9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

We are united by God's ownership, chosen for His purpose. Peter takes the terms described in the Old Testament and addresses the Born Again people as a unique race, belonging to God in a better way than what the Jews understood in the Old Testament.

In contrast to the disobedient and rebellious nation of Israel, God's people today are His chosen and Holy Nation. I believe the church today is to God and the world what Israel was meant to be. The term is “a chosen race”. People especially picked by God for Himself. That unites us regardless of the color of our skin. This again speaks of the grace of God. God did not choose Israel because they were a great people, but because He loved them. God has chosen us purely for the same reason, His love and grace.  

God has called us unto Himself, and we belong to Him. The word implies a personal possession.  One of the things that gives value is ownership. Heirlooms have value because of who owned it. Not only because it is old but related to someone important to you.

As a holy nation our citizenship is in heaven, so we obey heaven's laws and seek to please heaven's Lord. We are to be strangers and aliens in this world - v.11 aliens in this world by first, abstaining from sinful desires.

What sinful desires war against my soul?  What are temptations that you face? For some it may be with major sins such as sexual temptations, gluttony, stealing, cheating. For others it might be the inappropriate ways we treat our family members or fellow believers by not forgiving; we hold on to self-pity, selfishness; impatience, feelings like “I've been wronged.” and not giving it to Jesus. Sinful lust is the way we want to act instead of the way should.

God desires to be the leader of our nation and there are major problems He wants us to face. He does have the right answers. It begins by control and confronting our lust. Recognize God's nation is not of this world, but a people from different nations and groups set apart for God.     

As aliens, we are in war against Satan. He is after our soul and more than anything desires to destroy you and me. We will lose, if we give in to the lust of this earth. We need to depend on Christ consistently. There are so many ways and reasons to fall. Some wonder, “shall I go to church today? What about prayer and Bible reading, isn’t witnessing the pastor’s job? Think about what you buy, what you drink, where you go.

We are to live holy lives. We are to live good lives so others won’t believe any bad reports that might be said against us. Our good works are given as a sacrifice to God. We may suffer for serving God, but He will reward us and give the strength to endure it.     

Holiness becomes a witness to the world around us. 

Application:   What do your neighbors and friends say about you? How does your love for Christ and others affect others around you? What would the Lord have you do by honoring Him in your community?

Prayer:  Holiness, holiness is what I long for.  Holiness, Holiness is what I need.   Take my mind transform it, take my will conform it to Yours, to Yours, O Lord.