But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (I Peter 2:9 KJV)
Peculiar People (introduction)
Who likes to be called peculiar?
The King James Version is almost alone calling God’s people, peculiar. Other translations of this verse opted to use English words such as unique, special, treasured, unusual, or even weird.
Perhaps those other words feel more comfortable, Bbut for the next months, we will be examining what it means to be one of God’s peculiar people.
Peculiar is actually a pretty good word.
Peculiar refers to how God treats His people… differently than how He treats the rest of the world.
Peculiar refers to how we, God’s people, think about Him, respond to Him, learn about Him, and live in His light.
Peculiar refers to the fact that there is something strange about us. Yes, it is wonderfully strange, but it IS strange.
Peculiar refers to God’s desire that His people do not try to fit in with the world, be like the world, be loyal to the world, or desire what the world desires.
Perhaps today our culture, even our Christian culture, yearns to be like everyone else. But we are not. God does not want us to be. And after we contemplate His word a bit on the subject, I hope that we will find that we ourselves no longer want to be.
We are a peculiar people! And that is a grand thing!