LIVING FOR GOD

Peter’s letter now proceeds in a powerful way to its conclusion.   Having marshaled a series of excellent instructions aimed at causing them to live in faithfulness to God. Now Peter enters into an examination, laying foundations that will help them truly become Christlike.  Here  are echoes of the words  Jesus has been speaking, even before he went to the Cross. Ironically the way to live for Jesus is to be  put to death the old person and to draw close to God so you will stop being synonymous with the world.

 

¹ Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. ² As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. ³ For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. ⁴ They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. ⁵ But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

⁷ The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

1. ¹ Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. This is the verse that transitions from chapter three’s discussions of how to serve Christ in our different roles situations life.  Therefore is intended to be the lens or focus that applies to our witness in the world and our continuing faithfulness to God. What do you understand this verse to mean?  I’ll give you some time to answer that and in Sunday’s post we will examine the implications of the six verses which will follow.

PRAY FOR BOB

Bob Frey is a member of this Bible study through his wife Barb.  He has a severe hearing problem and this is the first Bible study he says where his inability to hear did not matter.  Bob has a kidney failing and will require another transplant, but this past has been filling up with fluids that are putting pressure on his heart.  Pray that this can be alleviated.

Biblical Joy will be back on December 26th.  Merry Christmas!

BUT IN YOUR HEART REVERE CHRIST

In our last session we discussed suffering for doing good.  Often when we are suffering, all of our attention and emotional energy is focused on how we feel or our sense injustice or deprivation.  But remember what verse 14 said: “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”Verses 15 and following flesh out a strategy for responding to suffering that puts aside fear and moves us forward to carry out the work of Jesus Christ no matter what they situation.

¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. ¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. ¹⁹ After being made alive,he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— ²⁰ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

1. The foundation of our response is to revere Christ.  What does this mean and why is it foundational?

2. Verse 16 speaks of our response to those who would see our lives in the face of suffering.  What is that response?

3. Why is keeping a clear conscience important?

4. Verses 17-18 tells us why suffering is a good thing for believers.  What is the value?

These days Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos is living this scenario.  Check out this link and comment. TEBOW

SUFFERING FOR DOING GOOD

We  move now to 1 Peter 3.8-22. We’ll look first at verses 8-14.

 ⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. ⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For,

   “Whoever would love life
   and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
   and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹ They must turn from evil and do good;
   they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
   and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

 ¹³ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats^[; do not be frightened.”

There is a popular teaching that has captured the Christian imagination particularly in North America and its economic opposite, Africa.  It is called the HEALTH AND WEALTH GOSPEL.  In a sentence this gospel teaches that if you are a faithful follower of God you will be physically prosperous and healthy.  It is the counterpoint to 1st century Judaism’s teaching that any sickness was the direct result of personal sin.  It is important to note that neither are the Gospel. These verses give lie to such a concept by preparing the believer for the reality that they will suffer for doing good.

1. Peter opens this section by describing five things or characteristics that a Christian needs to possess and exhibit.  What are they?

2. Why is it important to make these an integral part of our lives?

3. We already know that this section is focusing on witness. Why are these five characteristic necessary for effective witness?

4. What does it mean here when he says, “Do not fear?”

WIVES AND HUSBANDS – PART 2

Let’s look a little more deeply now at the text itself.

¹ Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, ² when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. ⁵ For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, ⁶ like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

Let me make some general comments.  Note that in verse one women are to submit to their own husbands. This is not a statement of how women should relate to men in general, but deals with a specific relationship–and one that Peter would have considered as distinctive.  There is no textual evidence to broaden this statement beyond that.

We often “use” some texts to focus on the actions of submission; but this text is speaking of the attitude of submission. Part of the reason for saying this is the statement in verse 1 in the same way.  This is a connector to chapter two which focused on Christ’s character and our call to be Christlike.

With these observations, let me ask this question:

1. What is the heart of submission exhibited in a wife’s behavior intended to accomplish?

If you are having trouble with the question, note this comment from Robert Rayburn in the Simplified Bible Commentary Series.

“In the first century, often the women were the first to hear the gospel message, because the men were busy working. Yet, in that culture it was the custom for the women to adopt the faith of their husbands. Peter says in verses 1-2 that the evangelism of a women’s husband doesn’t take place by convincing her husband, but by showing her husband the love and service of Christ.”

2. We tend to think of submission as having to do with decision-making and obedience to authority, but Peter is putting submission into the context of honoring Christ through our witness.  What are the implications of that for our discussion here about wives and husbands?

3.  How might that apply to marriage in the 21st century American culture?

Back to husbands now:

⁷ Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

4. Note the phrase in the same way. This instruction is intended to build upon the principle outlined in the preceding verses. What two specific things is a husband to do?

5. What are the two reasons for the way husbands should treat their wives?

6. The coupling of weaker partners and heirs with you is to remind us that women are not inferior to men. What is weak about the wife that requires a man’s strength or protection?

WIVES AND HUSBANDS – PART 1

There are times that the Bible runs right into the face of cultural perceptions and values.  The opening verses of chapter 3 are one such passage:

1 Peter 3

¹ Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, ² when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. ⁵ For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, ⁶ like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

⁷ Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Before we tackle the text, let us acknowledge the words and understandings that contemporary people, especially women in western society, may have trouble connecting with or affirming.

1. Verses 1 – submit yourselves to your own husbands  What would be offensive about this concept in the prevailing culture of our time?

2. What do you understand the Bible to mean by this?

3. Verses 5-6 ramp up this issue: “ They submitted themselves to their own husbands,  like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.” What makes this objectionable?

4. What do you understand the Bible to mean by this?

5. The final one comes from verse 7: treat them with respect as the weaker partner   What is objectionable here?

6. What does the Bible mean by this?

Before I post the deeper understanding of this text, I’d like to hear from you.

LIVING GODLY LIVES IN A PAGAN SOCIETY – PART 3

1 Peter 2.18-25 sums up the general commentary on living godly lives in a pagan society with a very specific (and troubling) instruction to the people at the very bottom of the political and socio-economic heap – SLAVES.

^“ Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.  But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

  “He committed no sin,
   and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

  When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”  For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1. What command does Peter give to slaves?  Are there any exceptions or escape  clauses in this instruction?

2. What is the motivation for a slave to choose obedience in this extreme and unjust situation?

3. What is the purpose of this obedience?

4. Who is the model for this obedience?

5. Some persons throughout history have used this text as a pre-text for the justification of slavery.  This is really scripture-twisting to do so.  Why?

A thought: We are often concerned first and primarily with rights-particularly our own.  Peter is concerned with reflection–reflection of the character of Christ to carry out the mission of Christ.

Note from Steve:  I have fallen a bit behind – but look for posts Wednesday and Friday to help get back up to speed.

LIVING GODLY LIVES IN A PAGAN SOCIETY, PART 2

After reminding his readers that they are citizens of another kingdom, Paul tackles some very difficult issues about living within that pagan culture.  The first has to do with authority. 1 Peter 2,13-18 reads–

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

I am both an American and a person who came of age in the Sixties with its strong anti-authoritarian and iconoclastic proclivities.  Verses 13-14 seem to throw down the gauntlet, challenging my willingness to be obedient to God’s will.

1. What does Paul say about our attitude towards human authority, including that of the government?

2. The latter half of verse 14 gives the reason for that.  What is it?

3. Remembering that the emperor in this case was very probably the mad meglomaniac Nero, is Paul saying that all humanity authorities are good?

4.  It is clear that our concern for our personal rights, personal justice, etc. are not the highest concern of God in these instances.  Verses 15-18 tell us what is on God’s mind when he commands us to honor those who are responsible for the well-being of society.  What are those reasons?

5.  What are the challenges here?

6.  Why is it so important to be obedient to God’s will in these situations (think about living in our nation today)?

I’ll have more to say in the next post.

LIVING GODLY LIVES IN A PAGAN SOCIETY

Modern day Christians like in what Dan Kimball calls “the Christian bubble.”  It is a protective environment where they have pretty much managed to eliminate non-Christians and non-Christian influences from their lives. The problem with the bubble is that Christians rarely have a clue how the real world must live and they have little or no influence on the culture around them.  And people out in the culture have no benefit from the Christian witness because the only ones they are familiar with are the “media crazies.”

For more on Kimball’s idea check out his book They Like Jesus But Not the Church.

The 1st century church had no such luxury or burden.  They had to live in the midst of a prevailing culture that was pagan–an a culture that neither acknowledged Christ nor honored hm=im.

Perhaps with Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 5, “You are the salt of the earth” still ringing in his memory, Peter wrote these words:

¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2.11-12

1. Again, note the identity of the believers in the prevailing culture.  Why do you think there is such an insistence on “foreigners and exiles?”

2. What, in particular, are his two specific instructions to the believers?

3. Why is the first instruction so vital and why does it come first?

4. How do you observe that Christians today are at war for their souls? (Note, I did not say “at war with the culture.”)

5.  What is the modus operandi for believers as they engage the culture and its people?

6. How do believers today deal with a pagan culture that can be at odds with this instruction?

7. What ways have you seen the “good deeds” strategy at work in our church or in your life?  What has been the outcome?

SPIRITUAL HOUSES AND MORE

^“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual houseto be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2.5

It would be a mistake to  race past this verse without further comment.  In our REAL DISCIPLES Class we introduce people to the idea that we, as the church, are not an organization–we are an organism.  Why the distinction?

An organization is often a human construct — looking at one’s work and goals and then organizing to accomplish it in as orderly and productive a manner as possible.  Service groups, businesses, and affinity groups are basically organizations.

All of these can and do exist basically by human ingenuity and cooperative effort.

The Church, however, is a different matter.  It is a supernatural entity, described in scripture as the Body of Christ.  The very word “body” implies something living, organic.  It is brought into being by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.  It is directed and empowered by the guidance of that Spirit.  Its existence  is solely to be the continuing re-presentation of the Risen Lord, carrying on His work in the flesh until He returns.

The Church is organized-just as anything that is effective has an organization to it.  A human body, for instance, is organized by its Intelligent Designer, the Lord God.

Although it clearly is expressed through our humanity — it is intended to be spiritual in its nature and its purpose.

This means. also, that it is led by the Holy Spirit.  An organization may have a leader, generally elected by its membership.  The church has a human leader, elders and pastors, but they are persons of authority under authority–answerable to a higher Leader, Jesus Christ.  An organization is generally a democracy of sorts when it involves voluntary associations.  The church is a theocracy–it answers to God, not to its constituents.

John Piper has some excellent thoughts on how this organism is intended to function. – Steve

How Spiritual Sacrifices Become Acceptable to God

Notice, in these verses, six steps in the way God gets spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him.

1. Jesus Christ, the Living Stone

First, in verse 4, there is Jesus Christ the living Stone. Peter calls him a stone because of prophecies in the Old Testament: “Behold I am laying in Zion a stone” (Isaiah 28:16). “The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner” (Psalm 118:22). We’ll come back to this.

2. Those Longing for Him Come to Him

Second, in verse 4 those who have tasted the kindness of the Lord (recall verse 3 from three weeks ago)—those who have tasted that the Lord is kind and now long for him the way a baby longs for milk—they now (in verse 4) come to him: “And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice [=chosen] and precious in the sight of God.”

3. We Are Shaped into Living Stones

Third, the result of this coming to him is that we are shaped into living stones for use in a spiritual building. Verse 5: “You also as living stones are being built.” Contact with the Living Stone makes us alive and fits us for our place in his architectural plan.

4. We Are Built into a Spiritual House

Fourth, when we come to the living stone and are shaped into living stones ourselves, we are built into a “spiritual house.” Christ is the builder here. He builds individual Christians into a spiritual temple. It’s spiritual because it houses the Holy Spirit. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). That’s a reference to the local church, not to individuals in this context.

What we see so far is that God lays this stone, Jesus Christ, in Zion, that is, in Jerusalem, and men reject it—crucify him—but God has chosen this stone and regards him as infinitely precious, and raises him from the dead and makes him an ever-living stone, and gives him the place of highest honor at the head of the corner. All of this to the end that Christ might gather a people who would themselves be alive like him and would make a temple, a church—an eternal dwelling place for the Spirit of God.

5. We Are a Holy Priesthood

Fifth, the greatness of the reality forces the imagery to break down. Not only are we living stones being built into a spiritual house for God’s habitation, we are also a “holy priesthood.” In other words, we are not merely the passive building where God dwells; we are also the active participants in worship. And not just participants, but a special kind of participant, the priests. All of you. This is the great teaching about the “priesthood of all believers.”

We all—lay people and vocational elders—are the priests of this new spiritual house, and our privilege now as priests is to draw near to God with spiritual sacrifices. The priests brought the sacrifices into the tabernacle in the Old Testament. But now that tabernacle is replaced by the Christian church. The atoning altar is replaced by Jesus Christ and his shed blood. And the priests are replaced by you, those who believe in Christ.

6. Spiritual Sacrifices Are Offered to God Through Christ

Sixth, the goal of all this is that spiritual sacrifices would be offered which are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Make sure Jesus gets his due right here. God’s aim is that we offer him spiritual sacrifices (we’ll talk about what that is in a minute). And we can only do that “through Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the Living Stone. Everything hangs on our coming to the Living Stone. If we don’t come to Jesus, the Living Stone, then we don’t have life and we are not built into a spiritual house, and we do not become a holy priesthood, and we will not offer spiritual sacrifices. It all hangs on Jesus and connecting with Jesus—coming to Jesus. That’s why Peter ends verse 5 with the words “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Jesus Is Infinitely Precious

This should cause us to love Jesus with all our hearts. He is the only way to God. He is the only way to be alive forever. He is the only way to be a dwelling for God. He is the only way we can do anything acceptable to God. This is why verse 7 says that he is precious, costly to us who believe. Yes, infinitely precious. There is no greater value in the universe than Jesus. He means more to us than anything or anybody.

Just think of all the people around the world who know there is a God. Nature declares his glory and their own consciences tell them it must be so. But they don’t know how to do anything fully acceptable to this God—because they don’t know Jesus. They try rituals and disciplines and sacrifices and vows and relics and virtues—but all in vain. Because God says (at the end of verse 5) the sacrifices that are acceptable to him are acceptable “through Jesus Christ.” Not through human effort or human merit or human achievement. But “through Jesus Christ.”

That’s why Paul said in Romans 15:18, “I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me.”

The preciousness of Christ to our hearts is this: through him we know God and come to God and experience the presence of God and offer acceptable sacrifices to God. Without him all is distance and darkness and wrath. Christ is precious, very precious.

What Are These Spiritual Sacrifices?

Now let’s walk backward through some of these six steps and take another look at them.

What are these spiritual sacrifices that we offer to God through Jesus Christ (v. 5b). If that’s the goal of everything else, it must be very important. What is it?

Bodies

In Romans 12:1 Paul says that we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. That means, I think, that everything you do with your body is to be done as an act of worship to God. Whether you eat or drink or hammer nails or drive a car or make a meal or program a computer or read a book or shoot a basketball or mend a shirt—whatever you do with your body, do to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Then it is your spiritual service of worship.

Praise and Thanks

It might include singing or speaking words of praise as in Hebrews 13:15, “Continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name.” So the spiritual sacrifices are the praises and thanks of God’s people alone and in group worship.

Acts of Love

Or it might include acts of love like giving and sharing. For example, in Philippians 4:18 Paul receives gifts of support from the Philippian church and says, “I received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” And in Hebrews 13:16 it says, “Do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

What We Do From, Through, and For Christ

What then are spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ? They are the deeds you do, the words you speak, the songs you sing—when you do them spiritually. That is, when you do them in reliance on the power of the Spirit, according to the will of the Spirit, and for a manifestation of the Spirit—which is a manifestation of Christ.

What We Should Ask About Our Worship

This is clearly a word to us about our worship here at Bethlehem. Is it spiritual? Are the sacrifices we offer spiritual sacrifices? Are we leaders in worship spiritual people? Do we sing in the power of the Spirit, and according to the will of the Spirit, and as a manifestation of the Spirit of Christ? Do our instrumentalists play their instruments in the power of the Spirit, according to the will of the Spirit, and as a manifestation of the Spirit of Christ? Do I preach in reliance on the power of the Spirit, according to the will of the Spirit, and as a manifestation of the Spirit of Christ?

Is our worship spiritual? If it is not, it is not acceptable to God. If it is, he will accept it, not because it’s perfect—it never will be in this age—much less because it’s refined or well-crafted, but because it comes “through Jesus Christ.” Spiritual sacrifices are sacrifices from Christ and through Christ and for Christ. They get their power from the Spirit of Christ, they get their content from the Word of Christ, and they have their goal in the glory of Christ. And they flow only from a heart devoted to his power and his Word and his glory. And that is the only kind of worship God accepts.

Spiritual Sacrifices Offered by a Holy Priesthood

The second step in moving backward through the six steps is that these spiritual sacrifices are offered by a holy priesthood. That’s not the pastoral staff, that’s not the elders, that’s not the choir; it’s you the people. Look at verse 9: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.” This means that you all have access to God through Jesus Christ. You do not take your sacrifice to the priest and watch while he takes it to the altar or to the tent of meeting with God. You all are called by God to approach the altar and the throne, and to make your own personal sacrifice in personal life and in corporate worship.

And therefore you must be holy (1:15). You must be set apart for God. Cleansed by the blood of Christ through faith, and dedicated to relentless and ruthless opposition to sin in your life. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. You are a priest to God. You are a part of a worship team, called “the holy priesthood.” Without this God-wrought holiness we do not offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

The Holy Priesthood Is Also a Spiritual House

Third, this holy priesthood is also a “spiritual house.” You are all living stones built by God into a spiritual house, that is, a temple made for the presence of a holy God. Listen to the way Paul said this in Ephesians 2:19–22

You are . . . of God’s household, . . . 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.

The main thing here is that we as a church are meant by Christ to be a corporate dwelling of God in the Spirit. It’s true that each of us is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). But there is more of God to be known and enjoyed than anyone can know in isolation. We are being fitted together, Paul says, for a temple and for a dwelling of God by his Spirit. There is a presence and power and manifestation of the Spirit of God meant to be known in this gathering of worship that we do not know at any other time in isolation.

We are not just isolated living stones. We are, verse 5 says, being built (by Christ—”I will build my church”) as a spiritual house. The stones are meant to so fit together in this house called Bethlehem that something whole, something more than a collection of individuals comes into being—a temple, a dwelling of God by his Spirit.

And O how jealous I am to see that happen more than it ever has.

How Are We Being Built into a Spiritual House?

And to that end let me just return to the strategy Peter focuses on for this to happen. He says in verse 4, “And coming to Him [Christ] as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built.” How are we being built into this spiritual house? By coming to Christ.

Now be careful here. This is not a reference to conversion—that initial coming to Christ, though that it awesomely important and I pray some may come this morning for the first time. It is a reference to daily, hour-by-hour drawing near to Christ as a strong, living Person.

Notice, verse 4 flows out of verse 3 and refers back to it with the word “him.” Verse 4: “Coming to HIM”—to whom? To the one whose kindness you have tasted—how good it is. This helps us get a good handle on what “coming to Christ” means. Verse 3 is an incentive in both directions. It motivates verse 2 and it motivates verse 4.

If you have tasted the kindness of the Lord—then (v. 2) long for the Word of Christ the way a baby longs for milk. If you have tasted the kindness of the Lord—then (v. 4) come to Christ.

Coming to Christ is what you do when you long for his Word the way a baby longs for milk, and, longing for it, come to it and feed on it and find Christ in it. “They feast on the abundance of Thy house and Thou givest them drink from the river of Thy delights” (Psalm 36:8).

If we are going to be a spiritual temple for God’s presence, and if we are going to be a holy priesthood, and if we are going to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, then we must day-by-day, hour-by-hour come to Christ. We must taste his kindness by feeding on his Word—his promises, his commands, his teachings, his warnings—until we are so filled with him that his Word will dwell among us richly as we teach and admonish one anther with thankfulness in our hearts to God.

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 By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org