1 Peter 2:9

1 Peter 2:9 offers one of the New Testament's most concise descriptions of church - But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, a people claimed by God for his own, to proclaim the glorious deeds of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. The concept of being chosen is nice, comfortable and comforting; yet there is a risk that it can smack of exclusivity, and thus seem to contradict all that Jesus stood for. I do think there is a risk of going in the wrong direction here - and that will happen if we use what is said to draw boundaries to keep folk out. But I want to suggest that this is more to do with recognising who we are so that we can be who we should be. We can make a link with Deuteronomy 7:8 - it was because the Lord loved you ... that he brought you out with his strong hand and .... Our distinguishing mark is that we have chosen the love of God. That's what makes us church, and that's what we are called to share with others. Exclusion does not come into it. We are not setting ourselves up as something other. Rather we are simply responding to God's call. Literally we are God's "called out" people. We are called out to take on the priestly role - a royal priesthood. The priestly task is to be a link with God. The church needs to take this on corporately. Through much of the history of Israel the priests were condemned by the prophets for their ineffectiveness. We need to be careful that we don't deserve such an indictment. Only then can we take on the task of proclmation, in action and word, of the possibility of transformation - which is what the church should, in God's Name, be offering.