A Chosen Generation and Peculiar People 1 Peter 2:9

Peter the apostle called Jesus, “stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed”. This is because Jesus was made the foundation and “head of the corner” of the building of God which is known as the church. In chapter two and verse nine of his letter to the “scattered” Christians, Peter called these believers, “a chosen generation”, “a royal priesthood” and “a peculiar people” where we read:

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

The verse begins, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;” Peter began with the word, “But” which means “moreover, and, nevertheless and even” and is a disassociation conjunction which means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just written “you are a chosen” or “the scattered Christians were picked out, selected and elected as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable” “generation” which means “kindred, offspring, nation, stock and diversity”, “a royal” or “kingly in nature” “priesthood” which means “the office, order or body of priests”, “an holy” or “most sacred, pure, morally blameless, religious and ceremonially consecrated” “nation” which means “people, multitude, company, troop or swarm”, “a peculiar” or “preserving, obtaining, purchased, possession and saving” “people” which refers to “group, tribe, nation, those of the same stock and language and a great part of the population gathered together anywhere”. There is no doubt that God Almighty gave great value to these whom He chose.

The verse goes on to say, “that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:” Peter continued with the phrase, “that you should show forth” which means “tell out, declare, divulge, publish, make known by praising or proclaiming to celebrate” “the praises” or “virtuous course of thought, feeling and action; moral goodness and any particular moral excellence as modesty and purity” “of him who has called you” which means to “called aloud, uttered in a loud voice, given a name to and saluted by name” “out of darkness” which means “from and away darkened eyesight, blindness or ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery in hell” “into his marvelous” or “wonderful, worthy of pious admiration, admirable, excellent, passing human comprehension and causing amazement joined with terror” “light” which refers to “truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it that is exposed to the view of all, openly, publicly with the power of understanding especially moral and spiritual truth”. When a person has be “chosen” by God, the natural response and responsibility is to “show forth” His praises to the rest of the world for people everywhere to see and know.

When we consider the words of Peter, we begin to understand God Almighty's appraisal of us. He “chose” us, made us royalty and considers us a “holy nation” and “a peculiar people”, and the reason was for us to give “praise” to the Lord who brought us from a life of “darkness” and “into” His glorious knowledge and truth. May we begin to know His “calling” and “election”, and may all who hear us and see our lives see the “praises” of the mighty work He has done.

Next time Peter shares how the “scattered” Christians “have obtained mercy”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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