Characteristics of The People of God

The People of God is marked by characteristics that clearly distinguish it from other religions, ethnic, political or cultural groups found in history.

It is the People of God: God is not the property of any one people. But he acquired a people for from those who previously who were not a people:achosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.

One becomes a member of this people not by a physical birth, but by being born anew, that is by Faith in Christ and Baptism.

This people has for its Head Jesus the Christ (the anointed the Messiah). Because the same anointing, the Holy Spirit, flows from the head into the body, that is the ‘messianic people.’

The status of this people is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts. The Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple.

Its law is the new commandment to love as Christ loved us. This is the new law of the Holy Spirit.

Its mission to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. This people is ‘A most sure seed of unity, hope and salvation for the whole human race’.

Its destiny, finally, is the Kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth and which must be further extended until it has been brought to perfection by him at the end of time.