Ephesians 2:19-22 - "So then you are no longer
strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of
God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being
fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also
are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."
In Ephesians chapter 2 Paul wrote to the gentiles and explained to them how when they were far away, in other words, not of the nation of Israel, God brought them near to Himself through the blood of Christ. And he goes on to talk about how we are now being built up together, along with the Jewish believers, into the temple of God. There are Christians of all different nations, tongues and tribes, and we are all being built together into the same building. In 1 Peter 2:4-5 Peter says - "And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Each and every christian is a stone in the temple of God. A living stone, and God is fitting us together according to His plan and purpose.
In the Old Testament when Solomon was building the temple, the stones that he used were prepared elsewhere, and then moved to the temple mount and fit into place. In 1 Kings 6:7 It says- "The house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built." So what they would do is they would put the stones together at the quarry, which was about a mile away, and they would hammer them and shape them until they fit snugly together. Then they would take them one at a time and move them to the temple mount, and when they arrived they were already ready to be put into place without anymore hammering or grinding.
This same idea applies to us as "living stones". While we're here on this earth, God has us surrounded with others stones and He's using them to smooth out the rough edges, if you will. Like a stone, we have some rough edges, but God is working on us, and fitting us in with other believers, and when we come into contact with these other stones some of our rough edges are chipped off. And it gets uncomfortable at times, and we get tired of being worked, and chiseled on, but we don't have the liberty to change where we are placed in the building. We can't say "I'm going over to that location. I think I'll fit better over there." It doesn't work like that. God has us where we are for a purpose, and even though it gets uncomfortable at times, He knows what He's doing. Every believer He has put in our lives He's put there to shape us, whether we like it or not.
In Ephesians chapter 2 Paul wrote to the gentiles and explained to them how when they were far away, in other words, not of the nation of Israel, God brought them near to Himself through the blood of Christ. And he goes on to talk about how we are now being built up together, along with the Jewish believers, into the temple of God. There are Christians of all different nations, tongues and tribes, and we are all being built together into the same building. In 1 Peter 2:4-5 Peter says - "And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Each and every christian is a stone in the temple of God. A living stone, and God is fitting us together according to His plan and purpose.
In the Old Testament when Solomon was building the temple, the stones that he used were prepared elsewhere, and then moved to the temple mount and fit into place. In 1 Kings 6:7 It says- "The house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built." So what they would do is they would put the stones together at the quarry, which was about a mile away, and they would hammer them and shape them until they fit snugly together. Then they would take them one at a time and move them to the temple mount, and when they arrived they were already ready to be put into place without anymore hammering or grinding.
This same idea applies to us as "living stones". While we're here on this earth, God has us surrounded with others stones and He's using them to smooth out the rough edges, if you will. Like a stone, we have some rough edges, but God is working on us, and fitting us in with other believers, and when we come into contact with these other stones some of our rough edges are chipped off. And it gets uncomfortable at times, and we get tired of being worked, and chiseled on, but we don't have the liberty to change where we are placed in the building. We can't say "I'm going over to that location. I think I'll fit better over there." It doesn't work like that. God has us where we are for a purpose, and even though it gets uncomfortable at times, He knows what He's doing. Every believer He has put in our lives He's put there to shape us, whether we like it or not.
And the good news is, this shaping isn't going to last forever. God is going to move each of us from this quarry to the temple mount. He'll transport us from this world to His presence, and fit us perfectly together upon Christ, our chief Corner Stone, without the sound of a hammer, or an axe, or any other iron tool. We'll be done, finished, perfectly fit together into one structure with every building block in it's place. No rough spots, no jagged edges, no gaps. Complete and perfect according to His plan and purpose.
We're all different and hard to get along with sometimes, but God is fitting us together according to His perfect will, and for His ultimate glory. So I encourage you, as Hebrews 10:23-25 says - "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day approaching." The day is approaching fast, so let us be diligent to shape one another and allow ourselves to be shaped. And praise the Lord for the believers He has put in your life to make you into the stone He wants you to be.
1 Peter 2:5 - "You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
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