LIKE LIVING STONES

MONDAY 01 NOVEMBER 2021

Receiving Christ is the best earthly decision we ever made as born again Christians. This is because the ultimate victory of the rejected Stone is now our heritage in God and also this living Stone is the foundation on which the church or body of Christ, which is a spiritual house, is being built.

Reference: 1 Peter 2:4-5 New International Version (NIV) "As you come to him, the living Stone - rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him - you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Just like the old covenant Priest required being clothed in special garments and being anointing with oil, in order to perform his official duties as a priest, once we receive Christ, we are clothed with the righteousness of God, and anointed by the Holy Spirit. This means that we are consecrated to God and the purpose of this consecration is to become a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God in this world, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Note that the Old testament priest was not able to carry out His priestly duties without these special garments and most importantly, those garments were precisely prescribed and defined by God. In the same manner, as we come to Christ, the living Stone, we wear His righteousness by receiving His salvation, not our own righteousness. That way, we are consecrated to offer spiritual sacrifices to God in acceptable manner. However every born again Christian is qualified to offer spiritual sacrifices to the Lord. But its no longer the blood sacrifices for sin because Christ already fulfilled or made a perfect sacrifice for sin through His blood.

As living stones in the pattern of Christ, we are all being built into a spiritual house. That's what our referenced Scripture means when it says, "you also, like living stones." In other words, Christ, the living Stone is the model, custom or design used as a guide in building this spiritual house. No wonder the Scripture says, "For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:9-11). This is Paul the apostle specifying the pattern that must be followed because the already laid foundation is Christ, the living Stone.

As co-workers in God's service, how do we offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ? Our priestly activities entail prayer and worship. Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship" (NIV). Our sacrifice of faithful service and praise is an offering to God. Hebrews 13:15 (KJV) says, "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." We have the freewill offering or financial giving as a fragrant, which is a priestly activity, acceptable and pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18 NIV). We also have the "sacrifice of doing good" which is recorded in Hebrews 13:16: "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (NKJV).

Revelation 1:6 says that Christ has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father (NLT). Therefore as Christians we're called to express our identity as a "Kingdom of priests." Also in 1 Peter 2:9, we are identified as royal priests, a holy nation, and God's very own possession. As a "royal priest", whenever you offer yourself to God for his service, whether it is joint service with fellow Christians in a ministry or as a person, or the service of living according to His will in your day to day choices and attitudes, you are offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. It is no longer a spiritual sacrificial only meant for the role of a priest in the Old testament; it is now the responsibility and privilege of every born again Christian as a holy priesthood. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 28:16; Acts 4:11-12; Romans 15:16.

Exuberant Declaration: The stone the builders tossed aside is now the most important stone of all, which is Christ, the living Stone. This is something the Lord has done, and it is amazing to me. By following the pattern of the living Stone in its destined position, I'm being built daily into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. Glory to God!