Our Identity Identified

1. WE ARE A TRAVELING PEOPLE (VS 1)

• I Peter 2:11 “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.”

• Peter is directing us in two things:

a. One is that we are strangers ‘travelers’ in this world

b. Two is that the flesh is constantly at war with the soul

• Throughout the ministry of Jesus, He and His disciples were continually moving about sharing the message

• This could also be looked at as “looking for new ministry opportunities”

• Peter is emphasizing our focus on eternity and to avoid being caught up in the fulfillment of our fleshly ‘worldly’ desires

• Matthew 6:19 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

• The importance here is that when God calls; we must answer!

2. WE ARE A CHOSEN PEOPLE (VS 2)

• What are we chosen for?

a. Salvation

b. Service

c. Celebration

• We are the “Elect” of God

• This does not mean ‘predestined’ or chosen above someone else

• It simply means that we have accepted God’s terms and have been adopted into his family of the Redeemed

• Galatians 3:29 “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

• The promise to Abraham is found in Genesis 17;23; God had promised Abraham land, blessings and protections

• All of these transfer to those who have accepted the free gift of salvation

• Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

• Our Spirit communicates with the spirit of God giving us power, authority, and discretion to be obedient unto God

• Though we are chosen, we must realize our responsibility to God

a. Luke 12:48 “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

3. WE ARE A SEPARATED PEOPLE (VS 2)

• Separated in service not value

• We must stand out from the world in which we live through:

a. Actions

b. Speech

c. Character

• Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

• II Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”

• "We are not to be isolated but insulated," said Vance Havner, "moving in the midst of evil but untouched by it." Separation is contact with contamination. Jesus was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" (Heb. 7:26), yet He was "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Luke 7:34).

• God understands our being in this unclean world, he does, however, give us the ability to separate from its works and deeds

• Luke 15:2 “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.” “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

• Some Obvious Observations:

a. These weren’t just sinners who through birth inherited sin

b. If that were the case then the Pharisee’s wouldn’t have used this terminology

c. These were probably people who at one time or another had criminal convictions, illnesses and the like

• Mark 2:17 “…They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

4. WE ARE A BLESSED PEOPLE (VS 2)

• In verse two; we are blessed with:

a. Grace

b. Peace

c. Sanctification of the Blood

• Revelation 1:3: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

• We are blessed when we:

a. Obey God’s Directive

b. Respond to God’s Directive

c. Stay in God’s Directive

• What exactly does it mean to be blessed?

a. God blesses his people when he bestows on them some gift that is temporal or spiritual

b. We bless God when we thank him for his bountiful provision

c. A man blesses himself when he invokes God’s blessing, or rejoices in God’s goodness to him

d. One blesses another when he express good wishes or offers prayer to God for his welfare