Messages

Jesus is the Head of the new humanity. Union with Christ is a reality in the New Covenant. Whereas the Law could not absolve of guilt, the New Covenant is such that sinners can actually be saved from their sins.

Peter gives the believers in this body a strong warning to abstain from fleshly lusts that wage war against the soul.

Who are the people of God, today? Peter applies these old testament identity markers to those who once were not a people but now are the people of God. What was God communicating about Israel and his future people in Hosea 1?

This is what we proclaim, the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Calling in NT has nothing to do with vocation, but rather His saving us, personal summons to light and life in Christ. We automatically praise anything or anyone of a superior quality, and what is more superior than God Himself.

We are all these things Peter has outlined in verse 9 for a reason, an intended purpose. The goal and end of all the preceding identity markers is proclamation.

As believers we are a holy nation to the Lord. To be holy is to be set apart, separate, for God’s worship and service, and this is not only true for objects in Old Covenant Temple worship but also for us as Christians in the New Covenant. Holy-set apart/separate for God’s use.

Our identity is vital to remember, to put on, and to live out of every day. We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, reigning and ministering as servants and children of our Lord. We look closely at the word "race" throughout the New Testament and the significance of "royalty" of our priesthood. Jesus is the promised son of David, of the kingly line of Judah and the Melchizedekian priesthood. As members of His family with Jesus as a king-priest, we are likewise royal priests of God.

We as believers are chosen by God, elected for his purpose, to declare His praise and proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. What exactly does election mean in the scriptures, and how does that characterize us as our Christian identity?

Apart from Jesus we can do nothing, but because of our union with Him we can do all things God desires, pleasing to the Lord.

This man mistakenly comes to Jesus thinking that there are some good people and bad people, and Jesus corrects him pointing out that only God is good. Becoming a Christian is not doing good and keeping the law or some set of rules, it’s about coming to and following Jesus. He is the only one good and the only one who can save, and we must be willing to give away everything to follow Jesus because we need Him to save us. Wealth cannot save, but it can keep you from coming to Jesus.