Living stones

[Pamelasv]

1 Peter 2:4

And coming to Him as to living stone which has been rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for holy priesthood...

So what do you think exactly is being said here?

[Alejandro84]

By coming to Jesus, who is the living stone, we also are living stones because we are hidden in him and found in him. And each believer is built upon him,who is the chief cornerstone, and we are priests in his sight nor longer offering up physical sacrifices but sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15) unto his name for the completed work he has done!

[Ezra]

1 Peter 2:4

And coming to Him as to living stone which has been rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for holy priesthood...

So what do you think exactly is being said here?

The Church is metaphorically the Body, the Building, and the Bride of Christ.  This is a reference to the Building, which does not consist of inanimate stones, but living stones having the life of Christ within.  Christ Himself is the Chief Cornerstone (who is also the Foundation), and this building is also built upon another foundation -- that of the apostles (New Testament) and Prophets (Old Testament).  Sinners become living stones by hearing the Gospel and being saved, therefore that is foundational.  But Christ Himself is our Salvation.

 

At the same time the Church is also a Royal Priesthood -- kings and priests -- so this *spiritual house* is more than just a Building.  It is a "Holy Priesthood".  Its function is to offer spiritual sacrifices on earth, and to ultimately live and reign with Christ.

 

We should never forget that Christ is also the Stone which the builders (Israel) rejected, but is now become the Cornerstone of the Church.  He is also the massive Stone who will crush to powder all the kingdoms of this world in order to establish His everlasting Kingdom.  See Daniel.

[missmuffet]

Question: "What does it mean that Jesus and believers are living stones in 1 Peter 2:4-5?"

Answer:The term “living stones” in1 Peter 2:5is used as a metaphor to illustrate the secure and intimate relationship believers have with Jesus who, in turn, is described in the previous verse as the “living Stone” (1 Peter 2:4). Together, these two verses vividly picture how Christ and His followers are a building being built by God Himself: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4–5).

The foundation of God’s building is His Son, Jesus Christ, the “living Stone.” The “living stones,” in turn, are believers who come to Jesus and place their lives upon this foundation. One of the striking things we learn in this passage is that God not only chose this Stone who is eternal, but there were men who rejected the Stone because they wanted to build the building of their lives the way they wanted, not God’s way (Psalm 118:22). As a result, these men cast this living Stone aside, not caring that Jesus is the only true foundation upon which man can build his eternal life (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Elsewhere, Jesus is also described as the chiefcornerstoneupon which is built the universal church, a unified body of believers, both Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:19–22). Peter referenced Jesus as the cornerstone inActs 4:11–12, stating that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” God accepts no one who refuses to become a part of His building. And God is just like all builders—He has a foundation upon which all workers must lay the stones of their lives (Matthew 7:24–27).

Believers, then, are the “living stones” of the church. As such, we must remember that God is eternal, which means His building is eternal. The foundation Stone laid by God shall never decay nor waste away. Christ lives forever and ever. In placing our lives upon the living Stone of God, we find that He supports and holds us up eternally. We, in turn, become living stones, stones that will live on forever and ever. A physical house is not permanent; it ages, deteriorates, and wastes away. But being the spiritual house of God, we do not age, deteriorate, or decay. We live on in God’s eternal spiritual house.

Peter goes on to describe the living stones as those who are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:7–9). Peter is saying that, as living stones, we have certain functions. As a “royal priesthood,” we are a “kingdom of priests,” a term that was used of Israel inExodus 19:6. Also, inRevelation 1:6, we are called kings and priests, referring to the exalted rank and dignity which we will have in the future kingdom of heaven. Believers, in common with our Savior, will reign triumphantly over all enemies and, having gained a victory over sin and death and hell, we will be reigning together with our King.

In the meantime, the function of the living stones is to “declare the praises” of Him who called us out of the darkness of sin into the light of life and glory. This is the “job description” of a living stone: a declarer of truth and love and light, both by our words and the life we live before others in the world.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/living-stone.html#ixzz3f9IOPWEl

[Your closest friendnt]

When I am reading this post, which I am not commending right now, but I am not saying anything, at the moment , but I see the judgement of some.

I am wondering, why many who are part of this spiritual house, they are not happy in that spiritual house and suggest that jesus is not happy too, not even in the throne with his Father, and they claim that Jesus ask them to build for him a house here on earth, in the eartly Jerusalem, the city he has call, the spiritual Babylon, and the synagogue of Satan.

He is to sit in the Throne for ever and be the Governor from there for ever.

[Leonardo Von]

 

On 7/6/2015 at 6:03 AM, Pamelasv said:

So what do you think exactly is being said here?

Dear sister Pamelasv,

 

Grace and mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I liked very much of your observation, brother Your Closest Friendnt.

 

On 7/20/2015 at 5:31 PM, Your closest friendnt said:

I am wondering, why many who are part of this spiritual house, they are not happy in that spiritual house and suggest that jesus is not happy too, not even in the throne with his Father, and they claim that Jesus ask them to build for him a house here on earth, in the eartly Jerusalem, the city he has call, the spiritual Babylon, and the synagogue of Satan.

 

In fact, although many people believe that we are the temple of the Eternal, they insist on building temple and more temples for Him, and He own made it very clear:

 

·        “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah 57.15).

·        “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” (Isaiah 66:1,2).

·        “Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?” (Acts 7.48-50).

 

We are the house of the Father in which there are many mansions:

 

·        “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14.1,2).

 

And this enormous amount of dwelling in our hearts has in view enough space within us for the Holy Spirit to carve His word in the living stones (the brothers He bring to us):

 

·        “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” (2Corinthians 3.1-3).

 

May Jesus make of our lives an offer of love to the Father.