“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1Peter 2: 9).
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it” (John 17:15, 16). Jesus prayed for His Disciples (and us) that God may protect them as they live in the world (on this earth). They may live in this world, but they are not of this world. All Jesus’ followers are not of this world because they have a new status and a new way of life.
We, as followers of Jesus, are not of this world because we have a new status: we are children of God. Peter describes our new status this way:
-we were chosen/elected, 1Peter 1:1;
-have been born again into a living hope and into a great inheritance (v.3);
-are being guarded through faith for the (final) salvation (v.5);
-are being built up as a spiritual house, (1Peter 2:5);
We are not of this world because we have a new way of life – Peter again:
-are joyful despite being grieved through various trials (1 Peter 1:6);
-love each other earnestly from a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22);
-are abstaining from the passions of the flesh (v.11);
-are keeping our conduct honorable (v.12).
We are not of this world because we have a new mission (v.9).
Our mission is the result of God preparing for Himself a new people of divine origin (chosen race); a special function (royal priesthood) and a “different” way of life (holy nation).
”But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV).
That is what we are! For God’s glory and our eternal joy!