A Builder Sets the Cornerstone in PlaceBible World
2:41 Peter 2:4
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
Christ is the living stone and solid Rock for the soul, rejected and disallowed by people yet chosen by God and precious to Him. Coming to Him follows tasting that the Lord is gracious, laying aside malice and guile and evil speaking, and turning in repentance and faith to build life upon Him rather than upon sand. Those who so come are joined to Him and built up as living stones into a spiritual house and holy priesthood, recreated in His image and made God's dwelling place for acceptable spiritual sacrifice. He is the sure foundation and chief cornerstone of that house, broad and strong enough to bear the whole world, so that nothing laid upon Him is swept away when trial tests the work. To those who believe He is precious, while to the disobedient He becomes a stone of stumbling, and the living stones are shaped and polished by God to catch light from the cornerstone and reflect it as witnesses.
Christ the Living Stone
The verse presents Christ as the living stone and the living Rock, disallowed and rejected by people yet chosen by God and precious to Him. He is the sure foundation and chief cornerstone for those who believe, while to the disobedient who stumble at the word He becomes a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Those who come to Him are joined to Him and themselves built up as living stones.
Human rejection reflects human judgment: worldly-wise people discredit Him as common or inferior, and things of eternal interest are not discerned but rejected by the much larger class of people. That He is disallowed by men but chosen of God and precious to Him brings joy and comfort to everyone who sincerely loves God. He is the Saviour of mankind, the Eternal Rock and the solid Rock for the soul, whose body was broken and bruised for humanity. He is the foundation of the church against which the powers of evil cannot prevail.
Though rejected by the Jewish builders and put to death, He became the head of the corner and remained the true foundation of God's temple. His death did not stop the building, and He is honored in heaven and by the faithful on earth. The description of chosen and precious also applies to God's people and workers: humble, obedient servants whom worldly-wise people may judge common or inferior are chosen and valued by God. God does not choose only a few for His work, but many, and He works through His chosen and precious people to carry out His purposes.
Every brother and fellow worker, being chosen of God and precious in His sight, is therefore to be respected and honored, each standing in his own lot and place and bearing his weight of responsibility in the great and sacred work for the last days. No one man is to be made counselor for all or to have all plans and methods confided to him while others are left out, but each is to be treated without partiality and without hypocrisy, with no need to fear that another will have the highest place. Saving souls is to be their great aim. The test of being among those God counts chosen and precious is knowing God and Christ, loving them, and showing that love through just conduct, mercy, and humility before God, which are the evidence of true religion and sanctification of heart, life, and character.
Coming to Christ
Coming to the living stone follows having tasted that the Lord is gracious, and with that taste comes the hunger of a newborn babe for the sincere milk of the word in order to grow spiritually and to receive life and growth through His Word. Feeding on the Word gives a wonderful experience, for in coming the soul is brought close to the One God has chosen, leaves a frivolous life behind, and advances heavenward with Christ as the first step, so that Christ is revealed in spirit, words, and actions. Those who name Christ are urged to make this a lived experience rather than a mere profession. The words of the verse themselves express the spiritual nourishment found in this coming.
Such coming requires laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings. It marks a class distinct from the careless world that eats and drinks and marries as in the days of Noah, a class separated by having put away these evils and by desiring the milk of the word because it has tasted His graciousness. This is true Christian character, which performs the words of Christ and presses on to know the Lord rather than retrograding and backsliding.
Coming means repentance and faith, giving up self-righteousness, trusting His forgiving love, and personally knowing Him as Saviour in a real experience of conversion and new birth. It means riveting the soul to Him and building life upon Him instead of upon the sandy foundation of infidel ideas, for effort to improve oneself without connection to Him cannot make a person a living stone. Those not secured to Him will fall when trial comes, while those joined to Him become living stones. Those who have come should share their experience with others, as Saul of Tarsus did after his conversion.
Coming also means feeding on Him and His Word, copying His simplicity, making the Word the study book as the source of true knowledge, and finding strength by eating His flesh and drinking His blood. It requires diligently exploring every part of the field of revelation and sinking the shaft deep into the mines of truth with contrition and a humble, teachable spirit until precious jewels of truth reward the search and are restored to their proper framework in the plan of redemption. He is light and truth who communicates the true knowledge of God.
This coming calls for discipline of mind and body, holding the mind to its task instead of letting it wander, and living temperately so that understanding is made possible. Getting upon the Living Rock takes climbing and the exercise of every ability, every spiritual nerve and muscle, and all mental and spiritual powers to understand the Word of God, the incarnation of Christ, and the great plan of redemption, and even then the mind may faint with an infinity still beyond, having only touched the surface. Those who come with hunger of soul for righteousness are brought close to Him.
Those who come in full assurance of faith taste the rich blessings He has in store: through Him they have access to the Father, are made partakers of the divine nature, and escape the corruption in the world through lust. This coming brings purification and sanctification and redemption of the whole nature, soul, body, and spirit, produces obedience to all of God's commandments and unfeigned love of the brethren, and fits believers as holy and undefiled subjects for God's mansion above, members of His royal family and children of the heavenly King. Coming to Him and feeding on Him through His word leaves no appetite for gossip or backbiting or foolish talk, but forms speech that builds others up under accountability to God.
Judas had abundant opportunity to come in this way, to receive and abundantly feed on the bread of life, and thereby to form a firm, Christlike character, but he failed to gain it.
Built into Spiritual House
Those who come to Christ, the living stone disallowed by men but chosen of God and precious, are joined to Him and built up as living stones into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. He is the foundation of that spiritual house and its sure foundation and chief cornerstone for all who believe, while to the disobedient who stumble at the word He becomes a stone of stumbling and rock of offense. This building is the rebuilding of the fallen temple, in which people are recreated in Christ's image and raised from the ruin of sin in purity and holiness.
The church thus built is God's living temple and dwelling place, rising as its stones, whether prominent or humble, refined or unrefined, are joined to Christ. God's Spirit dwells in that temple, and to defile it brings God's judgment.
As God's living temple the church is a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people called out of darkness into His marvelous light to show forth His praises. That calling means bringing present Bible truth to the people, with each member as a living stone emitting light. True Christian character in this house requires performing Christ's words and advancing to know the Lord rather than retrograding and backsliding, abstaining from fleshly lusts that war against the soul and maintaining honest conduct among the Gentiles so that observers glorify God in the day of visitation because of good works.
Belonging to this spiritual house calls for earnest faith and active practice of God's word rather than indifference or lukewarmness. It means growing up into Christ as the living head in all things and manifesting His humility, mercy, justice, and love of God, instead of magnifying self, growing earthward, and weaving selfishness into the work. Those in positions of great responsibility who magnify themselves, turn from Bible principles to finite judgment, and cherish selfishness do not offer acceptable spiritual sacrifices.
Sure Foundation for All
Christ is the foundation of the spiritual house, the sure foundation and chief cornerstone on which the church is built. He is the living Rock and stable foundation to be relied upon, precious to those who believe, and the only secure foundation against which the powers of evil cannot prevail. Believers come to Him and, joined to Him, become living stones built into that spiritual house and holy priesthood.
He is broad enough for all and strong enough to bear the whole world, the only secure foundation for Jews and Gentiles alike, who may build on Him by faith and obedience and through connection with His life become living stones. Gentiles are as valuable stones brought from a quarry and gathered to be joined to Christ and built into God's holy temple as His dwelling place. They are brought near through His blood and, through faith in His atoning sacrifice, may belong to God's household.
Service, talent, and ability have true value and become living service to God only when laid upon Him, founded on Christ, and connected and joined to Him. Faithful builders bring precious material to that living foundation by first bringing their own hearts, affections, and character into harmony with God's law, then helping their converts develop the same Christian virtues. No effort to improve oneself without connection with Him can make a person a living stone, and none can be saved by their own efforts apart from connection with Christ, for safety depends on building on Him.
Coming to Him means giving up self-righteousness in repentance and faith, trusting His forgiving love, riveting the soul to Him and building life upon Him instead of upon the sandy foundation of infidel ideas. The storm of persecution and trial will come to test the foundation, and what is built on sand is swept away leaving nothing to stand on, while the house founded upon the Rock does not fall. Those built on Him receive His life and become living stones joined to Him and to one another as a spiritual house and holy temple, and because they share God's life with Christ no tempest can overthrow them.
Precious or Stumbling Stone
To those who believe he is precious, while to the disobedient who stumble at the word the disallowed stone is made the head of the corner, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. He is the living stone, rejected and disallowed by people but chosen by God and precious to Him, the sure foundation and chief cornerstone and stable foundation of the church for all who rely on Him. Believers come to Him and, joined and connected to Him, themselves become living stones built up with Him into a spiritual house, Jew and Gentile alike. Coming in this way follows tasting that the Lord is gracious and desiring the sincere milk of the word in order to grow thereby, and those who so come are built into a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Feeding on the Word of God in this coming gives a wonderful experience.
Those who receive the truth are as living stones hidden among false teachings, forms, and ceremonies, to be found and separated from the world by divine truth and built into the Lord's temple. Ability and service have true value and become living service to God only when founded on Christ and joined to Him. Believers of every age are living stones whose words and deeds bear witness to God's truth, and those who died for Him remain precious even in death, with a bright reward awaiting them when He calls them from their graves.
Living Stones in Practice
Living stones are separated from the world and shaped and fitted by God for His spiritual temple, gathered from every nation and people and brought out by truth as living people rather than lifeless material. Like rough stones worked with tools and polished, each is prepared by the Master-builder to fill its appointed place, so that when the temple is complete it will be perfect. Each stone is to shine as a witness to the world, showing preparation for a home in God's kingdom.
Every stone must be in its proper place to emit light, catching the bright beams from the chief cornerstone, even the Sun of Righteousness where mercy and truth meet together and righteousness and peace kiss each other. Those joined to Him receive His life and reflect the light that shines from Him as witnesses, dependent on Christ the chief Cornerstone for light, while a stone that does not shine is worthless. Those who emit no light show they are not living stones, and those who do not receive light from Christ cannot shine as living stones or bear fruit to God's glory. The value of churches lies not in dead, lusterless stones but in living stones that catch that light, and the church so formed must bring present Bible truth to the people. Prayerlessness and irreligion mark this failure to reflect Christ.
Those who magnify themselves in positions of great responsibility, turn from Bible principles to finite judgment, and cherish selfishness and weave it into the work do not offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, instead of growing up into Christ as the living head and manifesting humility, mercy, justice, and the love of God. The verse belongs to a lesson that forbids faultfinding and calls those who claim the greatest truths ever committed to mortals to practice all they claim, so that truth fits and qualifies them for the kingdom, and the whole chapter should be studied. Its context in 1 Peter 2:1-12 gives a most precious representation of what Christians may be if they hear and obey, and it must be read and practiced with watchfulness and prayer as a warning against lifting the soul unto vanity, calling believers to daily obedience to all God's commandments while engaging in constant spiritual warfare.
Coming forms a class distinct from the careless world that eats and drinks and marries as in the days of Noah until the Son of man is revealed. That class abstains from fleshly lusts which war against the soul and maintains honest conduct among the Gentiles, so that those who speak against them as evildoers may by their good works glorify God in the day of visitation, and this is true Christian character. This coming fits believers as holy and undefiled subjects for God's mansion above, members of His royal family and children of the heavenly King. Coming makes sons and daughters of God living stones growing into a holy temple, no more strangers and pilgrims but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. Every brother and fellow worker is chosen and precious, and therefore each is to stand in his own lot and place, bear his weight of responsibility, and do his appointed great and sacred work for these last days, with each respected and honored without partiality and without hypocrisy. No one man is to be made counselor for all or to have all plans and methods confided to him while others are left out, and no one needs to fear that another will have the highest place.
Those who have come to personally know Him as Saviour should share their experience with others, as Saul of Tarsus did after his conversion. Coming to Him and feeding on Him through His Word leaves no appetite for gossip, backbiting, or foolish talk. His followers should speak only words that build others up and remember that their speech is answerable to God.
Christ is the living stone and solid Rock for the soul, rejected and disallowed by people yet chosen by God and precious to Him. Coming to Him follows tasting that the Lord is gracious, laying aside malice and guile and evil speaking, and turning in repentance and faith to build life upon Him rather than upon sand. Those who so come are joined to Him and built up as living stones into a spiritual house and holy priesthood, recreated in His image and made God's dwelling place for acceptable spiritual sacrifice. He is the sure foundation and chief cornerstone of that house, broad and strong enough to bear the whole world, so that nothing laid upon Him is swept away when trial tests the work. To those who believe He is precious, while to the disobedient He becomes a stone of stumbling, and the living stones are shaped and polished by God to catch light from the cornerstone and reflect it as witnesses.
Christ the Living Stone
The verse presents Christ as the living stone and the living Rock, disallowed and rejected by people yet chosen by God and precious to Him. He is the sure foundation and chief cornerstone for those who believe, while to the disobedient who stumble at the word He becomes a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Those who come to Him are joined to Him and themselves built up as living stones.
Human rejection reflects human judgment: worldly-wise people discredit Him as common or inferior, and things of eternal interest are not discerned but rejected by the much larger class of people. That He is disallowed by men but chosen of God and precious to Him brings joy and comfort to everyone who sincerely loves God. He is the Saviour of mankind, the Eternal Rock and the solid Rock for the soul, whose body was broken and bruised for humanity. He is the foundation of the church against which the powers of evil cannot prevail.
Though rejected by the Jewish builders and put to death, He became the head of the corner and remained the true foundation of God's temple. His death did not stop the building, and He is honored in heaven and by the faithful on earth. The description of chosen and precious also applies to God's people and workers: humble, obedient servants whom worldly-wise people may judge common or inferior are chosen and valued by God. God does not choose only a few for His work, but many, and He works through His chosen and precious people to carry out His purposes.
Every brother and fellow worker, being chosen of God and precious in His sight, is therefore to be respected and honored, each standing in his own lot and place and bearing his weight of responsibility in the great and sacred work for the last days. No one man is to be made counselor for all or to have all plans and methods confided to him while others are left out, but each is to be treated without partiality and without hypocrisy, with no need to fear that another will have the highest place. Saving souls is to be their great aim. The test of being among those God counts chosen and precious is knowing God and Christ, loving them, and showing that love through just conduct, mercy, and humility before God, which are the evidence of true religion and sanctification of heart, life, and character.
Coming to Christ
Coming to the living stone follows having tasted that the Lord is gracious, and with that taste comes the hunger of a newborn babe for the sincere milk of the word in order to grow spiritually and to receive life and growth through His Word. Feeding on the Word gives a wonderful experience, for in coming the soul is brought close to the One God has chosen, leaves a frivolous life behind, and advances heavenward with Christ as the first step, so that Christ is revealed in spirit, words, and actions. Those who name Christ are urged to make this a lived experience rather than a mere profession. The words of the verse themselves express the spiritual nourishment found in this coming.
Such coming requires laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings. It marks a class distinct from the careless world that eats and drinks and marries as in the days of Noah, a class separated by having put away these evils and by desiring the milk of the word because it has tasted His graciousness. This is true Christian character, which performs the words of Christ and presses on to know the Lord rather than retrograding and backsliding.
Coming means repentance and faith, giving up self-righteousness, trusting His forgiving love, and personally knowing Him as Saviour in a real experience of conversion and new birth. It means riveting the soul to Him and building life upon Him instead of upon the sandy foundation of infidel ideas, for effort to improve oneself without connection to Him cannot make a person a living stone. Those not secured to Him will fall when trial comes, while those joined to Him become living stones. Those who have come should share their experience with others, as Saul of Tarsus did after his conversion.
Coming also means feeding on Him and His Word, copying His simplicity, making the Word the study book as the source of true knowledge, and finding strength by eating His flesh and drinking His blood. It requires diligently exploring every part of the field of revelation and sinking the shaft deep into the mines of truth with contrition and a humble, teachable spirit until precious jewels of truth reward the search and are restored to their proper framework in the plan of redemption. He is light and truth who communicates the true knowledge of God.
This coming calls for discipline of mind and body, holding the mind to its task instead of letting it wander, and living temperately so that understanding is made possible. Getting upon the Living Rock takes climbing and the exercise of every ability, every spiritual nerve and muscle, and all mental and spiritual powers to understand the Word of God, the incarnation of Christ, and the great plan of redemption, and even then the mind may faint with an infinity still beyond, having only touched the surface. Those who come with hunger of soul for righteousness are brought close to Him.
Those who come in full assurance of faith taste the rich blessings He has in store: through Him they have access to the Father, are made partakers of the divine nature, and escape the corruption in the world through lust. This coming brings purification and sanctification and redemption of the whole nature, soul, body, and spirit, produces obedience to all of God's commandments and unfeigned love of the brethren, and fits believers as holy and undefiled subjects for God's mansion above, members of His royal family and children of the heavenly King. Coming to Him and feeding on Him through His word leaves no appetite for gossip or backbiting or foolish talk, but forms speech that builds others up under accountability to God.
Judas had abundant opportunity to come in this way, to receive and abundantly feed on the bread of life, and thereby to form a firm, Christlike character, but he failed to gain it.
Built into Spiritual House
Those who come to Christ, the living stone disallowed by men but chosen of God and precious, are joined to Him and built up as living stones into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. He is the foundation of that spiritual house and its sure foundation and chief cornerstone for all who believe, while to the disobedient who stumble at the word He becomes a stone of stumbling and rock of offense. This building is the rebuilding of the fallen temple, in which people are recreated in Christ's image and raised from the ruin of sin in purity and holiness.
The church thus built is God's living temple and dwelling place, rising as its stones, whether prominent or humble, refined or unrefined, are joined to Christ. God's Spirit dwells in that temple, and to defile it brings God's judgment.
As God's living temple the church is a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people called out of darkness into His marvelous light to show forth His praises. That calling means bringing present Bible truth to the people, with each member as a living stone emitting light. True Christian character in this house requires performing Christ's words and advancing to know the Lord rather than retrograding and backsliding, abstaining from fleshly lusts that war against the soul and maintaining honest conduct among the Gentiles so that observers glorify God in the day of visitation because of good works.
Belonging to this spiritual house calls for earnest faith and active practice of God's word rather than indifference or lukewarmness. It means growing up into Christ as the living head in all things and manifesting His humility, mercy, justice, and love of God, instead of magnifying self, growing earthward, and weaving selfishness into the work. Those in positions of great responsibility who magnify themselves, turn from Bible principles to finite judgment, and cherish selfishness do not offer acceptable spiritual sacrifices.
Sure Foundation for All
Christ is the foundation of the spiritual house, the sure foundation and chief cornerstone on which the church is built. He is the living Rock and stable foundation to be relied upon, precious to those who believe, and the only secure foundation against which the powers of evil cannot prevail. Believers come to Him and, joined to Him, become living stones built into that spiritual house and holy priesthood.
He is broad enough for all and strong enough to bear the whole world, the only secure foundation for Jews and Gentiles alike, who may build on Him by faith and obedience and through connection with His life become living stones. Gentiles are as valuable stones brought from a quarry and gathered to be joined to Christ and built into God's holy temple as His dwelling place. They are brought near through His blood and, through faith in His atoning sacrifice, may belong to God's household.
Service, talent, and ability have true value and become living service to God only when laid upon Him, founded on Christ, and connected and joined to Him. Faithful builders bring precious material to that living foundation by first bringing their own hearts, affections, and character into harmony with God's law, then helping their converts develop the same Christian virtues. No effort to improve oneself without connection with Him can make a person a living stone, and none can be saved by their own efforts apart from connection with Christ, for safety depends on building on Him.
Coming to Him means giving up self-righteousness in repentance and faith, trusting His forgiving love, riveting the soul to Him and building life upon Him instead of upon the sandy foundation of infidel ideas. The storm of persecution and trial will come to test the foundation, and what is built on sand is swept away leaving nothing to stand on, while the house founded upon the Rock does not fall. Those built on Him receive His life and become living stones joined to Him and to one another as a spiritual house and holy temple, and because they share God's life with Christ no tempest can overthrow them.
Precious or Stumbling Stone
To those who believe he is precious, while to the disobedient who stumble at the word the disallowed stone is made the head of the corner, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. He is the living stone, rejected and disallowed by people but chosen by God and precious to Him, the sure foundation and chief cornerstone and stable foundation of the church for all who rely on Him. Believers come to Him and, joined and connected to Him, themselves become living stones built up with Him into a spiritual house, Jew and Gentile alike. Coming in this way follows tasting that the Lord is gracious and desiring the sincere milk of the word in order to grow thereby, and those who so come are built into a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Feeding on the Word of God in this coming gives a wonderful experience.
Those who receive the truth are as living stones hidden among false teachings, forms, and ceremonies, to be found and separated from the world by divine truth and built into the Lord's temple. Ability and service have true value and become living service to God only when founded on Christ and joined to Him. Believers of every age are living stones whose words and deeds bear witness to God's truth, and those who died for Him remain precious even in death, with a bright reward awaiting them when He calls them from their graves.
Living Stones in Practice
Living stones are separated from the world and shaped and fitted by God for His spiritual temple, gathered from every nation and people and brought out by truth as living people rather than lifeless material. Like rough stones worked with tools and polished, each is prepared by the Master-builder to fill its appointed place, so that when the temple is complete it will be perfect. Each stone is to shine as a witness to the world, showing preparation for a home in God's kingdom.
Every stone must be in its proper place to emit light, catching the bright beams from the chief cornerstone, even the Sun of Righteousness where mercy and truth meet together and righteousness and peace kiss each other. Those joined to Him receive His life and reflect the light that shines from Him as witnesses, dependent on Christ the chief Cornerstone for light, while a stone that does not shine is worthless. Those who emit no light show they are not living stones, and those who do not receive light from Christ cannot shine as living stones or bear fruit to God's glory. The value of churches lies not in dead, lusterless stones but in living stones that catch that light, and the church so formed must bring present Bible truth to the people. Prayerlessness and irreligion mark this failure to reflect Christ.
Those who magnify themselves in positions of great responsibility, turn from Bible principles to finite judgment, and cherish selfishness and weave it into the work do not offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, instead of growing up into Christ as the living head and manifesting humility, mercy, justice, and the love of God. The verse belongs to a lesson that forbids faultfinding and calls those who claim the greatest truths ever committed to mortals to practice all they claim, so that truth fits and qualifies them for the kingdom, and the whole chapter should be studied. Its context in 1 Peter 2:1-12 gives a most precious representation of what Christians may be if they hear and obey, and it must be read and practiced with watchfulness and prayer as a warning against lifting the soul unto vanity, calling believers to daily obedience to all God's commandments while engaging in constant spiritual warfare.
Coming forms a class distinct from the careless world that eats and drinks and marries as in the days of Noah until the Son of man is revealed. That class abstains from fleshly lusts which war against the soul and maintains honest conduct among the Gentiles, so that those who speak against them as evildoers may by their good works glorify God in the day of visitation, and this is true Christian character. This coming fits believers as holy and undefiled subjects for God's mansion above, members of His royal family and children of the heavenly King. Coming makes sons and daughters of God living stones growing into a holy temple, no more strangers and pilgrims but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. Every brother and fellow worker is chosen and precious, and therefore each is to stand in his own lot and place, bear his weight of responsibility, and do his appointed great and sacred work for these last days, with each respected and honored without partiality and without hypocrisy. No one man is to be made counselor for all or to have all plans and methods confided to him while others are left out, and no one needs to fear that another will have the highest place.
Those who have come to personally know Him as Saviour should share their experience with others, as Saul of Tarsus did after his conversion. Coming to Him and feeding on Him through His Word leaves no appetite for gossip, backbiting, or foolish talk. His followers should speak only words that build others up and remember that their speech is answerable to God.