Who are we? Who are the people of God? What is our collective identity, our communal function, and our unified purpose? In I Peter 2:9-10, the apostle of hope (Peter) answers these questions and in doing so, gives us seven reasons to hope. Our hope is vibrant and real because the source of our hope is Christ, who is risen, eternal and unshakeable.

In short, the people of God are living stones and members of a spiritual house whose cornerstone is Jesus Christ. Because the elect are all connected to Him, we are also connected to one another. Our spiritual identity transcends natural allegiances and labels, and radically transforms how we see ourselves and how we engage with the world. In the end, the church can only function as God has called it to if those in the church know who God has called them to be. Our Scripture focus will be I Peter 2:9-10.