His Wonderful Light

1 Peter 2:9–12

These verses from 1 Peter describe Christians as chosen by God, serving as priests, and living as a holy community. We became God’s people because of His mercy. We are asked to avoid sinful desires and live good lives, even around people who don’t believe. These verses help us understand our identity as a church and our mission, especially for those living in cities.

1. The church’s promise

God brought together the Israelite tribes at Mount Sinai, making them His own, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. God saved them before asking them to obey Him, which is different from other religions. Peter using these descriptions for followers of Jesus shows that God’s glory is among those who experience His grace and join a covenant community. This highlights the importance of worshiping together, being accountable to each other, and studying the Bible.

2. The church’s purpose

The church’s job is to proclaim God’s glory and praise His virtues, especially His power to change us from spiritually lost to living in His bright light. This change shows true faith and involves realizing our self-focus, turning to Jesus, and being amazed by His forgiveness and grace. Every Christian’s job is to share this faith, not arguing about whether God exists, but witnessing to His amazing grace that saves us. We do this with love and humility, not thinking we’re better than others.

3. The church’s method

Every Christian, through believing in Jesus, is asked to take on the roles of prophet, priest, and king, roles that only certain people had in the Old Testament. As prophets, Christians need to understand and share God’s Word. As priests, they should serve and love others deeply. And as kings, they should keep each other accountable. The New Testament encourages all Christians to serve and share the good news, forming a unique community that shows God’s greatness through love, honesty, and service, drawing others to the gospel message.

4. The church’s power

Our power to fulfill our purpose and methods comes from a new identity given by God, not chosen by us. We are highly valued by God, which should motivate us to serve others, not take advantage of them. This special identity comes from Jesus’ work of saving us, and understanding this lets us fully live out our role as God’s people.