Who We Really Are
Who We Are
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood….His own special people…” 1Peter 2:9
When is the last time you thought of yourself as being “chosen”, “royal” or “special”? Perhaps never? And if we do not see ourselves as chosen, royal or special in God’s eyes, then we are not living the life that God intends for us. But God has not only intended this kind of life, He has already given it to us. Here we can’t rationalize, we are simply asked to believe it, and then act accordingly.
Because of Christ, we have been placed in such an uplifted and miraculous position: “God “has raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus”. (Ephesians 2:6) God has not only made us new people, He has literally adopted us: “You are no longer a servant, but a child, and if a child, then an heir of God through Christ.”(Gal.4:7) It even gets better where St. Paul explains: “If we are children, then heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” (Romans8:17). I do not try to comprehend this - I believe it and allow it to impact my life to the extent that I am able now.
But God has not done such work and then left us to struggle, slide and fall, defeated. He has given us the tools we need to live out this God-given life : “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3).God has made us rich indeed! We have forgiveness of sins, we have salvation and eternal life, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we are His temple (1 Cor.3:16) and we have power. We are given the Holy Spirit “that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God” (1Cor.2:12-13). God also gives knowledge, and wisdom to apply the knowledge in our daily lives. Think of the kind of wisdom that God has given us: “… the wisdom that is from God is first pure…. full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17). Paul also tells us that we have been “enriched by Him in all knowledge… so that we come behind in no gift.”
Let us be much more aware of what God has done for us, and let us use the blessings, the knowledge, and the wisdom, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to live royally, as God’s chosen, special children.
Al Jones