Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 Peter 2:9-10

"But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God`s] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." — 1 Peter 2:9-10 (ASV)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

How good it is to look back to the hole of the pit from where we were dug!

What if today the sovereign grace of God has made us royal priests, yet let us remember that in past times we were not a people, But are now the people of God. Which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Yes, I think no exercise will be more profitable by way of expressing our gratitude than remembering what we used to be before the hand of God was laid upon us in love.

For if all of us did not run to an excess of riot in our outward lives, yet some of us did; and others who were kept from gross outward sins had, nevertheless, a very sink of corruption within our nature.

We felt that when the Spirit of God convinced us of sin, we could truly say:

"Depths of mercy, could there be,
Mercy yet reserved for me?"

And having obtained mercy, we will never cease to bless the name of God.

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: which in time past were not a people,

Who were you, and what were your ancestors when the apostle wrote these words? Our forefathers were, in Peter's day, uncivilized and barbarous tribes at the utmost end of Rome's dominions. We were not a people,—