GOD’S BUILDING
1 Pet. 1:4-5
Morning Meditation 4/19/16
Our meditation today will be on First Peter 1:4-5: “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 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.”
I do not believe that Peter is here speaking of a particular Church. He is speaking of the family of which all the saints of God are a part. This is a general epistle. It is not addressed to a particular assembly: 1 Peter 1:1-2, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”
These Jews of the dispersion are located in the different places mention. They could have well been converted on Pentecost then made their way back to their respective homes. There they were out of contact. Peter makes this contact to let them know that even though they do not have access to a local assembly, they are a part of a larger building and they need not be discouraged because they are a part of the whole.
The words “to whom coming, as unto a living stone” is speaking of Christ. This Living Stone is the foundation of the building (1 Cor. 3:11). The foundation is not Peter. He is the one writing here and he is referring to Jesus as the foundation. The Foundation on which their faith rests is alive. He is a living Stone. Christianity is not just a religion. Religion is founded on dead people’s ideas. This is true of all the so-called great religions. Peter wants them to know that the One on whom their faith is founded is alive and well. The word “coming” (proserchomai) is a present middle participle. This means they came to Christ by and act of their will. Peter is saying “you have made the right choice.” The middle voice is saying that they are personally benefitted by this choice they have made, i.e., they have been saved and made “living stones” themselves.
The words “disallowed indeed of men” mean that Jesus was “disapproved, rejected and repudiated of men.” The word “disallowed” (apodokimazo) means this. It is a perfect passive participle. This means that Jesus was “disapproved, rejected and repudiated” in the past and this is still true by those who did it. They have not changed their minds. Did you know that the one you hold dear as your Saviour is being repudiated by the world of religion? It is the “builders” that Peter is talking about here. These builders were the Jewish religious leaders who violently rejected and repudiated Jesus and put him on a cross to shut his mouth. We are a part of a minority sect, according to them, that has its faith in a liar who deserved to die. They have not changed their minds. Would you believe these religious leaders, many of whom hold teaching positions in colleges, universities and seminaries, continue to disapprove, reject, and repudiate Jesus as the virgin born Son of God and deny the Bible as the inspired inerrant Word of the living God? That great Scottish preacher, the late Dr. G. H. Morrison, has a sermon on this text, and he calls it, “The Ignorance of the Experts.”
The words “but chosen of God, and precious” mean that God has chosen what men have rejected. You know, man is just a little bit on the stupid side when he rejects what God has chosen. The word “chosen” (eklektos) means “to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for oneself.” Jesus is God’s choice! He did not choose the “builders” he chose Jesus. The word “precious” (entimos) means “to be held in honor, precious, costly, expensive.” To examine the expense and the honor in which he is held by God, read Philippians 2:5-11.
The words “Ye also, are lively stones” describe those who “coming” to him have been made upon coming. We are “living stones.” The word “lively” (zao) means “to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead).” The word “stones” (lithos) means a small stone out of which you make a building. While this is the same word that is used of Jesus, the rejected stone, it is obvious that size is not the emphasis by comparison. It means that as believers we are created in Christ Jesus of his very nature: Second Peter 1:4: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
The words “are built up a spiritual house” describe where these “strangers scattered” abroad are in the whole picture. They are a part of the same building as those who worship in truth in other places. The words “are built up” (oikodomeo) means “to build a building from the foundation.” It is a present passive indicative verb. The present tense means God is working on you right now. You are not forsaken. He is building you into that “spiritual house.” The passive voice means that these believers are not being asked to make a decision to be a part of that spiritual house, (like for instance, you have to decide to be a member of a local church), but on the basis of their faith in Christ, God is in the process of building them into this spiritual house. How encouraging this must have been to those who did not have access to the fellowship of a local assembly. This is no excuse for anyone refusing to become a part of a local New Testament Church where one is available. That would be disobedience that displeases the Lord (Eph.. 3:21).
The words “an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” describe acceptable service to the Lord as “strangers scattered” abroad. I cannot comment on all this with the room I have left. So let me comment on the words “by Jesus Christ.” The word “by” is “dia” and is the preposition through. Any acceptable service that we offer to God after we are saved, still must be through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4). Salvation does not save us for eternity and then set us free to go it on our own. We can act in Jesus Christ. It is a relationship that is going on by faith. It is “God which worketh in you both to will and do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). We are just branches. We are not the vine. And he is not in every idea we come up with. Even when we believe the ideas are for him and his glory. We are as helpless to make our own decisions apart from him as the branch is to produce fruit apart from the vine.
Now for fear of being misunderstood, let me say, I am not suggesting passivity. But I am suggesting that we must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). We have a tendency to let others, including denominational leaders, channel us. We are “lively stones” that he is putting in the building. Where he puts us in that building is his business.
May the Lord bless you.
In Christ
Bro. White
