The Gospel Creates A New People
This past Sunday we examined this question: What is a local church? The Scripture must define and inform our answer to answer this question.
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
The Reformers Fight
The Reformers concluded from Scripture that an authentic local church is one where the Word of God is rightly preached and the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper is rightly practiced. Scripture is our standard at Doxa and we look forward to celebrating baptisms and the Lord’s Supper together as a family of believers soon. Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote 1 Peter 2:9-10 to give us a picture of what God intends for His church to look like. This passage teaches us that the Gospel creates a people to accomplish the purposes of God.
The People of God
What kind of people are we? The Scripture teaches us that the people of God are given a new identity; we are called a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
We are chosen, not because we are impressive and not based on our merit. Therefore we have nothing to boast in except the person and work of Jesus!
We are called priests. Just as the priests in the Old Testament represented God, we represent Him to the world today.
We are holy, which means set apart. We are called to live differently than the culture around us and base our lives on the truth of Scripture.
The Purposes of God
Our purpose is to proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. We are taught that the people of God speak about all that God has done for us. This means we share our story of how we were once in darkness, but called into marvelous light.
How Do I Proclaim The Excellencies of God?
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Colossians 4:2-4
Paul gives us some direction about how to proclaim the excellencies of Christ:
Pray together with Christians
Ask God for opportunities
Understand the Gospel so you can articulate it clearly
Think through your story so that you can share it with others