all this is true, I am as secure as Christ is. God’s affection does not have to be earned; in fact, it can’t be earned (by us, anyway). God’s affection is freely given. When we really grasp that the gospel is saying this about God and about ourselves, our sense of identity will blossom, swell, and strengthen. Look again at how 1 Peter 2:9 describes our position, thanks to the gospel of Jesus. A CHOSEN RACE This means that God picked us. In the days of my youth in Houston, Texas, I played pick-up basketball