AS A BUILDING by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 9, 1900

AS A BUILDING.

By John Norton Loughborough

Christ is presented in the Scriptures as the foundation stone upon which all true faith and hope are built. His church is called a building, erected upon this solid basis. In these words we read the Lord’s prediction concerning the security of the work: “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation.” Isa. 28: 16. One reason assigned for the surety of the stone is that it has been tested, as seen by reading the following stirring words:—

“Our Redeemer is a ‘Tried Stone.’ The experiment has been made, the great test has been applied, and with perfect success. In him is fulfilled all the purpose of God for the saving of a lost world. Never was a foundation subject to so severe a trial and test as was this ‘Tried Stone.’ The Lord Jehovah knew what this foundation stone could sustain. The sins of the whole world could be piled upon it. The Lord’s chosen were to be revealed, heaven’s gates to be thrown open to all who would believe; its untold glories were to be given to the overcomers.

“‘A Tried Stone is Christ,’ tried by the perversity of man. Thou, O our Saviour, hast taken the burden; thou hast given peace and rest; thou hast been tried, proved, by believers who have taken their trials to thy sympathy, their sorrows to thy love, their wounds to thy healing, their weakness to thy strength, their emptiness to thy fullness; and never, never, has one soul been disappointed. Jesus, my Tried Stone, to thee will I come, moment by moment. In thy presence I am lifted above pain. ‘When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.’ . . .

“‘We are to be sons and daughters of God, growing into a holy temple in the Lord. ‘No more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. . . . Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.’ This is our privilege. How is Heaven amazed at the present condition of the church that could be so much to the world were every stone in its proper place, a living stone to emit light. The stone that does not shine is worthless. That which constitutes the value of our churches is not dead, lustreless stones; but living stones, stones that catch the bright beams from the chief corner stone, even from the Sun of righteousness,—the bright glory in which are combined the beams of mercy and truth that have met together, of righteousness and peace that have kissed each other.”—Mrs. E. G. White, in Review of March 19, 1895.

The apostle Peter, in speaking of the Lord’s church as a building, says: “If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2: 3-5. These sacrifices are not animal flesh, as in the Levitical priesthood; but, as expressed by Paul: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Rom. 12: 1. David plainly states the sacrifice that is acceptable with God, when he says: “Thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Ps. 51: 16, 17.

In the building of this spiritual house mentioned by Peter, the people of God composing the structure are represented as lively stones. What a work to be accomplished in these stones, quarried from the rock of the enemy, before they can be fitly called the lively stones in God’s house. We are exhorted to “look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.” Isa. 51: 1. The Lord says of his dealing with these rough stones: “Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth.” Hosea 6: 5. Like the tried stone in the foundation, those placed in the building must be tried stones. “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.” Dan. 12: 10.

For tried in this text some translations read “thoroughly tested.” Of this testing process we read in the epistle of James, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1: 12. The same experience is referred to in Peter’s first epistle, in these words: “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5: 10. In the letter to the Hebrews the apostle said: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Heb. 12: 11. This peaceable condition of mind is undoubtedly when they come forth, from the Lord’s training, “as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace.” Ps. 144: 12.

There are many scriptures in which the Lord’s people are called a house, but we will refer to a few only: “For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his [God’s] house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Heb. 3: 4-6. “For we are laborers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Cor. 3: 9, 16, 17. Again we read: “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” 1 Tim. 3: 14, 15.

In the Ephesian letter Paul speaks of the Lord’s house on this wise: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Eph. 2: 19-22.

In this connection we quote the following excellent instructions: “The followers of Christ are to be co-workers with their Master; they must be ‘blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom,’ says Paul, ‘ye shine as lights in the world.’ We are to receive the bright beams from the Sun of righteousness, and by our good works let them shine forth to others in clear, steady rays, never fitful, never growing dim. We can not be sure that we are doing no harm to those about us, unless we are exerting a positive influence to lead them heavenward.

“Ye are my witnesses,” said Jesus, and in each act of our lives we should inquire, How will our course affect the interests of the Redeemer’s kingdom? If you are indeed Christ’s disciple, you will choose to walk in his footsteps, however painful this may be to your natural feelings. Said Paul, ‘God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.’ You . . . need to sit at the feet of Jesus, and learn of him, as did Mary of old. God requires of you an entire surrender of your will, your plans and purposes. Jesus is your leader; to him you must look, in him you must trust, and you must permit nothing to deter you from the life of consecration which you owe to God. Your conversation must be in heaven, from whence you look for the Saviour. Your piety must be of a character to make itself felt by all within the sphere of your influence. God requires you in every act of life to shun the very appearance of evil.”—“Testimony for the Church,” No. 32, pages 122, 123.

A church with its members heeding these words will be found “fitly framed together,” with its members “living stones,” emitting the light received from Christ, the Rock of their strength. They are the temple of the living God, the house of God, where his Spirit will delight to take up its continual abode.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.