“The Chosen In Christ!”

“The Chosen In Christ!”(I Pt.2:1-10).
On Mount Sinai the LORD told Moses to tell the exodus children, “…Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.(Ex.19:3-8). To be singled out is a privilege. But privilege is accompanied by responsibility. And in this case the responsibility was obedience to the LORD and keeping his covenant.
When Moses told the elders what the LORD said, the people all responded together,“We will do everything the LORD has said.”
We believers in Christ Jesus are the new Israel. To us the same privilege has been extended as we read in Peter, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation – a people belonging to God.”
We are the privileged ones. And to us is also the responsibility of living the piety and purity required of any priesthood. It is not as if we can achieve anything by merit. It is simply that we have now received mercy through Jesus Christ, the stone which the builders rejected, but which has become the capstone.
Jesus Christ is the living Stone – rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him…” When we call on his name we too become living stones, being built into a spiritual house “to be a holy priesthood….”
The burden of any priest is to be able to maintain the purity and holiness required of the priesthood. Since we are in the royal priesthood of all believers, we all must like the Israel of old say, “We will do everything the LORD has said!”
To do everything the LORD has said is to be holy and not be conformed to the evil desires we once had when we lived in ignorance.
“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deciet, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind…crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
By these my friend we can make a better world and be confident of our place in the kingdom of God.
Sunday prayer: Teach me, O lord to follow your decrees so that I keep them to the end and obey your law with all my heart. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.