about finding nourishment in the Word of God to get us through the day. In each devotional, I take a variety of scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses each) and build our understanding of what they teach via their context and connecting scripture. My goal is to help you understand how to be the type of human God created you to be.

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 2:9. Peter reminds us of who we are. These are titles that we often don’t talk about today.

1 Peter 2:9

NASB	NLT	VOICE
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His light;	9 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.	9 But you are a chosen people, set aside to be a royal order of priests, a holy nation, God’s own; so that you may proclaim the wondrous acts of the One who called you out of inky darkness into shimmering light.

Each of these passages starts with a keyword: “But.” This means we should return a few verses to see what Peter compares and contrasts us. He’s contrasting us with those who don’t follow God’s Word. Peter quotes Isaiah 8 and Psalm 118 passages to show this was prophecy. The disobedient people would meet their own eternal fate. Those who obey would go forth and share the Gospel and be the light that’s imbued in us to the world.

Christians sometimes talk about the “priesthood of all believers.” In the Old Testament, people didn’t approach God directly. A priest was often the intermediary between God and humanity’s sin. After Christ was victorious on the cross, the pattern changed. We are perfected to go before God’s presence without fear through Christ. We are also called to bring others to him. (See Matthew 28:16-20) When we are in a relationship with Christ as a part of his body of believers, we join in his priestly work of reconciling God and humanity. We are tasked with going out and living a loving, righteous, and compassionate life. Are we going to get it right all the time? No. Yet, as long as we go out and give it our best, genuine attempt with a heart towards honoring God and caring for others, then we’re good. We can share our faults and sins of the day with God, but we’re forgiven and given the chance to go out and try again tomorrow. The perfection is unachievable, but Christ fulfilled that on our behalf. We can then go out and do our best, knowing we have the chance to be better each day.

Now, why did God choose us to fulfill his plan? More appropriately, why the Israelites?

Exodus 19:5-6

NASB	NLT	VOICE
5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;	5 Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.	5 Now if you will hear My voice, obey what I say, and keep My covenant, then you – out of all the nations of the world – will be My treasured people. After all, the earth belongs to Me.
6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”	6 And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”	6 You will be My kingdom of priests, a nation holy and set apart.” Tell the Israelites exactly what I have told to you.

Why did God choose Israel? God was honoring his promise to Abraham. In Genesis 12, God told Abraham that his family would be a family of many nations and that he would have as many disciples as the stars in the sky. God knew that no nation was perfected enough to be called his people at face value. He chose Israel not because of what the people had done but because of his love and mercy. He’s honoring his promises to use this fallen and broken group of people as his beacon of light to the world.

Why did God need a special nation to begin with? He needs people on this earth to represent his way of life, teach his Word, and be an agent of salvation to all the world. People find it hard to believe in a being, all-powerful or not, that they cannot see. That’s where we come in. People can see us; therefore, we must represent God’s love and compassion to everyone.

When we do this, all the nations of the earth will receive his blessing. This promise goes back to Abraham’s descendants. Gentiles and kings will come to the Lord through Israel, as predicated in Isaiah. Through Israel, the Messiah will be born. God chose one nation and put it through a tough training program so that it could be a channel for his blessings to the whole world. How are you being a blessing to others?

Sometimes, being a blessing requires spiritual sacrifices.

1 Peter 2:5

NASB	NLT	VOICE
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.	5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.	5 Like living stones, let yourselves be assembled into a spiritual house, a holy order of priests who offer up spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God through Jesus the Anointed.

Notice that this is just a few verses above our primary scripture. It sandwiches this passage of 1 Peter together nicely. Keep this in mind since the NASB is a continuation of verse 4.

What are these spiritual sacrifices? Let’s look back to the Old Testament sacrificial system. When sacrificing an animal according to God’s law, a priest would kill the animal, butcher it, and place it on the altar. These were important for the culture and people of the time, but even God said it was more about obedience to the heart. Now, God wants us to offer ourselves as the sacrifice. (NOT MEANING KILL AND BUTCHER OURSELVES) God wants us to lay our desires down daily and follow him, putting all our energy and resources into his will and trusting him to guide us. The New Testament letters show us what this sacrifice can look like:

• We give our bodies and wills to God’s control.
• We offer our love to God and to others.
• We give money to help in ministry.
• We offer praise to God.

We give our thoughts, words, and actions to do what God calls us. This will look different for each person, but it centers around loving and honoring God with all parts of our being and loving and caring for our community as Jesus did for us. Our desires shouldn’t be JUST to benefit us but to benefit the community. Are you doing your job to help create a brighter future? Are you learning something to teach the next generation how to do it better? These questions all surround when it means to follow God’s control. We use our money for the benefit of others. Whether it be a ministry within the church or outside it that helps care for those in need or those struggling. At the end of the day, we rejoice. We praise God in everything. Not everything in our life may be worth praising, but we can find joy in knowing God is with us in the struggle and will get us through to the other side.

I leave you again with the words of 1 Peter 2:9. I feel these are important to remember when understanding who we are in God. Until next time, stay blessed!

9            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.