Well, after five days of delving into what Peter says Christians are, it is time to get to action. I say, get to action because it seems like a moment for a therefore. I mean to say, it would seem most appropriate if Peter were to write, you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, therefore show forth the praises of God...But, in fact, that is not what Peter writes. He does write show forth the praises, or, in the ESV, proclaim the excellencies. But, Peter doesn’t use a therefore. Instead, Peter tells Christians you are all these things, that you may show forth the praises.
9 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. 10 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.
1 Peter 2:9-10
that you may show forth
That you may demonstrates a truth. Only through the Spirit can true worshipers worship God. In this sense, it is because you are part of each of these designations: a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you are enabled to show forth the praises of God. Jesus spoke of this himself to the Samaritan woman.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:23-24
Peter is exhorting us to show forth the praises of God. That is why I led with a call to action. But, Peter’s words that you may should not be ignored. Peter is calling us to authentic proclamation of the excellencies of God. They are authentic because, as members of the four groups Peter names, we are true worshipers who can worship God in spirit and in truth.
We can think of this enabling of the Spirit as the background to Peter’s call to action. Peter writes that we show forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. We will discuss the concept of darkness and light tomorrow, Lord willing. Today, I want to focus on the action implied in show forth. But, before we get there, briefly let’s confirm to whom these praises are due.
To whom should we show forth praises?
I have already written here multiple times that they are due God. How can we know that? Because we know it is God who called us. If you are shaky on this concept, please see: Called: The Quest: Day 18.0.
The grand business in life
Okay, preliminaries done? Then let’s be off! Let’s look at the call to show forth the praises of God, to proclaim His excellencies. The quote below was lifted from John Lillie. Like John Brown (is every passed-on exegete named John?), I discovered the writing of John Lillie while looking for commentaries on Peter’s epistles. Reverend Lillie, in writing about 1 Peter 2:9, sums up for us Peter’s exhortation to show forth the praises of God.
Now, the text assumes that in the work of saving men by Jesus Christ there is a display made of the Divine attributes or perfections; and believers are reminded that their grand business in life—the ultimate design of the existence and organization of the Church—is to glorify God by letting this light shine in all their walk and conversation. To do so is even now the highest duty of all Christians, as such. It will be no less their supreme ambition and delight throughout eternity. ‘This people,’ saith God, ‘I have formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.
Reverend John Lillie, Lectures on the First and Second Epistles of Peter, 123, Charles Scribner & Co., 1869
Why show forth, and not proclaim?
So, why did I choose to lead with show forth rather than proclaim? Well, first of all it is how I learned the verse in song. But, second, show forth has direct English language implications which proclaim can only have if accompanied by imagination. Let me explain with a few questions. Can you proclaim God’s excellencies by the manner in which you live your life, how you go about your work, how you treat acquaintances, strangers, and your fellow Christians? The answer is obviously, Yes! But, if I hadn’t asked that question, and simply told you that you must proclaim God’s excellencies, you are far more likely to start looking for the right words than a broom. Whereas, with show forth you might pick up your tools and get to work.
All is to the praise of His glory
John Brown has a wonderful passage on showing forth our praises, not just in speaking of our faith and hope God, but in everything we do.
But the called ones are not merely passive instruments; they are agents in showing forth Jehovah’s praise. The manifestation of God made to them in their calling, and the privileges into which it conducts them, produce in their minds just views of the divine character, and a corresponding mode of thinking and feeling, and speaking and acting, so that they cannot but show forth the praises of him who has called them. This is the great design of God in giving them the privilege. If they are “predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” it is “that they might be to the praise of the glory of his grace.” If they are planted by him as “trees of righteousness,” it is ” that he might be glorified.” If they are “bought with a price,” it is that they may “glorify him with their souls, and with their bodies, which are his.” If they are “filled with the fruits of righteousness,” it is “to the praise and glory of God.” If they “obtain the inheritance,” it is “to the praise of his glory.” If “the purchased possession” at last is redeemed completely and for ever from all evil, still it is “to the praise of his glory.”
John Brown, Expository Discourses on the First Epistle of Peter Volume 1, 319, William Oliphant and Co. 1866
Remembering a goat path to nowhere
Show forth carries the idea that the business of the Christian is to worship God – to glorify God – and to do so in whatever it is we find ourselves doing. If we are working, eating, visiting neighbors or friends, driving, waiting in line at the DMV. Wherever we are and whatever is before us to do, we are to show forth the praises of Him who called us out of darkness. Certainly this includes using words. I am not advocating for the show, don’t tell sort of Christianity that was encouraged when I was younger. I am sure it had a proper name. There was a time when we were encouraged to demonstrate our faith in our daily actions, but not to share our faith in conversation with anyone. The idea was that once someone got to know us, they would find themselves astonished. “By Jove,” they would supposedly say. “You know, there’s something different about you!” Only then were we supposed to proclaim the excellencies of God.
I really believed that for a time. All part of that unoffensive, “I’m spiritual, not religious” sort of cowardly faith. It is all silly, and we needn’t dwell on it. I did write about some of that before. You can laugh at my ignorance here: Real Religion: The Quest: Day 4.0, and here: Faith vs Works: The Quest: Day 10.0
Jesus tells us how to show forth praise to God
Well, we got past that. So, how do we show forth the praises of God in practical ways? After all, Reverend Lillie says it is our highest duty. If it is not simply by attending worship each Lord’s Day and singing some hymns, how is it done?
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
Love one another
Jesus gave us a new commandment. Since it is a commandment and not just good advice or a suggestion, we ought to start here. After all, if we cannot love our brothers and sisters who are also members of a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, and people God chose for His own possession, how will we show forth praises to God before unbelievers? Christ himself said that showing this love for our fellow Christians would demonstrate to all people our designation as members of the body of Christ. So, here we have our first order of business in proclaiming the excellencies of God. Love one another.
42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:42-45
Serve one another
Christ also told us to serve one another. This is so vital. If we are to show forth the praises of God, we cannot simply feel a sort of warm feeling of love for our brothers and sisters. Obviously loathing the people around us would be a bad thing. So, there is something to be said about feeling tenderly toward our fellow congregants. But, feelings do not suffice. Christ told us to serve.
The imitation of Christ
He was the greatest example of service. Indeed no one could better show forth the praises of God than did Christ. We often focus on, and remember only, Christ’s death. And, we must never forget it! But, we should also remember that it was his life which made his death the ultimate sacrifice. Had Christ, like some Greek deity, come to live among us as a self-centered hedonist, his death could not atone for the sins of mankind. It was his life, lived in perfect obedience to the Father, which made his sacrifice perfect.
Show forth
How then should we live? As a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, and peculiar people, we are strangers in a strange land. There are people all round us every day who might one day become our fellows under the banner of our king. But, how shall they ever do so unless we continually show forth the praises of Him who called us out of darkness?
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Show forth praises to Him, that others might glorify God
Christ gave us a commandment to love our brothers and sisters in the faith. He also told us to serve one another. Here, he tells us that these demonstrations of love, while beneficial to the Church, are to bring glory to God. Certainly acts of Christian love and service to one another bring glory to God in and of themselves. After all, when we do these good works, we are simply acting out the part God Himself wrote for us to play long ago (Ephesians 2:8-10). But, Christ says that when we show forth the praises of God in our words and deeds, it will also cause others to give glory to God. That is a wonderful motivation!
Christian happiness in showing forth praises to God
John Brown gets to the heart of the matter. I love that he focuses on the happiness which is produced within us proportionally to the grace God has shown us. How can we help ourselves but to show forth the praises of God, when we have experienced such grace? Let’s close with his words. Let’s remember our calling to show forth our praise of God in all that we do. And, let us hope it is seen and heard by unbelievers who will in their turn glorify God.
It is plain, that just in the degree that God manifests his power, and wisdom, and goodness, must the order and happiness of the inanimate and sensitive creation be promoted; and just in the degree in which his moral excellences are displayed to rightly constituted, intelligent beings, must their happiness be increased. The more they know of God, the more they love God, as known; the more they are conformed to God, the holier and the happier are they.
Christians, as the called of God, are intended to show forth the excellences of God, both passively and actively. Those wonderful dispensations of power and righteousness and benignity, the incarnation and sacrifice of the divine Son, and the regenerating and sanctifying influences of the divine Spirit, are the most remarkable displays which probably ever have been or ever will be made to the intelligent universe of the “virtues,” the powers, the excellences, of the divine character…not only “the manifold wisdom of God,” but the riches of his grace, the exceeding greatness of his power, the unfathomable depth of his knowledge, the immutability of his purpose, the energy of his wrath, the omnipotence of his love.
John Brown, Expository Discourses on the First Epistle of Peter Volume 1, 317-318, William Oliphant and Co. 1866
