How Do We Relate to Jesus?

1 Peter 2:9–10 NASB95

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Every single Christian is called to pursue holiness and we continue to pursue it because none of us will ever perfect it. Our sanctification is never full to the brim. Our sanctification is ongoing, it’s progressive, and this sanctification highlights how we have been called out by Christ so that we may reflect Christ. Mark Dever said, “This means that we live our lives in allegiance to him. We live in reverent fear of him. We take our coordinates from him. We take our bearings from him. He is the audience we play to. We do not take our directions from a pollster but from our Heavenly Polestar. We are not simply trying to be popular with those around us, we look beyond our circumstances to the One who created us by his word and set us apart as his people.”

Warren Wiersbe said, “Each of these four pictures emphasizes the importance of unity and harmony. We belong to one family of God and share the same divine nature. We are living stones in one building and priests serving in one temple. We are citizens of the same heavenly homeland. It is Jesus Christ who is the source and center of our unity. If we center our attention and affection on Him, we will walk and work together; if we focus on ourselves, we will only cause division.”