The Believer's Identity

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Look with me this morning at 1 Peter 2:9-12. What Peter offers us here is a beautiful picture of the identity of every believer, but also the purpose of our being saved. And in particular and of worth noting here, Peter offers this to believers who were suffering. We don't get to shrink back at our calling and purpose even when times are rough. It is during these times that we shine brightest and have the greatest impact as it speaks to our devotion even more as we would obey even when it is hard and isn't supposedly "paying off" in the world's economy.

Look at the ways that Peter describes you believer in v. 9: chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, a people for God's own possession. In Christ God has created a new body, new people, the church. We looked at this a few weeks ago from Ephesians 2. In Christ we have an entirely new identity. That is what we see here. Literally we are a new creation. See yourself this way believer. New birth. Adoption. Everything that was old has gone and the new has come.

Peter goes on to tell us in v. 9 why we exist: to declare the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. This is contrasted in v. 10 by showing who we were apart from Christ and who we are now in Christ. Again, newness. Out of darkness and into light. We see this also in Col. 1:13. New creation with new purpose.

Think about this today believer. See yourself this way in everything you do today. This offers so much meaning and hope and value and worth to everything we do. From the smallest to the greatest. It is not as if some thigs we do are holy and others are not. Everything is now holy as God's people. Everything is set apart to the glory of God. In a real sense, nothing is common. Everything is sanctified and is to be done as an offering to the Lord. We exist as believers so that the world will see how great our God is. Paul spoke to this in 1 Cor. 10:31 where he said "do all things to the glory of God."

You are a priest, royalty, new race of people, holy. And this should guide and inform everything we do. Give meaning and worth and import to everything we do when we see that we are to offer everything we do to the glory of God as a demonstration of His awesomeness. We exist to rightly represent our King and His Kingdom. 

Peter continues this in vv. 11-12. We are to keep our behavior "excellent" before a watching world. Why? So that  God is glorified and the watching world has nothing bad to say about us. The world is watching. What do they see in us? What do they think of our God because of us?

Know who and whose you are believer. Know why you exist believer. We have the greatest privilege in all the world - we know and are known by God. We have the greatest responsibility in all the world - we are to represent Him in all we do. We are the people of God. We are recipients of His mercy and are to offer this to those around us as a picture of what we have first received. Again, all pointing back to God.

May this be us today. See yourself rightly today. Then from that live rightly in the power God provides to His people. Live for the glory of the Lord and not the flesh. Wage war today on that old nature. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles that God may be glorified.

Everything we do matters for God's glory and the advancement of His Kingdom and Gospel. Everything. And you have been called believer to be a part of this advancement and announcement. What a privilege and responsibility. May we steward each of these to the glory of God. May this bring worth and meaning to everything we do today. May this consume us in all we do. All to His glory and our joy.