Friday, November 6, 2015

Called to be the dwelling place of the Most High God.

I Peter 2: 4-5, 9:  4. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 


 Christ is described as "a living stone".   What are some characteristics of a real stone?   It has density,   weight, it cannot easily be broken unless by a greater power, it has substance.   Those are characteristics which could describe Christ:  substance, power, cannot be broken as there is no greater power above him,  true strength.  

In the very next verse it says we like "living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house". It is the same designation given to Christ  "living stones".    Why? For what purpose?

Ephesians 1: 22 -23  (ESV) says:  And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. 

This states that we are his body.   I Peter states we are are living stones, and that Christ is the living stone. So where Christ is living and resident, his life is indwelling us, making us living stones.  

But the gift of His life in us is not to provide us with special things like houses, unlimited access to money and no problems.   His gift isn't our ticket to all our human heart desires.   

It is a gift of life at the price of Christ's life. At the price of His taking upon himself the sins of the whole world, to pay the price we could not ever pay.  Have you considered just how great that price is?  But He paid that price and with His blood, could become the means of us having life.   Only though Him can we have salvation.

And after his death, Hebrews tells us death could not retain a hold on him because he had no handles for sin to hang onto and destroy life. As a man without sin, life flipped death off and Jesus was made alive in resurrection.    

But on top of making our life secure in Him, He then indwells us, giving us the tools for life.  Moreover, to  be a holy priesthood. That our lives can be a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God because we are indwelt by His Son Jesus Christ.

Additionally as His Body, of which He Christ Jesus, is head we are called to be ones who allow His Glory to be seen in the world.  

As a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation we are, as it were a new United State of Jesus Christ.    Why? That by our lives we may proclaim we are citizens of His nation.   Our lives can proclaim our allegiance is to Him and His Lordship and by serving him as priests,  can call others to citizenship in this eternal kingdom.  

All this can be done because the Living Son of God indwells and enables us.   But we have to chose to walk in obedience and faith for others to see the LORD in us.













1 comment:

Unknown said...

I'm glad you are visiting and writing on this page again. Thank you!
Liz