But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: The conditions, as well as the transition, aptly describe the states of sin and righteousness. He calls the sinner out of darkness into His marvelous light. The marvelous light of Christianity far exceeds the cloud of glory that guided the Israelites through the wilderness (1 John 1:5; 1 John 1:7; Ephesians 5:8).