Thursday, September 17, 2015

The Gates of Fire - 1 Peter 2:9-10



But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. - I Peter 2:9-10

    A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and His own special people. All descriptions of a group of individuals that for all intents and purposes should stand out of the crowd. There should be no mistaking who this group of individuals is. There should be no question and certainly - certainly - no challenges or indictments against such a group. When we see these descriptions and look beyond the words to their meanings we get an even greater picture of what this group truly is.  Using Strong’s Concordance we see that “chosen” is reliably defined as “elected.” We need look no further for a more pinpoint definition. “Royal” is defined as “kingly” referring to our relationship to the Lord and King, Jesus Christ. “Holy” tells us we are “saintly” or “set apart” for God. Finally, “special,” which is better defined as “for His possession” defines us as a people acquired, purchased, and preserved as promised to us by our heavenly Father. All these things we are to God; yet, we are still at an impasse.
    As Christianity trudges forth into the 21st Century we face a Thermopyle all our own. And just as the noble Spartans were sorely outnumbered at the Gates of Fire, we too are in the minority. The secular provocateurs who wish to persecute and ultimately bring an end to us have all the worldly power in their hands. In fact, the only greater advantage they could have would be if we Christians were to shackle and betray ourselves by our own behavior. That would bring the secularists their greatest victory. It would bring the sweetest taste to their mouths if we would but help them complete their worldly crusade.
    Each and every year we see more and more attacks on Christianity. The secularists’ most recent victory has been in the realm of marriage, where they have successfully managed to turn history on its very head and proclaim to the world that marriage is no longer an institution between one man and one woman even as God, Himself proclaimed.  “He said to them, ‘Have you not read that He Who made them in the first place made them man and woman? It says, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will live with his wife. The two will become one.’ So they are no longer two but one. Let no man divide what God has put together.’” - Matthew 19:4-6.
    This victory has brought many a Christian public official into the field of battle. Most recently a Kentucky County Clerk, Kim Davis, was jailed for six days for refusing to issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples based on her “Apostolic Christian beliefs.” It soon became public knowledge that Mrs. Davis has been married four times to three different men. I am not going to get into a discussion of Mrs. Davis’s personal life. My only point in bringing this up is the fact that this is the very type of smear upon the Christian life that secularists thrive upon. They seek human weakness, fallibility, and sin among those who follow Christ. And in followers like Ms. Davis they find them then exploit them, and in doing so ultimately cast a dark shadow over all who claim Christ as their Savior. It is this type of scandalous “Christian behavior” that makes the secularists victories so much more spectacular!
    We must think about it. When the secularists see us, do they see a people chosen, royal, holy, and special to God? What do they see when they look at us? Do they see behavior that reflects the glory of God living within us? If not, then why not?
    As Christians, we must remember the words of Peter. We are chosen, royal, holy and special people to God Almighty. We were once not a people. We had not obtained mercy. But now we are and have! Let us go forward from here seeking not to please men but to please God, remembering that we were called out of darkness into His marvelous light. Let us walk in that light unashamed of our behavior before men, but more important let us pray and walk humbly before God, knowing our battle is a spiritual one. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”- Ephesians 6:11.
     Mrs. Davis is not perfect; we are not perfect, but let do all we can with the power of the Holy Spirit to rise above question, challenge, or indictment by the secularists even as we stand before the “Gates of Fire” to defend our God and our faith in Him.

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