As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.1
Jesus is a living stone in a new foundation of a new spiritual house, For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”2 Jesus is this cornerstone, of a new temple of God, it began in Zion, Jerusalem, from this new temple he is enthroned, he rules with all authority, this is His Church. Jesus said, The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”2
This living stone was rejected by the builders, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. Jesus the word of God who is the foundation, they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. now you are God’s people.3 We come to Jesus, a living stone of a new nation, chosen race, priesthood, and a new spiritual house.
Jesus is a living stone in a new foundation of a new spiritual house, For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”2 Jesus is this cornerstone, of a new temple of God, it began in Zion, Jerusalem, from this new temple he is enthroned, he rules with all authority, this is His Church. Jesus said, The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”2 This living stone was rejected by the builders, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. Jesus the word of God who is the foundation, they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. now you are God’s people.3 We come to Jesus, a living stone of a new nation, chosen race, priesthood, and a new spiritual house.
Paul wrote that we are the house of Christ; Moses was a servant of God's house, but Christ is the son of God's house, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. 4 He would also write to live is Christ and to die is gain. For Christ to live in us is for him to have a spiritual house in us, a walking, talking, mobile temple of God, iTemple. This word for house, oikos, is used elsewhere to refer to the house of God, like when Jesus said, It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”5
Paul goes on to say if someone is just saved with no good works of eternal significance, then they will be saved as through fire. He then speaks of being God's temple and that God's spirit dwells within us. This person will be transformed through fire, they obviously have not been a living stone in the temple of God thus their works are all burned up. When we are working his good works, the workmanship we were created to do, it will be bringing forth the building and edification of the temple of God, not the building but the living stones, the people of God. When we work his good works God uses this to build our faith, to be renewed to his image, transformed in Christ, by fire, but not so for someone just being saved.6
This concept of a temple being built by living stones is an amazing one. Think of this temple encompassing the earth. Such brings new light to the Word spreading to the ends of the earth, it is not just hearing but believing in the word, Jesus, becoming a living stone, in his temple. Picture these living stones in Israel, Iran, China, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Columbia, USA, UK, Ukraine, Russia, India... these children of God, living stones being built up as a spiritual house. Such an awesome picture of His Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven.
He is to be enthroned on earth, his kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. But let us be not deceived, we must not defile the temple of God, but strive to be holy as he is holy, to love as he loves, and we must work to build up the walls of his temple, so that none of his will be lost. Let us do our part to place another living stone in his spiritual house. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.7