Bible Study

The Gift of Eternal Life Berean Bible Study Course

Part IV--The Family Of God / The Body Of Christ

A. Lesson 19--The Nature Of Christ's Body

14. READ: 1 PETER 2:9-12

a. We are what four things?

Answer: We who believe (verse 7) are 1) a chosen people, 2) a royal priesthood, 3) a holy nation, and 4) a people belonging to God, (verse 9).

MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

• A CHOSEN PEOPLE--In the Old Testament, God referred to His children by the name Israel and by other names such as Jacob, My servant, Jeshurun, The Lord's chosen ones, My witnesses, My sons and daughters, My people, Abraham's seed. Of spiritual Israel under Christ's new covenant, God's children are called chosen, called out, the elect, adopted, sons of the living God, sons of God, My loved one, God's possession, Abraham's seed by faith, My people, as well as the titles being discussed here in verse 9: a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. As Israel was called God's chosen people in the Old Testament, so in the New Testament believers are designated as chosen, or elect--the spiritual heir of God's ancient people. Use the Scriptures below to compare the nation of Israel with the spiritual Israel:

  • Of Israel, a Chosen People:

    Deuteronomy 7:6-9: "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession. The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands."

    Deuteronomy 10:14-15: "To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the Lord set His affection on your forefathers and loved them, and He chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today."

    1 Samuel 12:22: "For the sake of His great Name the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you His Own."

    Psalm 105:43-45: "He brought out His people with rejoicing, His chosen ones with shouts of joy; He gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for--that they might keep His precepts and observe His laws. Praise the Lord."

    Isaiah 43:10-11, 20-21: "'You are My witnesses,' declares the Lord, 'and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no Savior...The wild animals honor Me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to My people, My chosen, the people I formed for Myself that they may proclaim My praise.'"

    Isaiah 44:1-2: "But now listen, O Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. This is what the Lord says--He Who made you, Who formed you in the womb, and Who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, My servant, Jeshurun [a symbolic name for Israel, meaning "upright"], whom I have chosen."

  • Of Spiritual Israel, a Chosen People:

    Matthew 24:30-31 (also Mark 13:26-27): [Jesus said,] "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

    Romans 4:13, 16: "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith...Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham."

    Romans 8:33: "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God Who justifies."

    Romans 9:25-26: "As He says in Hosea: 'I will call them "My people" who are not My people; and I will call her "My loved one" who is not My loved one,' and, 'It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, "You are not My people," they will be called "sons of the living God."'"

    Romans 11:7a: "What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did."

    Galatians 3:26-29: "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

    Ephesians 1:3-14: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and Will--to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His Will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him Who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His Will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of His glory."

    Colossians 3:12-15: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

    1 Thessalonians 1:4-5: "For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our Gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction."

    2 Timothy 2:8-11: "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my Gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's Word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory."

    Titus 1:1-3: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the Truth that leads to godliness--a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, Who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at His appointed season He brought His Word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior..."

    1 Peter 1:1-2: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance."

• A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD:

  • Of Israel, a Royal Priesthood:

    Exodus 19:5-6: [God said,] "'Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

    Exodus 40:12-16: [God said to Moses,] "'Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve Me as priest. Bring his sons and dress them in tunics. Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve Me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue for all generations to come.' Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him."

  • Of Spiritual Israel, a Royal Priesthood:

    1 Peter 2:4-5: "As you come to Him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him--you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

    Revelation 1:5-6: "To Him Who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father--to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."

    Revelation 5:9-10: "And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.'"

• A HOLY NATION:

  • Of Israel, a Holy Nation:

    Exodus 19:3-6: "Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, 'This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.'"

    Leviticus 11:44-45: [God said,] "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground. I am the Lord Who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy."

    Leviticus 20:7, 26: [God said,] "Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep My decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, Who makes you holy...You are to be holy to Me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My Own."

    Deuteronomy 7:6: [God said,] "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession."

    Deuteronomy 28:9: [God said,] "The Lord will establish you as His holy people, as He promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in His ways."

    Isaiah 62:12: [God said,] "They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted."

  • Of Spiritual Israel, a Holy Nation:

    1 Corinthians 1:2-3: "To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

    Ephesians 1:3-4: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight."

    Ephesians 5:3-11: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and Truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."

    1 Thessalonians 3:13: "May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones."

    1 Thessalonians 4:3-8: "It is God's Will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, Who gives you His Holy Spirit."

    2 Thessalonians 1:8-10: "He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you."

    2 Timothy 2:20-21: "In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."

    Hebrews 12:14: "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

    Hebrews 13:11-14: "The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through His Own blood. Let us, then, go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come."

    1 Peter 1:13-15: "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He Who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

    2 Peter 3:10-11: "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives..."

• A PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD: This phrase is translated "a peculiar people" in the King James Version. One of the definitions of "peculiar" in Webster's New World Dictionary is "peculiar" as "odd" or "strange." Most Christians apply this meaning to this verse, and they glory in being "peculiar." This is a misuse of what God was saying about, and to, "we who believe," His children. These people seem to be saying, "Look at me, I am different than you, I am better than you, I am not like the rest of you in this world." They seem to have the character and attitude of the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14:

  "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: "God, I thank You that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.'"

  The original Greek has laos, "a people," followed by eis peripoiesin--literally, "a people for possession," that is, "God's Own possession." THE MEANING IS "PRECIOUS," RATHER THAN "PECULIAR!" The NIV translation is very accurate in saying that God's children are "a people BELONGING to God," a people PRECIOUS to Him and FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION!!

  • Of Israel, a People Belonging to God:

    Exodus 3:10: [God said to Moses,] "So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt."

    Exodus 6:7: [God said,] "I will take you as My Own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians."

    Isaiah 51:4, 16: [God said,] "Listen to Me, My people; hear Me, My nation: The law will go out from Me; My justice will become a light to the nations...I have put My Words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of My hand--I Who set the heavens in place, Who laid the foundations of the earth, and Who say to Zion, You are My people.'"

    Ezekiel 34:30-31: [God said,] "Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are My people, declares the Sovereign Lord. You My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord."

  • Of Spiritual Israel, a People Belonging to God:

    Romans 9:25-26: "As He[God] says in Hosea: 'I will call them "My people" who are not My people; and I will call her "My loved one" who is not My loved one,' and, 'It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, "You are not My people," they will be called "sons of the living God."'"

    1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price."

    1 Corinthians 7:23: "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men."

    2 Corinthians 6:14-18: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.' 'Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.' 'I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'"

    Ephesians 2:19: "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household..."

    Ephesians 5:3: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people."

    Colossians 3:12-14: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

    Titus 2:11-14: "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very Own, eager to do what is good."

    Hebrews 6:10: "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them."

    Revelation 22:21: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen."