THE PECULIAR PEOPLE
Text: First Peter 2:2-10
The King James Version of the Bible distinguishes the wording of God’s people, calling us "a peculiar people" as opposed to other versions of the Bible. The Greek word that is used here is peripoiesis which means "possession--- purchased possession". (Vines’ Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words. Unabridged edition. McLean: MacDonald Publishing Co., p. 876). Modern day language denotes a different meaning for the word "peculiar". In modern day, we tend to associate "peculiar" with our understanding of something or someone that is strange or odd.
"There is the story about a guard who was on duty during a train trip. He had a rose in his buttonhole. A drunken man came along and snatched it out. The guard turned red but did not say anything. An onlooker said, "However did you keep your temper? You said nothing." The guard replied simply, "I’m on duty." As Christians we should remember that wherever we are and whatever happens to us, we are always `on duty’." (A. Naismith. 1200 Notes, Quotes And Anecdotes. Great Britain; Pickering Paperbacks, 1998, p. 317). This onlooker thought that the behavior of this guard was strange or odd, because it was not the usual way that most people would have acted. The guard was acting appropriately because he was remembering who he was--- a representative of the company that he worked for.
"A playwright was in New York City, … looking up a number in the New York Telephone Directory. As he held the gigantic book in his hands, he thought of his craft as a dramatist and said, "There is not much plot here, but boy what a cast!" … Christian discipleship, however, brings an exciting plot into a life or a group of lives". (Halford E. Luccock. Unfinished Business. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1956, p. 17). The plot for all of those who are in the real life drama of Christianity is to remember that we are a "peculiar" people, a purchased possession with a purpose, a duty to serve and a future. Like the guard, we must remember who we are and to whom we belong. As Christians we are members of God’s cast whose conduct should match our character of righteousness in the ways that we witness in Christ’s name.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WERE SLAVES.
Slaves did not have any freedom. Slaves were oppressed because they had no rights and their activities were dictated by their masters. Slaves were bought and sold as the property of their masters who would own them. Imagine being considered as property rather than being considered as a person. To treat somebody as a person is to show him or her respect and give her or her dignity. The dictionary defines dignity as a quality that is worthy of honor. Slaves were not treated as being worthy of honor. During the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry when a slave was past his ability to work, he could be thrown out to die. (William Barclay. The Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel Of Luke. Revised Edition. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975, p. 84). Slaves were therefore not accustomed to being shown compassion.
Slavery was really big in Rome in the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. If one became a slave, then he lost everything. However, if he served faithfully, the law permitted a slave to acquire private property through his own skill or industry. Slaves who were successful at acquiring their freedom in this manner were able to purchase their own liberty. "Now the savings of a slave after satisfying the demands of the master were called his peculium". (William Arnot. Lesser Parables Of Our Lord. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1981 reprint of 1884 edition, pp. 343-344). Although this possibility of freedom existed for those who were slaves of Roman citizens, I have not read anywhere yet where it was a possibility for those who slaves of other nations.
Before our liberation that came through Jesus Christ, we were slaves to sin. Consider John 8:31-36: "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham’s descendents, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ’You will be made free’?" Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits a sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (NKJV). It is through our baptism that we are united to Jesus in His death and in His resurrection which means that our old self was crucified with Jesus who set us free (Romans 6:3-7). Until we have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we will still be slaves to sin. Once we have a relationship with Jesus---meaning that once we are saved by His grace, we will become slaves of righteousness for holiness (Romans 6:19). That is why the Bible tells us that we were bought with a price (First Corinthians 6:20). Jesus paid the price for our freedom.
Yes, it is still possible for slaves of righteousness to sin. However, if we belong to Jesus then we are sons and daughters and not slaves. Though sin is still a possibility for Christians, it does not reign because Jesus Christ is our master. (Stephen Rost. Ed. John Wesley: The Best From All His Works. John Wesley’s sermon "On Sin In Believers". Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, p. 201). We maintain the right relationship with God when we live a life that is in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8).
GOD REDEEMS US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
Debt is often used as a metaphor for sin in the Bible. One of the versions of the Lord’s Prayer uses the word debt---“forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). The Lord’s Prayer in the Gospel of Luke words it this way: “forgive us our sins for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4 KJV). The point of using debt as a metaphor for sin seems to imply the truth of the costliness of sin. The Bible also tells us that the wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23).
Our debt of sin is more than we can afford to pay. There is nothing that we can do that will cancel the debt of our sins and give us the righteousness that we need to be worthy of God because our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). There are some who will try to earn their righteousness. Those who are or were slaves to sin could not purchase their freedom. It is one thing for someone to have been a slave to another person. It is another thing entirely different for one to be a slave to sin. Those who are or have been slaves to sin will usually try to earn their freedom only to wind up once again as victims of a guilty conscience.
John Wesley had gone to the colony of Georgia as a chaplain under General James Oglethorpe. Like Luther in his preconversion experience, he felt that he had to earn salvation. Luther had tried to do it by keeping the law as a slave in bondage to it. Wesley tried to earn his salvation in his hopes of converting the Indians. Wesley clarified the difference between his preconversion experience in the following way. Previous to his Aldersgate experience, he had what he called the faith of a servant (Journal, 1, p. 423, see also Works VII, p. 199—the sermon “ON FAITH”). Following his Aldersgate experience, he had what he called the faith of a son (Williams, p. 65). On May 24, 1738 in Aldersgate while attending worship with the Moravians, Wesely was not sure that he was saved.
In his own words, John Wesley describes this Aldergate experience: "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death". (Colin Williams. John Wesley’s, Theology Today. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1960, p. 105).
Redemption means that the debt is paid in full. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, he was paying the price for our sins. We were redeemed by the blood of Jesus (First Peter 1:19). Consider Second Corinthians 5:21: “God Made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (NIV). The last thing that Jesus said before He died on the cross was, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Those words in English do not do justice to the original translation of the Greek which is “tetelestai” which translates “paid in full”.
GOD MAKES US A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.
Priests would help people get right with God. In the Old Testament, a priest would perform a ceremony where the sinner could be reconciled to God by some sort of sacrifice. An animal usually had to be sacrificed because there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). And the sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins had to be done over and over again until Jesus’ perfect sacrifice took care of the need of other sacrifices once and for all (Hebrews 10:12-14).
All forgiven sinners have become a part of God’s priesthood. As members of this priesthood, we who have been called out of darkness into His wonderful light are to bear witness, proclaim and declare praise to God who called us into His light (First Peter 2:9). We are to offer spiritual sacrifices (First Peter 2:5). We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God which is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1 NKJV).
As members of God’s royal priesthood, we have been called out of the darkness and into the light to pattern our lives after the life of Jesus Christ. The idea of being part of a royal priesthood means that God has called everyone who believes to be in ministry. Before we believed, there was a time when we were not a people (First Peter 2:10). It is God’s mercy and grace bestowed to us through Jesus’ sacrifice that enables us to be people who are worthy. As members of God’s royal priesthood also know as the priesthood of all believers, we are to help others who are lost to find their way to God.
“An old story reports the conversation between a psychiatrist and a man who was unhappy about being discharged following years of analysis. “You’re cured”, said the doctor. “Some cure!” the man snorted. “When I first came here, I was Napoleon Bonparte. Now I’m nobody”. (Herb Miller. Actions Speak Louder Than Verbs. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1989, p. 73).
There is another story that echoes this one. "A small boy was found on a busy street, dirty and obviously lost. A kind man stopped to see if he could if he could help. When he asked the little boy who he belonged to, the little boy looked up with defiance and angry hurt and replied, "I ain’t nobody’s nothing!" (T. T. Crabtree. The Zondervan 2001 Pastor’s Annual. Charles Wade. "God’s Commitment Day." Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001, p. 344).
God called us to salvation first and service evangelism second. God did not and does not intend for us to be members of His royal priesthood who will pass by on the other side of peoples’ estrangement, loneliness, pain and suffering (Luke 10:32). God wants us to be priests who will not only love God with all of our heart, soul strength and mind, but He also wants us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Luke 10:27). How will those that are lost call on God and believe in God and His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ if they have not heard (Romans 10:14)? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
"Saint Columbia, a sixteenth-century Irish missionary, was sent to evangelize northern Scotland. The adventure was hazardous because of the Picts who occupied the area. Columbia and twelve men sailed to the nearby Island of Iona. The first thing that they did was to burn their boat. They were afraid to trust themselves with a seaworthy craft which might tempt them to leave. Thus, a boatload of men brought Christ to Scotland." (G. Curtis Jones. 1,000 Illustrations For Preaching And Teaching. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1986, p. 184). Much like John Wesley, who "saw the world as his parish", they saw Scotland as their mission.
As new converts, we have been made new creatures in Christ (Second Corinthians 5:17). As Christians, we must die to the old self and grow and increase in the new nature as Christians (John 3:30). As members of God’s royal priesthood we must strive to help those who feel like they are "nobody" realize that in and through Jesus Christ they can become somebody as one of God’s children. "But as many as have received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God" (John 1:12 NKJV).
