Articles
Do you know who you are?
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.
—1 Peter 2:9
Every parent has said it at one time or another. As their children walk out the door with friends they say four words: “Remember who you are!” Before one can remember, they must have the knowledge.
Do you know who you are?
Peter gives perhaps the best one verse answer to this important question. In it are four descriptions of what it truly means to be a disciple.
First, you are a chosen race. You are God’s family. He chose you to be his family. There is a level of devotion and commitment that is implied with this idea. You weren’t born into God’s family. He chose you to be in his family. Paul wrote, “He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:5). The concept of adoption and choice go together. Disciples are God’s family because thousands of years ago He chose to adopt all who would come to Him through Christ. Remember… you are a chosen race.
Second, you are a royal priesthood. Another way to express this is that you are God’s ministers. In Exodus 28:4 we read that it was the job of the priests to serve God. Another word for serve is minister. Just as the Aaronic priesthood offered sacrifices in the Old Testament, disciples fill that same role today (1 Pet. 2:5; Rom. 12:1). We often overlook the role of priests in evangelism today. Under the Old Law, the people could only come to God with the help of the priests. They offered sacrifices through the priests. They appealed to God through the priests. Today, disciples serve as the same kind of priests. They help others come to God. Remember… you are a royal priesthood.
Third, you are a holy nation. What makes a nation? A nation shares a land, a law, and the same ruler. You serve a ruler: God (Matt. 6:33). You are under the same law: the Gospel of Christ (1 Cor. 9:21). And you share a land. It is a spiritual land because it is a spiritual kingdom. Perhaps that is the greatest challenge to understanding the nation aspect of discipleship—it isn’t physical. But Peter describes it as a “holy nation.” It is spiritual in nature. The concept of holiness is being purified in order to be presented as useful (2 Tim. 2:21). One must be devoted to holiness. Remember… you are a holy nation.
Finally, you are God’s possession. You belong to God. Israel was described as a possession, too (Deut. 4:20; 7:6; 14:2; 26:18). This really deals with the idea of being mastered by someone or something. You can’t serve any other master than God (Matt. 6:24). He owns you. But understand why this is good: “you are a people for his treasured possession… He will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations…” (Deut. 26:18–19). Being God’s possession is a place of high honor and praise. Remember… you are God’s possession.
Do you know who you are?
