The Story: We will not flourish as the living stones of the Lord as long as we listen to the world’s view of who we are and to how or whether we matter. They will make it clear that their view of us is not, well, a high one. Regardless of what the unbelieving world says or thinks, or how unbelievers act toward us, our identity, purpose, and callings in life come from the Lord. And Peter reminds his readers – as we need to be reminded every day – that we are quite a different kind of people than how the world regards us. God has chosen us to be His specially-favored people. In Him we are royalty, by virtue of His adoption; we are seated with Him and reign in heavenly places (Eph. 2.6). We are a priesthood, so our primary orientation is upward, and our primary purpose is to lead others to join us in celebrating the God of our redemption. We are a holy nation, a people unlike any others, whose citizenship is defined by righteousness. The Lord’s people embraces every nation, tribe, and tongue in a new and holy commonwealth that is coming on earth as it is in heaven, more and more every day. This is how we must regard ourselves, regardless of what others may think or do. Only as we daily embrace and take up this identity, this calling, will we go forth into the world in such a way as to bring the light of Christ and His Kingdom, by our words and deeds, into the dark nooks and crannies of a world without hope.

The Structure: I daresay not 1 in 10 believers today views himself through this lens. Yet if we refuse to see ourselves as the Lord does, and choose instead to be defined by the world or our own fallible preferences, we will not fulfill our reason for being, which is to glorify God in all things. Then how shall it be seen that we have, indeed, tasted of Him?

To whom will you proclaim the excellencies of Jesus today?

Each week’s studies in our Scriptorium column are available in a free PDF form, suitable for personal or group use. For this week’s study, “The Power of Grace: 1 Peter 2.1-12,” simply click here.

T. M. Moore

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.