There are words spoken that can change a person’s life, a team’s life, a nation’s life, and even the course of human history. Don’t you love to find them, note them, feel them?!

One powerful example comes from American history, from these Declaration of Independence opening words:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.– That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed …”

Some big beliefs are embedded in these words, big enough to launch a great nation and further birth multiplied more democracies. 

When 1 Peter 2:9-10 was written, an even greater movement was defined. Its message was profound … and still is. God declared what He believes about His family and how He really feels about us who believe, trust, follow. Here are five blockbuster truths God wants His people to know.

FULLY CHOSEN: The God of the universe chooses. And He seriously signs His choices in blood. Membership in His club isn’t random or just based on application. 

It’s select and a special honor. He chooses before we do … like a man asking for a woman’s hand in marriage before she chooses to accept … like a team who drafts a player before the player chooses to sign and report. It’s powerful to be chosen. 

ETERNALLY LOVED: When God chooses, He does so with everlasting love. It is His way. He’s not into divorce at all. Jeremiah 31:3 testifies to this: “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with unfailing kindness“ (NIV). (Check out Psalm 103:17 and Romans 8:38-39 too.)

COMPLETELY ACCEPTED: God calls His family a holy nation. He says we’re a holy group, not because we’re perfect, but because He makes us holy. The Father qualifies us through the work of His Son and makes people acceptable in His sight. 

We can never accomplish this completely ourselves. God signs our adoption papers, giving us full rights as sons (Galatians 4:5–7).

EXTREMELY VALUABLE: When Scripture refers to us as “a people belonging to God“ it automatically implies that we must be valuable, more valuable than we might think. Like having a basketball signed by Michael Jordan is worth far more than having a basketball without his signature, our greatest worth is determined by who we belong to. We are valuable because we are His (Isaiah 43:1–7).

MISSIONALLY MADE: God made man for a mission. And it wasn’t for man’s own indulgence. He made us for Himself. And He made us for others. Today’s Scripture defines the mission this way: “that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light.“ 

We were made for worship. And we were made to declare, to give the world a good idea of who God is and how good belonging to His family really is!

If you are a member of God’s family, this is who you are:

FULLY CHOSEN. 

ETERNALLY LOVED. 

COMPLETELY ACCEPTED. 

EXTREMELY VALUABLE. 

MISSIONALLY MADE. 

Let it all sink in … deep. Grab a hold of it. Possess what you have been given. Keep building the identity and framework of your life around each element. 

This is what God believes and how He feels about you. Live out this amazing declaration and birth something great for Him, through Him today. 

Reflect: Are you part of God’s family? What makes you think so? Which of the five declarations did you need to hear today? Which is hard for you to believe?

Who do you know that’s struggling with identity and purpose? Would you share these truths with them?

A prayer to consider: LORD God Almighty, Your words powerfully declare. They emancipate. They launch movement in me! Thank You for letting me know how You see me and feel about me. 

Help me to embrace each truth, live them all out, and invite others to taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8). By Your Spirit, for Your glory, and my joy in You, I pray. Amen.