Replies

Me: Verse 9: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, ..."

How do you reconcile that with all the other verses referring to the Church as composed of "nations", other than to realize that he is referring to the Jewish believers here in his first epistle.

After all, he is quoting Deuteronomy 7:6 which said that the children of Israel would be a "special people to him above all the people who are on the face of the earth."

Yes, Peter is writing to those who left Judahism and turned to Christianity; those who were dispersed into the locations he mentions because of the persecutions aimed at them in Jerusalem. The gentile Christians are joined with them in that "holy nation" mentioned in Verse 9 above which is not a quote from the OT. About Deut. 7:6 - Peter never quoted it in either of his two letters.

Count all the places in Scripture where the Church is referred to as a community of "nations" and that's the only way to reconcile those verses with Peter's first epistle.

Hmmm..."community of nations": where did I say anything like that? Please don't put words in my mouth (typing). Christians of all nations are joined in the nation Christ created - the universal "church". Nations don't come together in any way...it's the people who do - and in this case, only the people of God who are joined together into one nation. Is that too hard to understand? Hmmm...maybe it could be stated better, maybe not. Whatever...

ME: And where do you find "future nation of Israel" that you say Peter revealed?

Acts 15:14-17 -- the words of the prophets as it is written.

I agree with Peter's words 100%! Gentiles are added to the new nation of Israel, which is the "assembly of called out ones" in His name. It is erroneously called the "church", but because of the infirmity of the flesh, most Christians use it. It is the restoration of the "house of David", of which, Jesus Christ is now seated on "Davids throne" in heaven - that may be too much for you to stomach, but it is very Scriptural. In the series of articles I'm willing to post to a thread this will be expounded upon to some extent, so I'm not going to attempt to explain it is some short post to anyone. Sorry, but that's the way it is :-)