What's In a Name -Christian Titles

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; 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.

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.1 Peter 2:9-12

In this passage, Peter lists several titles to describe those who claim the name of Christian.

Titles are not something new, and only in the New Testament. We can go back to Exodus 19:5-6 to see that God claimed the people of Israel with the titles of….

 “My own possession”;” chosen;” “a kingdom of priests;” and “a holy nation.”

Isaiah 43:21 – God calls His people: “people whom I formed for Myself.”

The great promises which God made to His people – Israel – are being fulfilled in the Church --- the new Israel.

Each of those titles – names of God’s people – holds a great meaning for is as Christians today.

Let’s look at some of those titles individually:

CHOSEN PEOPLE

We were chosen for three purposes:

1.    We were chosen for PRIVILEGE.

 – this is a new and intimate fellowship and relationship with God.

God is our Friend – we are God’s friend. However, our relationship should never be minimalized or made common by seeing God as “our Buddy.”

2.    We are chosen for OBEDIENCE.

With any privilege there also comes responsibility. That responsibility in regard to our relationship with God means that we have been chosen – not to do whatever we want, or to live in a manner that is in opposition to how God wants us to live.

The bottom line there is that we are chosen to become the obedient children of God.

Our status as His child does not give us license to live as we please – not living as we choose to live, but choosing to live according to the statutes God has set forth to guide us in His steps.

3.    We are chosen for SERVICE.

In the mindset of so many people today, someone who has been chosen for service is someone whose value is less than desirable.

But someone who has been chosen for service to God receives honor from the fact that he/she is a servant.

The honor in service comes from the fact that he/she is a servant. The privilege here is that that person will be used for God’s work and purpose.

And, in the life of anyone who is chosen for privilege, for obedience, or for service --- those chosen can be used only when they obey as God desires.

Service to the Lord can only be effective when the servant obey as God directs – not when personal gain or honor is expected.

People who are called by God are also called into a:

ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.

This Royal Priesthood allows us, as Christians, into a relationship with God as described in Hebrews 10:19-20. Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,

We have a new and living Way.

Every Christian has the right of access to God with Jesus Christ as our Mediator ---- “mediator: to interpose between parties in order to reconcile them.”

And that is what Christ does for us in His role as a reconciler between us and God.

Every Christian must offer his/her work, worship, and self to God.

We are also called to be a HOLY NATION.

The word – Holy – as it is used here means “different.”

So, we are chosen to be different from other people – those who have no relationship with Jesus Christ.

The difference between those in Christ and those outside of Christ is that the one in Christ is dedicated to God’s will and His service rather than to one’s own self will and selfish desires.

What that means is that Christians cannot follow the standards of the world when those standards and practices oppose those standards and practices that God has ordained for His people.

Too often, I believe, that so many people come to a relationship with Christ believing that their lifestyle doesn’t need to change because God will always look the other way when they continue to indulge in their lifestyle before they came to Christ.

And then, a final title for the Christ follower is that we are a PECULIAR PEOPLE.

Now, I don’t think you will find that stated in Scripture, but to the world which doesn’t understand the power of God to change people into His chosen people– that sounds like a derogatory description of anyone --- not a way anyone would want to be described.

And, to make it more confusing to non-believers --- being a peculiar people can have the connotation of having been Purchased.

And --- that – we were – Purchased.

Purchased by the blood of Jesus.

The value in being a Peculiar Person lies in the fact that something ordinary becomes valuable because of its owner or Maker.

So, take assurance that – as a Christian – you are Peculiar – you are Purchased.

You are not Ordinary – You are chosen to do God’s work – You have value.

One who is in Christ – a Christ Follower – a Christian – is one who has been called out of Darkness into Light.

Because of that calling out – we can know God; we can know goodness; we can know the Way; we can know the power of God working within us.

One who is in Christ has been called out of an insignificant life into an incredibly significant life --- and what that tells us is this:

As a Christian, we can no longer be ORDINARY.

The one who comes to Christ is called out of a condition of ‘no mercy’ into a life guided by the mercy of God.

I love the song that says: “It is well with my soul.”

That is the condition and the promise we have when we are in Christ – saved by the blood of His sacrifice.

So, as Christians, we are a privileged people – we are chosen, we are royalty, we are holy, we have been purchased – and our lives have significance.

We are special in God’s eyes.

We are special because we can help to win the world to know and serve Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

We are commissioned to help to win the world for and to Jesus Christ – bringing others out of darkness into the LIGHT.

--bringing others out of an existence of lostness into the knowledge of the saving power of God through Jesus Christ

--bringing others out of weakness into power, guided by the Holy Spirit who is promised to us.