Christianity is getting a bad reputation because too many disciples fail to show any distinguishing characteristics from the world. Jesus has saved us from sin but also to a new way of living.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
1 Peter 2:9-12
As a church gathers, we must make it about Jesus – not us! Our attendance isn’t worthy of anyone’s praise. We gather to give praise to the only One deserving of it (1 Pet. 2:9).
Each member is a type of priest, offering worship to Jesus, who has saved us. We once were in darkness, but the light of Christ’s gospel has illuminated our lives. In our sin, we were separated from God and isolated from one another, but now in Christ, we are united to Him and His people (1 Pet. 2:10).
The mercy of Christ has caused us to have a new way of living.
We can interpret the troubles of this life from a different perspective since we know that we don’t belong here. This world is not our home, so we should not engage in these worldly practices (1 Pet. 2:11).
We ought to live differently because Christ has made us different, and the world needs to see a different path than the worn-out, sinful one.
We gather to worship Jesus, and we scatter to share Jesus. Disciples go out to share the gospel with a life that seeks integrity – not to shine a spotlight on them but on the One who has changed them (1 Pet. 2:12).
Jesus has invited us to glorify God in our songs and in our lives so that others may one day do the same thing.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
