Lively Stones Built up to a Spiritual House

The Apostle Peter wrote this first epistle to the strangers scattered through several parts of Asia Minor for the name and sake of the Lord, but they are elected according to the foreknowledge of Cod. His writing is to instruct and comfort them, which is necessary for those Christians because they endured heavy persecutions. Peter writes to them that they as newborn babes may hunger for the sincere milk of the Word. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.”

Of this necessity to grow he also speaks in our text, although under a different symbol: “To whom coming, as unto a living Stone.” Peter calls the Lord Jesus a living Stone. Isaiah prophesied of the Mediator, “I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone,… a precious corner stone, a sure foundation.” In the New Testament we find the same figurative language. Here is stated that the Savior is the important and indispensable Stone which supports the whole house. A stone is a symbol of surety and durability, and as such, Christ is the only foundation of the church.

Sadly, many people have other foundations. Think of the foolish builder who built on the sand, and there are many who in a similar way build on a foundation which cannot stand the examination of God. In Hebrews 6 we are warned against a foundation of dead works. Many rest upon orthodoxy, emotion, feeling, confession, or baptism. But Christ is the only foundation whereon we may build for eternity.

Peter says of Him: ‘To whom coming, as unto a living Stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of Cod, and precious.” We know Christ came to His own, and His own received Him not. By nature we are no better. Many lives are full of the world. We cannot serve God and mammon. If our heart is longing only for temporal things, then there is no room for a suffering Christ. Self-righteousness is one of the great causes that there is no room for Christ in our life. Such a person tries to mix God’s work and his own work, but rejects the only foundation, Jesus Christ, because he doesn’t want to lose anything of himself. However, the main cause is our blindness; we do not see the necessity of Christ because we do not know our misery. Thus there are many reasons we reject the Lord—who is “chosen of God, and precious.” From eternity Christ was appointed to be Mediator between God and man. He was chosen to lay the foundation of salvation for the church. He is the only One who was able to bear the wrath of God and satisfy His attributes. Representing the elect, He underwent all the requirements of the Father. Truly, we can say this living Stone has been tried in His passive and active obedience.

Satan, the world, and sin attacked Him from all sides, especially at the end of His life. In this way, only He could satisfy Cod’s justice, extinguish God’s wrath, disarm the law of its curse. Outside of Him, we are building on sand. He is the living Stone and precious. Now the great question is: Has He ever become precious unto us? We all believe this truth, but it has to become reality for us under the operation of the Holy Ghost who glorifies Christ. Paul says of Him, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His.” How necessary that we rest upon this foundation! To build a house, stones must be laid on such a foundation; therefore the apostle says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house.”

Peter is thinking of a spiritual house which is not yet finished. When the last of the elect shall be called, and as a living stone added to the house, the world will come to an end. When the elect are made alive, then they are united with Christ who is the living Stone.

By the labor of Word and Spirit, the dead sinner is quickened in the moment of God’s pleasure. How do they come to the living Stone, Christ? The ways of the Lord are different, but all become sinners to see their sin. A true sorrow is born in their heart after Cod. Sooner or later they are brought to an end with themselves and their works. In their need they begin to cry for mercy, which in only possible in Christ. This can be a long and painful path before they lose their foundations. The Holy Spirit works with the mattock of love in the heart of God’s children. Many times they groan under the heavy blows which are necessary to make them loose from the world.

The Lord will break their resistance, so that they begin to ask, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” This labor of the Spirit cannot be missed in making room for the Mediator and in being united with Him. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house.” It is striking that Peter says, “Ye are built.” It is the work of the Lord only and nothing of ourselves. The Lord gives them a place in the spiritual house. The greatest wonder will be, my friends, if there is also a place for us on that foundation. Many stones must be held together by the bonds of faith and love. At the end of the world the scaffolds will be taken away and the glorious, spiritual building will become visible for all mankind, wherein God will be all and in all.

We should not forget that each believer is also a temple of the Holy Ghost. Each true believer can be considered as a spiritual house which has spiritual understanding, a tender conscience, and lively affections. Just as the sanctuary of Jerusalem was enlightened by golden candlesticks, so the Holy Spirit enlightens the minds of God’s children. They receive insight into God’s Word and by the fear of the Lord they desire to walk according to His institutions. Their affections are more and more directed to the Lord and His service. It is the love of the Lord which urges them to return that love.

We must search ourselves. Am I such a lively stone and do I belong to that spiritual house by grace? If the work of the Spirit is missing, then we have no faith and there is no relationship with the living Stone, Christ. This means that we are a stranger of the life of grace, even though we have heard for so many years of what we need to live and die happily. Peter does not only speak of a spiritual house which is to be built, but also of a holy priesthood. What does this mean? That true believers are not only sanctified as temples of the Lord, but they must also be priests to bring sacrifices to the Lord. In Paradise Adam was prophet, priest, and king. These three offices belonged to God’s image which was bestowed upon man at creation. As prophet, he knew the Lord and praised His Name. As king, he ruled over the earth, and as priest, he loved the Lord and offered himself to the Lord. These three offices were a consequence of the image of God, but we have lost them in our fall. Wilfully, we withdrew from God and followed Satan.

From the Bible we know that the Lord Jesus came to restore that which we had destroyed. This is also applicable for these offices which are restored never to be lost again. This means that a person, who is called from death to life and is united with the living Stone Christ, becomes also prophet, priest, and king. In our text is mentioned, “an holy priesthood.” Under the Old Testament only the tribe of Levi became priests and Levites, but under the New Testament all believers are called to a holy priesthood. They do not wear the priestly clothing visible to the people, but they become followers of the great High Priest. Those priests were sanctified and dedicated to the service of the Lord both under the New as well as under the Old Testament: “an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

Under the Old Testament the priests brought sacrifices. True believers also bring sacrifices unto the Lord. They are not to reconciliation because the Mediatorial work of Christ is perfect—nothing has to be added to it. If we try to add something of ourselves, then we take the crown from the head of Christ. But how can we be pleasing to the Lord, as all our works are unholy? We can only be pleasing to God in Christ Jesus. To offer up spiritual sacrifices is the fruit of the communion of faith with the Mediator. Believers must devote soul and body to God, as Paul expresses: “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.”

It is the experience of the Church that the spirit is confronted by the flesh. This means a continual warfare which is instigated by Satan, the world, and our own flesh. How can we then ever be pleasing to the Lord? Only in Christ Jesus! As the prayers of the saints are laid upon the golden altar of incense with much incense, pointing to the merits of Christ, then only are they pleasing to the Lord. So it is in like manner with the good works which are performed and which are pleasing to the Lord.

The first sacrifice is a broken heart and a contrite spirit. The Lord shows His favor to the people who know themselves poor and needy. There is a true sorrow because they have sinned against God and they miss Him. A second God-pleasing sacrifice is the supplication of the sinner, as the Lord has said as it were, “Show Me thy countenance and let Me hear thy voice.” Do we know those supplications before God? A third sacrifice is to praise the Lord and to acknowledge Him for the benefits bestowed upon us. A fourth sacrifice is to devote our life to the service of God, not doing our work with sighs, but with pleasure. The last one we will mention is to contribute to the relief of the poor. We say it again —these sacrifices are not to add something for our own salvation, but they are done out of gratitude because the Lord is so worthy to receive the honor.

When we may bring such sacrifices, then there can be moments that we cannot stand because of the glory of the Lord, just as it was experienced by the priests at the dedication of the temple of Solomon. The Lord has formed this people to show forth His praise. In Christ the Father received His child back; the Son received His wages as was promised from eternity; and the Holy Ghost receives His habitation.

Rev. A.M. den Boer is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Sunnyside, Washington.

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