In Peter’s 2nd chapter, we read about Christ: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22). Followers of Christ have become the people of God, though they were once not a people of God. At one time they hadn’t received God’s mercy, but now they have (v. 10). This whole idea of now we are God’s people means change. We have changed in our direction and in our view of who our God is. In the past, we worshiped any number of small “g” gods, people, or things. But now, we have come to know Yahweh, the LORD, the one true God. We have become a kingdom of priests. We are His people, and He is our God. All in all, we now have life because He alone is the giver of life. What is interesting is that we often speak of living and dying. The order is important. We live, then we die. But Peter shows just the opposite is true. We die, so that we might live. Jesus died so we might live. In v. 24 he states that Jesus died so “we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” Notice the order - die to live. We must die to our old way and in doing that, we become the people of God. When we turn to God in faith in His Son, He makes us His people. We can honor the kings (v. 13), honor our masters even if they are unjust (v. 18), and we are to do this because we are free - the free people of God. For he tells us in v. 16, “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” May the Lord be with you today.
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