But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired by God, so that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Truth to Learn
We were chosen to give praise to God.
Behind the Words
The expression “chosen generation” is from the Greek, genos elekton, which literally means “selected descendents” or “chosen off-spring.”
“Royal priesthood” comes from the Greek basileion hierateuma, which literally means “kingly priesthood.”
The expression “holy nation” comes from the Greek ethnos hagion, which means “holy race” or “sanctified nation."
“A people acquired”’ comes from the Greek laos eis peripoiēsin which means “acquired people” or “purchased people.”
Meaning Explained
In contrast to the previous verse where Peter talked about the unsaved being appointed to stumbling, here he refers to the saved as being chosen children. Peter, like the Apostle Paul writing in Ephesians and elsewhere, is not shy about teaching that we are chosen by God. The Bible does not tell us what God’s criteria were for choosing us, simply that God has chosen us and has purchased us (see study on 1 Peter 1:18).
Peter says a couple of other very interesting things about us in this verse as well. We are a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Since we were adopted (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5, Ephesians 1:5) by the King of Kings when we were saved, we are now part of the Kingly family, and Peter already told us that as part of the church we are part of the priesthood, which makes us a kingly, or royal, priesthood. And, since we were baptized, or placed, into Christ (Galatians 3:27) when we were saved, we have been set-apart from the unsaved. The whole notion of holiness or sanctification carries with it the idea of being set-apart.
The purpose, according to Peter, of our being chosen, purchased, set-apart, and made priests, is so that we might declare the praises of God who called us out of the darkness into His marvelous light. According to the Apostle Paul:
There is none that is understanding, there is none who is seeking after God (Romans 3:11)
Therefore, if He had not called us out of the darkness, we would never have wandered out of it on our own accord. For this reason, and this reason alone, we should be proclaiming His praises. But beyond having chosen and called us, He has made us His own children and promised us a great inheritance! All this, as Paul says:
while we were yet sinners … (Romans 5:8a)
Application
If you are a born-again Christian, then God has chosen you to be His child and has set you apart from the rest of mankind so that you might proclaim His praises. Therefore, praise God for His great love with which He loved us, and chose us, and sanctified us! Praise Him now!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved