Author: Nico Angleys, from the Servants of the Word, an international, ecumenical brotherhood of men living single for the Lord.
Belonging in order to witness
In his first epistle, Peter writes: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
Yesterday's passage in Leviticus told us the reason for holiness is that we belong to God. Our passage today in First Peter reveals fifteen hundred years of development of this idea of holiness. We are now a chosen race: a people that God himself has picked. We are a royal priesthood: a people in the King’s family with a special role in worship. We are a holy nation: an organized society set apart for God's use. And finally, we are a people for his own possession, who continue to belong to Him in a special way. The purpose of holiness is explained very simply in our passage. We are to proclaim the greatness or excellencies of the One who has saved us. We are set apart and special because God wants us to tell others about who He is and to invite them into this belonging to Him.
How are holiness and witnessing to others connected in your own experience of God?
Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recent Posts:
Celebrating Easter
In Memory of Steve Clark, a Mentor and a Brother
Steve Clark Obituary
For the 40 days
Our communities:
This is an interactive map of our communities, movements and outreaches. You can search the map by clicking and dragging. Communities are identified by the Sword of the Spirit logo, outreaches and movements are identified by a colored pin.
Some locations are approximate. To see a complete list of all communities click on the icon next to the map’s title.