Building a Spiritual House

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2 4-5


The purposes of the Kingdome of God are not simply that we would be random individuals but that each life would be connected to another. Jesus in this passage is called a living stone. Luke the author of the book of Acts tells us that “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.” A Wikipedia reference states a cornerstone “is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.” The work of Christ in Salvation stands alone, but his work in the Kingdom of God and the preaching of the Gospel sets the context for building his church. Jesus says to Peter, “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Many teach that it is the confession of Peter that is this rock. I believe this teaching is wrong based on the primacy given to Peter in the scriptures as an individual. Other create a perpetual line of Peter connected to the church of Rome that I also believe is in error. Peter is one of the most important stones in the church but he is just a stone. Jesus sets the reference point for the remaining stones that will be his church. That is you and eye. When the scriptures call Jesus the head of the church the metaphor is similar. Jesus is the head. He does not claim to be the feet. Romans 10:15 tells us blessed are the feet of those that bring the Gospel. Jesus can be all things to all men because he is God. His method is however is to co-labor with the people of God.

Jesus was also rejected. We who labor in the word and works of God should anticipate that we will be rejected as well. Mathew 10:25 reads, “It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household”! Matthew is telling us how the members of the house will be treated Peter is telling us how to build the house. This is not literal language use the is the house Joshua was building when he said “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”

The Lord knows that rejection is difficult for us, so he incentivizes the process by letting us know that we are a “holy priest hood” To be a priest is to be in a privileged position. It is not an ordained office but is and office we enter into when we believe. It is an office we begin to operate in when we star to serve others. A spiritual house is a place of safety. There are many individuals who come to church not because they have believed and are part of the house but because they have found safety and comfort and love. This more than ok, it is the evidence that a church is healthy. It is drawing those who are seeking comfort to the only true source of comfort, Jesus the savior, the cornerstone of every life. Peter tells us that such a lifestyle is a sacrifice. But it is the type of sacrifice that allows us to know his good pleasing and perfect will as expressed in Romans 12.