1 Peter 2:7-10 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling,and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
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. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

• They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

3 identities as followers, as apprentices, of Jesus:

1) Chosen Race

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers [and sisters] loved by God, that he has chosen you,

The chosen, or elect, are the best of kind or class, excellence preeminent, appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable, second only to Jesus. —Strong’s Concordance

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2) Royal Priesthood

Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

• chosen/elect – appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable, second only to Jesus.

Revelations 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

3) A Holy Nation

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession…

Galatians 3:27-28 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Our ethnic distinctions should shrink to insignificance in light of our new identity of being “in Christ” and part of his family. —Dr. J. Daniel Hays