Identity of a Christian - Part 14

1 Peter 2:1-10

1 Peter 2:10

“10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

Lost people are proud of their heritage.  God says that in time past Christians were not a people.  There is nothing special about being a lost person.  That is the common ground of all people born into this world.  However, when we are saved, we are now a people of God.  What a blessing to be a people of God.  God is a merciful God, but the lost person does not appreciate God’s mercy.  He wants to go his own way.  The person that is saved is saved through the mercy of God.  They are saved, not because they deserve to be saved or because they paid enough money to be saved, but they are saved through the mercy of God.

The identity of the Christian is found in Christ.  We have nothing without Christ.  We cannot grow without the power that we received at the new birth.  The true Christian is commanded to desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. ( I Peter 2:2).  The true Christian does not fret and strive to know God more.  He or she submits to the Word of God and by faith obeys the Word of God.  As the born again Christian walks by faith, he or she will grow in the Lord.  

Philippians 1:6

“6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

God is good.  Every professing Christian can look at their lives in the light of God’s Word and can see if they are truly saved or not.  If they are truly saved, they have been fundamentally changed by God through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ.  Carelessness is not a mark of the child of God.  Faithfulness and growth is the mark of the child of God.  It matters not what the world says a Christian is.  What matters is what does God say a Christian is.  Look to Him and believe His Word.