“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
a holy nation
Peter lifts the third title for our position in Christ from Exodus 19:6. Christians are one nation with one King. God governs us by the laws of his Kingdom. This is a prerogative that is not natural to us. This prerogative comes to us by spiritual birth.
The church is a nation in the midst of nations. This nationhood is based on our union with Christ, not on geography. A nation is a multiple of people of the same nature. Believers come together as a national entity to function as a kingdom of people.
The word “holy” means set apart. The church is a people set apart unto God. We are a people for God’s possession. We are God’s special property. We are at his complete disposal and for his personal use. The Christian has different standards, different ideals, different motives. He is different from other men. That difference lies in the fact that he dedicates to God’s will and service.
PRINCIPLE:
The church is not only made up of individuals but of a collection of people.
APPLICATION:
The church is a collection of people. We are a new spiritual race. We come together as a collection of people for special purposes. Our national, kingdom privilege is an issue of status. We become in our experience what we are in our status if we appropriate our privileges.
We obtain holiness by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us. God puts holiness in us by the blood of Christ.
