A SPECIAL PEOPLE
1 Peter 2:1-12
Today we are considering the first of
the four foundations of discipleship for the Brethren found in the Alexander
Mack seal. As we move through these four
weeks of study we especially want to note the Biblical basis.
We are a special people - unique and
separate. While we have adopted this
description of who we are we should note that the Brethren were not viewing
themselves as better or superior but rather the view was that this is what all
Christians should be.
To be a special
people of God some things must be renounced – put off. Verse
1 of our Scripture offers a list which is by no means exhaustive. Only four things are listed but one,
hypocrisy, can cover a lot of areas.
Notice that the verse begins with “therefore”. We are directed back to the last verses of
chapter one which says, “since you have purified your souls”. We are seeking to make the reality of our
lives conform to our new standing before God in Jesus Christ. By faith in Christ we have been made new
creatures – now let us work on the image of what we ought to do and one of the
first things is to clean up our act – not in our own strength but in the power
of the Holy Spirit which is given to every believer (remember Romans chapter
eight – we all have the Holy Spirit living within us. We have a new nature and should live in that
new nature.
To be a special
people we need to hunger and thirst for the Word. “Desire” does not mean merely to want
something, but rather to long for something with all of one’s being.
The purpose of
studying God’s truth is not only to learn more, but to become mature in the
faith. How can we learn of God’s will
without reading His Word.
To be a special
people we must have experienced the grace of God. We can look back at chapter 1, verses 18-19, You were not redeemed with corruptible
things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition
from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot. Oh how
marvelous is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Living
Stone – rejected by the world – after whom we seek to model our lives –
meaning, of course, that the world will reject us – “If the world hates you –
it hated me first” (John 15:18). This
may be a subtle attack on the dead stone idols that the Gentiles worshiped
prior to becoming Christians. Jesus is
greater than our dead traditions. He is
greater than the
The new building of
God, of which Jesus is the Cornerstone, is living. It is the assembly of all believers, the
church. The rejected cornerstone? Not to receive Christ is to reject Him. Most of the Jewish leaders did not receive
Christ but we should note that Acts 15:5 tells us that there were some of the
Pharisees who believed. The Sadducees
never accepted Jesus because they absolutely rejected the resurrection. That is why they’re so sad you see.
Christians are part
of God’s great building project. The
stones of verse 5 refer to stones shaped for construction rather than natural
rock. The Holy Spirit is working to
chisel off the extraneous and harmful material, shaping each stone to fit
neatly into the wall. We are being
reshaped into the image of Jesus – we match up to Him.
Jesus
is the chief cornerstone or foundation stone from which the placement of all
other living stones in the spiritual
house is determined. In ancient
buildings, the cornerstone or foundation stone was first situated and all the
other stones were aligned to it. As part
of the house of God we need to be aligned to Jesus Christ – we need to keep our
focus on Him at all times. Those who
trust Him and focus on Him will never be put to shame.
Unbelievers, after
examining Jesus to see if he meets their needs, declared Him to be useless or
undesirable. Although He was not what
they wanted, He is specifically the One chosen by God to be the foundation of
His eternal work.
Those who fail to
follow God’s Word find Jesus to be repugnant, an obstacle in their way to their
selfish ends.
In the Old Testament
priesthood only those who were born into a certain tribe could be priests. Now all who are reborn into God’s family, all
believers, are priests who have the privilege and responsibility of offering
spiritual sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1-2).
Praise to God is spiritual sacrifice.
Your monetary offering to the Lord is such a spiritual offering. Money can be spiritual – it depends on how
you use it. Then offer yourself to
God. That is a spiritual sacrifice.
Jesus (and us) – a
stumbling stone – a rock of offence (note the battle against the faith in our
day). Unbelievers stumble over the Word
of God because they choose to be disobedient to God’s truth and righteousness.
Verse 9 is a direct
contrast to the previous verse, a contrast between those who believe in Jesus
and those who do not. We are a chosen
people, chosen to be part of a unique body of people who will serve God. In Scripture there are two elect groups of
people – first,
We are a royal
priesthood, transformed to be ruling kings.
I mentioned earlier that the Old Testament priests were called from one
tribe. It was not that way in the
beginning. All Israelites were
considered priests until they sinned and rebelled against God. Then one tribe was designated to the
priesthood.
We are a holy nation
in our standing. Christ is our
righteousness. We fail miserably in
reality but God does want us to conform to our standing.
We are a peculiar
people – God calls us his own. We belong
to Him. To be peculiar does not mean we
act strange. But we belong to Him. God calls us His own and it doesn’t matter
who you are or to which race you belong.
Jesus Christ is calling you to be His own. Believers are a unified people set apart for
God’s use and protected as God’s own children.
We are called from
darkness to light – a holy people, reflecting the holiness of Jesus.
We have already
obtained God’s mercy. Even though we
once deserved condemnation because of unbelief, we are no longer under the
sentence of judgment.
We are passing
through (This world is not my home, I’m just a’passing through). We are foreigners here, traveling to our
eternal home, heaven. Turn away from
those things of the world which draws you away from the Lord Jesus Christ. There is much in this world which destroys
our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Abstain literally
means “to hold away from one’s person.
We must distance ourselves from our own self-indulgent urges. Abstain from being stained by the lusts of
the flesh. Life is not a game but a war
to be waged, a war that is a matter of life and death. This is a spiritual war and our eternal souls
are at stake.
In verse 12
“Gentiles” is not referring to non-Jews but to those who are not believers in
Christ. Having your conversation honest
– your conduct honorable – refers to a positive action. It is not just refraining from worldly
things, but rather that our lives include honesty and good works. Remember Ephesians 2:8-10 – not only are we
saved by grace, but we are saved to a life of good works.
We may be put down,
but the day will come when the world will glorify the Lord in seeing the good
in our lives as having come from the Lord.
If we are reflecting Jesus Christ they world will come to see it and
glorify our Lord as a result.
Is your life and
reflection of Jesus? The world needs to
see Jesus in us.
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