Who Am I? - Pt 2

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10 ESV).

I know that it may seem a bit microscopic; however, I believe that we have come to a passage Scripture with our reading today that bears this depth of scrutiny. I remember well my New Testament professor from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary my first semester telling us that the Gospel of John was one of the best book of the Bible for both the beginner and the accomplished theologian. He said, “John is like an old river; it is both narrow and very deep.” These verses are much the same. They are both simple and profound. Keep in mind that Peter is identifying Christians. This is who you are if you are a Christian. This is how you got your identity as a Christian. This is what you are here for as a Christian. The apostle gives us five ways of describing our identity, answering the question of who we are. The first of the is “a chosen race” (v. 9). I know that this is a corporate identity, he's talking about the church, the true Israel. But the implication is individual, because this race is not racial. The chosen race is not black or white or red or yellow or brown. The chosen race is a new people from all the peoples, all the colors and cultures, who are now aliens and strangers among in the world (cf. v 11). What gives us our identity is not color or culture. It is that we are chosen. Christians are not the white race; they are the chosen race. Christians are not the black race; they are the chosen race. We are the black chosen and the white chosen and the yellow chosen and the red chosen. Out from all the races we have been chosen, one at a time, not on the basis of belonging to any group. That's why this amazing phrase is individually crucial for you; you are part of the "chosen race" because the race is made up of individuals who were chosen from all the races. So your first identity is that you are chosen. God chose you. Not because of your race, or for any other qualification, God chose you. Who am I? I am chosen. I do not know why. It was nothing in me of value above other humans. I did not earn it or merit it, or meet any conditions to get it. It happened before I was born. I stand in awe of it. I tremble with joy at it. I bow and accept it. I long to be faithful to its purpose. I am chosen. Let that seep into your mind and heart today!