| “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…” |
| —1 Peter 2:9 |
“You don’t own me!” she screamed, as she ran from the kitchen and slammed the door to her room.
This scene plays out in a variety of settings every day. Sometimes, it’s a teenager reacting to some statement of guidance from a parent. Other times, it’s a spouse responding to a strongly worded suggestion from his or her partner. In either case, the idea put forth disclaims that one person can own another.
Part of our revulsion toward the idea of slavery is based on the realization that it is cruel and inhuman for one person to presume to own another person. Of course, the rationale at the time was that the slaves were not really “persons.” No matter how absurd, even revolting, that may seem to us today, nevertheless it was the reason that many of the early settlers in our nation relied on slave labor.
It’s horrifying for us to think about one human believing another human was not a person. Yet, that’s how our culture justifies abortion on demand: that the infants in the womb are not really persons. But, that’s an issue for another blog post.
With regard to slavery, it is critically important for people in the United States to remember that slavery was not created by the founders of this nation. Slavery has existed throughout the history of humankind. When some warring nation conquered another nation, the people of the conquered nation often became slaves of the victors. Even today, slavery pervades many parts of the world. This does not justify what happened in the United States. But, realizing that slavery has long been a continuing part of humans inhumanity toward each other gives us a context.
The underlying concept is clear: no one wants to be treated as if they are owned by another person. It’s a thoroughly despicable idea.
But, what if that one claiming ownership was not another person, but the very Creator of the universe—the One who had brought the owned person into this world? If God has chosen us to belong to Himself before the foundation of the world, does He not have the right to claim ownership over us?
Of course He does. And, do we benefit enormously from the fact that God owns us as His very deeply loved and very deliberately chosen possessions? Yes! Yes, we do!
This is exactly what the Apostle Peter was trying to convey to the early Christians when he wrote these words to them—and to us, as well—that we find recorded in 1 Peter 2:9:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We who belong to God through His precious Son, Jesus—we “Christ’s-ones”—have been chosen by God to belong to him as a royal priesthood. We form the Kingdom of God here on earth as a holy nation of ambassadors. We show forth, to a needy world, the very essence of God’s mercy, grace, and overwhelming love. We are His very special possessions.
In response, we do not run from His Presence, slam the door of our hearts, and yell back at Him: “You don’t own me!” No! Instead, we fall to our knees before Him and, with all humility, proclaim with great praise that we are of all people most blessed.
For He has called us out of the darkness of the sin that gripped our lives and brought us into His wonderful Light. He has imbued us with His Holy Spirit. He has covered us with the blood of His Son. He has cleansed us thoroughly from our sin. He has washed us white as snow. He has removed our sins from us, as far as the east is from the west.
As we begin another day, we should feel literally overwhelmed by the realization that we belong to God. He has chosen us. He has blessed us in ways so far beyond our understanding that it can only boggle our minds and fill our hearts with the greatest possible joy.
Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2017
