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…you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

“Once you were not a people; now you are the people of God,

Once you received none of God’s mercy; now you have received his mercy.”

1 Peter 2:9-101 Peter 2:9-10
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
9 a But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, ¹⁰ . “Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness”.

WP-Bible plugin NLT
(check out Hosea 1:6,9;2:23Hosea 1:6,9;2:23
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
6 Later, Gomer had a daughter, and the Lord said, “Name her Lo-Ruhamah, f Lo-Ruhamah: In Hebrew “Lo-Ruhamah” means “No Mercy.” because I will no longer have mercy and forgive Israel. ⁹ Then the Lord said, “Name him Lo-Ammi, g Lo-Ammi: In Hebrew “Lo-Ammi” means “Not My People.” because these people are not mine, and I am not their God.” ²³ . I will scatter the seeds and show mercy to Lo-Ruhamah. q Lo-Ruhamah: See the note at . I will say to Lo-Ammi, r Lo-Ammi: See the note at . “You are my people,” and they will answer, “You are our God.”

WP-Bible plugin!)

Each believer was once an outsider, separated from God. But God himself has called every believer out of that place. A change of status has occurred:

• From “darkness” to “light”
• From ”not a people” to “the people of God”
• From “received none of God’s mercy” to “received his mercy”

Hosea adds to this list a people unloved and unforgiven, now being shown love. And as a finale, God declares to Israel: I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’ Then they will reply, ‘You are our God!’

Following the declaration in 1 Peter 2:9-101 Peter 2:9-10
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
9 a But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, ¹⁰ . “Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness”.

WP-Bible plugin, verse 11 states a new truth: believers become “foreigners and aliens here [in the world].” Without a doubt, a change of status has occurred!

reflect

Note that this status change has two major components. There is (1) a new status between us and God, and (2) a new status between us and other believers.

• Why do you think God links our status with him (vertical) and our status with other believers (horizontal)?
• What happens to this new status when you fail?