Proclaim The Excellencies

“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)

The reason for our existence. Sometimes we hear people contemplating the purpose of life, the reason God created us. We tend to look inwardly to find the answer: success, fun, pleasure, experiences, etc. But 1 Peter 2:9 says the reason God made us is for us to be a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession”. But that doesn’t fully answer the question as to why God made us those things! Read on, “…that you may proclaim the excellencies of him…” The reason God made us, the reason we exist, are to be a very special group of people who will “proclaim the excellencies” of God.

Excellencies of God. So, what are the “excellencies of God” that we’re supposed to be proclaiming? Some translations say, “the praises” (NKJV, NIV). God’s “excellencies” are the reasons God is worthy of praise – His excellence of character, His moral excellence, His goodness, His mighty acts and virtues. It’s announcing and proclaiming and showing God’s glory in our lives and to others.

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all peoples”
Psalm 96:3

Motivation. The most obvious motivation for proclaiming God’s excellencies is simply that He is God – HE IS AMAZING. How can we not praise Him and show others how great He is? But the Spirit supplies us with another incredible motivation in 1 Peter 2:9: “…who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Our motivation is God Himself and what God has given to us and done for us. How can we not proclaim what we have in Christ? How can what God has done for us not show in our lives? How can the fact that we were in darkness and now we are in His marvelous light not radiate from us?

Are we proclaiming His excellencies? It’s not enough to simply not do wrong things – to not proclaim the excellencies of the Devil or sin. Not doing evil is important, but praising God, proclaiming His excellencies is intentional, active, and specific. It doesn’t happen simply by not doing wrong things. It happens by living the counter-cultural life of a disciple who is following Jesus in daily life. And it happens by talking about Jesus and how He has changed and blessed us, our family, our country, and our world. Proclaiming His excellencies happens when we credit God with the good in ourselves and in our lives. It happens when we tell people that God is the reason that life is good, why we smile, why we have peace, and why we’re not afraid. We proclaim His excellencies when we live hopeful lives and tell people that the reason we have hope is that Jesus lived, died, rose, and reigns until He comes again to raise us and bring us to heaven. We have something amazing in Christ that the world doesn’t have and desperately needs. Are we proclaiming His excellencies?  dd