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 2:5
The Believer is a spiritual house built to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. This is an important notice for every Believer. God desires a habitation in His people; a place of dwelling and fellowship to give expression to His person and presence.
Stones are primary materials for building; they are the main building blocks assembled and organized to fashion and foment the structure to form and function. The strength, texture and quality of a Building is a square function of the materials used for it formation. According to the Scriptures, Paul in his epistle to the Corinthian Church, wrote; “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” (1 Cor. 3:9 KJV) A Believer is an abode, a dwelling and habitation of God. This must interest, excite and enliven every believer. God desires to indwell a Believer as in a Building.
Now, according to the Scriptures, the material for this building is a lively stone, a stone that has life; this life is derived from the nature and presence of God in the Believer. The Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4 KJV) We serve a Living God; a God that has Life and gives Life. The dead cannot interact or fellowship with God. There is no death in God. Our God is a Living God; His habitation breathes with the Life Nature of God. The life in the Believer is not a natural human life; it is the Divine Life Nature; the Life type that is of God and not mere human natural life.
By this Life, the lively stones are arranged and built up into a spiritual (not natural) house; to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are pleasing and acceptable to God. Within this spiritual house are spiritual activities designed and intended to please God. Paul wrote to the Roman Church, “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.” (Romans 12:1 KJV) We must give due notice to the demand and requirement of the Building we constitute for God; we are to present this House (our bodies) as a living sacrifice; denying natural and human entreaties for the divine entreaties of God. We are organized to respond to the demands, appeals and petitions of God’s Spirit in this Spiritual House.
God’s desire for a habitation in the Believer is to have a dwelling, a spiritual house where God’s will is desired and determined. As spiritual houses, the Bible admonishes, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2 NIV). As God’s dwelling, the Believer must protect and prevent the house from contamination or infringement of God’s Spirit rather permit and promote activities including sacrifices (denying oneself) that the will of God may be established.
Beloved, God designs you and me as His dwelling, a spiritual house, a base (of a sort) to operate and disseminate His will, blessings and salvation. The life in the lively stone is derived and maintained by the life derived from our connectivity and abiding in the Lord. Praise the Lord!
