We are a royal priesthood. "As you come to Him, the Living Stone--rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him--you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4-5) Because Christ's sacrifice gives us direct access to the throne of God, we Christ's followers become royal priests. Each one of us is to function as a royal priest whose purpose is to serve God, our King. Aside from living a holy life in a close relationship with God, our main duty is to bring others closer to Him. As royal priests, we are also to be clothed in a special way :). "Put on the armor of light...Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh." (Romans 13:12b, 14) "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12, 14) "He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10b)
We are a holy nation. "'You will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'" (Exodus 19:6a) The Hebrew word for holy is kadosh which means set apart or sanctified for dedicated service. God sets apart His children to serve Him in wholehearted devotion. We're called to be different...to stand out...to be peculiar for Christ.
We are God's special possession. We are the people belonging to God. "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession." (Deuteronomy 7:6)
We are saved to proclaim the praises/excellencies of Him Who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. "Giving joyful thanks to the Father, Who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:12) "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:7) "I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders." (Psalm 9:1) We, the redeemed, are no longer under the dominion of darkness (evil) but under the rule of Jesus Christ. We are now children of light living in the kingdom of light. In the Bible, light represents truth, holiness (purity), love, and life. We've been rescued to reflect our Redeemer, the Light of the World!
Because of our relationship with Christ, we've been chosen by God, appointed as royal priests, considered holy, treasured as God's special possession, and called to live in His marvelous light, declaring the praises of Him. None of the titles and status above come from our achievement. Our worth and value come solely from what Christ has done for us, not from anything we do.
Do you see yourself as God sees you? YOU are loved by God, chosen by God, treasured by God, royal, priestly, and holy in God's eyes!
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