Are You A Separatist?

It says, and I’m not going to spend time on it just yet, but you notice that the first word in this verse is what? But. Just thought I’d share that with you. (Laughter) And as you know, “but” puts in contrast what has gone before.

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

We like that. We like being a chosen people. We like being a holy nation. We like being a peculiar people. And we like being a royal priesthood. I got news for you. This is how God sees us but this is not how many of us are living. I’m not getting many Amens this morning and that’s fine.. (Laughter)

What God has given us here in 1 Peter 2:9 – it comes with responsibility and accountability. It’s talking about what comes with maturity.

“But ye are a chosen generation.” This word “generation” means “a brand new species that never existed before.” What are you telling me Bro. Barry? That you are no longer a sinner saved by grace. If you were, then you cannot be a brand new species that never existed before.

The verse says we are “a royal priesthood.” In the Old Testament, Judah was the royal line. Levi was the line fo the priesthood. But Christians are neither one. We are something completely different. We “royal priests!” Remember, we never existed before. We are both!

The verse also says we are “a holy nation.” In other words, you are a nation within a nation. Why do you say this Bro. Barry? Is the United States a holy nation? No, And that would be the case for any nation where Christians are living.

And, finally, we are “a peculiar people.” We are a people that has been bought with a price. We are a people that belong to God.

Again, just because 1 Peter 2:9 says we are chosen generation, we are a royal priesthood, we are a holy nation and we are peculiar people does not mean that’s how we’re living. Remember, First Peter is all about separation and suffering. How you are living will determine how much suffering you will go through – how much persecution that will come against you because of your stand on God’s Word.

Now let’s see the shadow in Exodus 19. We’re going to read verses 5 and 6 and then we’re going to come back and read verses 1 through 6.

(5) Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.

(6) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Doesn’t this sound like what we read over in First Peter. You see, this chapter in Exodus is about separation too.

(1) In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

We see in this first verse that Israel has separated itself from Egypt.

(2) For they wee departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.