CONSIDER THIS

Christians are like perfectly positioned pieces of stained glass through which God pours light into a sin-darkened world. It is how the glory of His goodness and love is revealed.

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. (1 Peter 2:9)

Who we are in Christ:

A chosen generation - He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will. (Ephesians 1:5)

A royal priesthood - All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. (Revelation 1:5-6)

A holy nation - He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. (2 Timothy 1:9)

His own special people - Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? You were bought with a price. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Mercy has been lavished upon us, and we’re in a privileged place. We are the ultimate rags-to-riches story. 

Spurgeon - These are wonderful epithets that are here heaped upon believers. May we have the grace to be able to appropriate them, and to expound them in our lives! Oh, the dignity which Christ has put upon the meanest believer! What a high office, and, consequently, what a solemn responsibility is ours!

The world takes its notions of God from the people who say that they belong to Him. They read us a great deal more than they read the Bible ...