Let’s review some of this scripture:
1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB
But you are a CHOSEN RACE, A royal priesthood, A holy NATION, a PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; [10] for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
The first prerequisite for being an influence on behalf of The Lord is a heartfelt understanding that we’ve been chosen by Jesus. Regardless of how personal circumstances make us feel, when we have a relationship with Christ, He will not give up on us! His character and nature have a level of commitment that is supernatural and can only be revealed through The Holy Spirit. God’s commitment to Israel also stands as a beacon of His commitment through good times and bad, when we do well and when we fall short. Please review a more detailed discussion of this by CLICKING ON THIS SENTENCE.
Secondly, the royal nature of our representation of The Lord is based on walking in a love that comes from and is defined by Him. God’s love stands in stark contrast to the love that comes from the world. There is always a chance at redemption because of The Love of God and when we walk in it, The Lord Himself shines through us. Please look at our comments on this subject by CLICKING ON THIS SENTENCE.
The third characteristic combines His Holiness with the relational nature of The Church. Jesus was the only Holy One who made this available to us through His sacrifice on The Cross. Because of Christ’s death, we are forgiven, once and for all, when we ask Him to be The Lord of our lives. We also get access to His Grace, a power to not have to sin in the first place, when we ask for it as we are living out our lives. Our relationships with other Christians, the ones God joins us to, not the ones we would prefer or choose ourselves, are crucial to walking in the holiness He has provided. Please look at our study on this topic by CLICKING ON THIS SENTENCE.
Looking back at 2024
Before looking at the final marker mentioned in 1 Peter 2:9, carefully consider something written at the beginning of 2024. In January of 2024, we posted an article titled, Shut the door in ‘24: Is Self a God for you?…Please read this article if you haven’t already and reread it if it has been a while (CLICK HERE TO READ). There are a number of points in the study, but one of the main ones is that a self centered approach to life has devastating consequences for anyone, including a Christian Believer. One of the pitfalls of Western Culture is that the freedoms associated with it can promote selfishness. When your society generally celebrates taking initiative and making things happen, it is easy to justify doing something for yourself.
Two scriptures are very instructive:
Philippians 2:5-6,9 NASB95
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, [6] who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, [9] For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
James 3:14-16 NASB95:
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. [15] This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
The verses in Philippians tell us that when we pattern our lives like Jesus, deferring to The Lord rather than ourselves, there is a tangible spark that causes others to see the magnificence of a supernatural life. Conversely, the passage in James plainly states that evil and destruction mark a life led by selfish desire.
Looking back on this year, many conclude it has been a monumentally bad year for Christian Leadership in The USA & Europe. From high profile debacles, like Gateway Church in Southlake, TX, to individuals we have known with seemingly limitless potential, many more than normal have experienced a form of spiritual shipwreck. While there have been different specific sins associated with these failings, many of them have been recent revelations of decisions made long in the past. It is clear to us that current, selfish motivation has been at the center of many of these problems and that God has been putting His finger on it all year. We also feel certain that He is not done with this process.
If you haven’t already done it, let’s make the beginning of the end of 2024 a time of repentance. Let The Lord show you where selfishness has gained a foothold. Respond to what He tells you to change!
