Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 11:45

“For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:45, ESV)

New Testament Reading: 1 Peter 2:1–12

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 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. 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.’ So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’ 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. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:1–12, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

Brothers and sisters, this little sermon series on the doctrine of the church is very important. If we are going to thrive together as a church on into the future, then we had better know what we are.

In this brief sermon series on the church, I am not focusing on the particulars. The particular do matter. How, specifically, is the church to be governed? How is discipline to be done? How is the church to worship? These are important questions that need to be addressed. But in this series, we are considering the nature, purpose, and characteristics of Christ’s church in a more generic way, and we are doing so utilizing the imagery of the temple. 

Christ’s church is God’s temple. Its foundation is the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-22). It stones are people, chosen by God, and made alive by his Spirit. These are graciously brought to faith in Christ. The rest upon him as their foundation for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life. They align with his teaching and way of life  (1 Peter 2:4-5). And the purpose of this spiritual, inaugurated eschatological temple of God is to worship God and to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV). 

Today we turn our attention to the character or quality of Christ’s temple-church. And what is the character or quality of Christ’s temple-church? She is holy. To be holy is to be set apart unto God. To be holy is to be free from the defilement of sin. To be holy is to be morally upright and pure. God is holy, and only those who are holy are able to draw near to him in his holy temple. This was true under the Old Covenant in an earthly and typological way. Only the priests who were set apart unto the service of God were invited to draw near, and only after washing in water and not with animal blood. If the Old Covenant tabernacle and temple were holy, and if no unclean thing was permitted to enter in, how much more must we consider the New Covenant temple of God, which is the inaugurated eschatological new creation temple of God, to be holy? To enter in, you must be holy. To be placed as a living stone within this temple, you must be pure. Paul alludes to this truth in 1 Corinthians 3:16. Speaking the church in Corinth he says,  “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys [defiles, corrupts] God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16–17, ESV).

This presents a problem, for no human being is holy, in and of themselves with the exception of Christ.

To understand how sinful people (like you and me) can possibly be set as stones in God’s holy temple, two things must be said.

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The Stones Of God’s Temple Are Those Who Have Been Made Holy By The Shed Blood Of Christ

Firstly, the stones of God’s new creation temple are those who have been made holy by the shed blood of Christ. If we are in Christ – that is to say, if we are united to him by the grace of God through faith – then we have been made holy. 

We are not holy in and of ourselves. Paul testifies to this when he quotes a slew of Old Testament passages including Psalms 14 and 53, saying, “‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’ ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes’” (Romans 3:10–18, ESV). He then remarks, “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19–20, ESV). Stated in the terms of holiness, no one is holy. All are unholy. And if we really understood God’s moral law, we would see this clearly. 

So then, by nature and because of our sinful corruption and sinful thoughts, words, and deeds, we are not worthy, in and of ourselves, to be set as stones in God’s holy temple. Now that man is fallen into sin, we are not worthy by nature to draw near to God in his holy temple. Like Adam and Eve after they rebelled, we deserve to be cast out, banish, and barred from God’s temple forever. But we know that God has made a way for us to be cleansed so that we might draw near. 

This cleansing was typified under the Old Covenant at the tabernacle and later temple by the water of the bronze laver and the blood of bulls and goats. The people of Isarel were invited to draw near to God in his holy temple through the priesthood. These priests were washed with the water. These priests had their guilt atoned for by the blood of animals. They drew near to God as representatives of the nation. But we know that that water did not actually wash away sin. The blood did not actually remove guilt. Yes, it cleansed the people ceremonially and on earth, but really and truly before God in heaven. Pick up the book of Hebrews and read if you need to be convinced of this! No, but the water and the blood of the Old Covenant did point forward to the water and blood which flowed from Christ’s side. It is through faith in him that we have true and eternal cleansing, for his blood was poured out for the forgiveness of many (Matthew 26:28).     

The living stones out of which God’s eternal temple is being built are not naturally holy. Adam and Eve were holy when God created them, but they rebelled. In that moment they lost their original righteousness. And all who descended from them are not holy but are born in sin (Psalm 51:5) and are by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). We are naturally holy. No, instead we are defiled and impure. 

How then can a sinful, defiled person draw near to the Holy God in his holy temple? How can one who is corrupted be set as a living stone in the holy temple of the LORD? They must be made holy. They must be cleansed. Friends, the blood of Jesus is the only thing that can remove the scarlet stain of sin and make us white as snow before God.   

This cleansing was offered to sinners in Old Testament times through the promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the types and shadows of the Old Mosaic Covenant, and also prophesy. For example, the LORD spoke through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “Come now, let us reason together… though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18, ESV).

 The New Testament Scriptures plainly declare that this cleansing is available through faith in Jesus Christ alone.   

I think of 1 John 1:5ff. “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:5–10, ESV).

I think also of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Here Paul reminds the Christians in Corinth of their past life of sin before placing their faith in Christ and of the cleansing they have received. He says, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, ESV).

Here Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians of what they once were and what they now are. You used to be all of these vile things, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” When were they washed, sanctified (set apart positionally), and justified (declared not guilty by God in heaven)? The moment they were drawn to faith in Jesus through the hearting of the gospel and by the working of the Spirit of our God. 

Brothers and sisters, the stones of God’s new creation temple must be holy and pure, free from the defilement of sin. And the only way for these stones to be holy is for God to make them holy by applying the blood of Christ to them. If we are to be holy before God, we must be cleansed. We must be washed. We must be justified and renewed. Our filthy defiled garments must be removed, and we must be clothed with Christ’s righteousness. All of this is received by faith in Christ alone. It is a gift freely given by God, and as a gift, it cannot be earned but must be received.  

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The Stones Of God’s Temple Will Pursue Holiness In Their Way Of Life

So then, the first thing that must be said is this: the stones of God’s new creation temple are those who have been made holy by the shed blood of Christ. Secondly, the stones of God’s new creation temple will pursue holiness in their way of life. Stated differently, they will strive to be holy because they have been made holy.

Brothers and sisters, the order is very important. We do not strive to be holy in order to be made holy before God. No, having been made holy (by God’s grace and through faith in Christ) we do then strive to live a holy life before him. To state the matter in different theological terms, justification leads to progressive sanctification flows out of justification, not the other way around. Or, to quote John, “We love because [God] first loved us” (1 John 4:19, ESV). God does not love us because we took the initiative to love him. No, it is God who takes the initiative. It is God who first does a work in us to cleanse and renew us. And then we worship and serve him in response to his love and grace and in the power and freedom of the new life that he has given to us through our Spirit-wrought union to Christ Jesus. 

We must get the order right. To get the order wrong means that we do not understand nor believe the gospel. The gospel is not be holy to be made right with God. The gospel is that God makes all who trust in Christ holy. This is by his grace. This gift is received by faith. And those who are made holy will certainly strive to be holy in their way of life, because God has cleansed them, renewed them in the mind, will, and affections, freed them from bondage, and empowered them with his Spirit. 

With this clarification stated (so as to protect the gospel and to guard against the error of legalism) it must now be stressed, that God’s people will indeed strive after holiness. Consider seven things about striving after holiness. 

One, the Scriptures command God’s people to strive for holiness. We need not leave 1 Peter to see this. In chapter 1:3-5, Peter blesses “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! [Who] According to his great mercy… has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for [us], who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3–5, ESV). Notice the emphasis is first placed upon what God has done for us. And then in 1:13 he says, “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:13–16, ESV).

And consider also 1 Peter 2, which have been considered together in this series. It is here that the church is described in “temple” language. And at the beginning and end of this passage, holiness is urged. Look at 2:1: “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:1–3, ESV). And look at 2:11: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11–12, ESV).  As I have said, those who have been made holy (by God’s grace) will strive for holiness. The Scriptures command it.

Two, the Scriptures warn those who would claim to be Christians who do not pursue holiness. These ought not to have confidence that they are children of God, for their deeds contradict their profession of faith. 

Consider Jesus’ words as recorded in Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21–23, ESV). Does this passage teach that we must earn our way into heaven through law-keeping? No! But it does teach that there are some (even many), who call Jesus “Lord” and do not mean it. Tell me, if Jesus is truly a person’s Lord and Savior, will they strive to obey their Lord, or not? Yes. Those who truly have Jesus as Lord will long to obey him. They will pursue holiness, that is to say, obedience to Christ’s commands.    

1 John 2:3-6 also comes to mind: “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:3–6, ESV)

Three, though it is true that God’s people will strive after holiness, it is also true that they will not reach perfection until the life to come. Corruptions remain within us. The world tempts us from with out. The Evil one also works against us. Sanctification is a process. Those who have faith in Christ will pursue holiness. They ought to progress in holiness. But sinless perfection will be enjoyed by us only in the life to come.

Our confession of faith speaks to this beautifully in chapter 9, which is entitled, Of Free Will. Paragraph 4 stays, “When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he frees him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions, he does not perfectly, nor only will that which is good, but does also will that which is evil.” Paragraph 5 then says, “This will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only.”

Romans 7 proves the point true Christians still struggle with sin. There Paul the apostles talks about his own struggle with sin. At one point he says, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19, ESV). And then he says, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24, ESV).

Four, a believer’s confidence that they are indeed a child of God and have been forgiven by him must first be grounded in Jesus Christ and in the truth of the gospel. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV), the Scriptures say. Do you trust in Christ truly? Do you look to his shed blood for cleansing? Well, here is the objective and unshakable foundation for our sense of assurance. It is the work of Christ! It is finished. But there are two other things that testify in a subjective way to the fact that we are indeed children of God. One, God’s Spirit testifies to our souls. That is Paul speaks of in Romans 8:16, saying, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…” (Romans 8:16, ESV). And the fruit of our obedience is also a sign of our genuineness. This is what John speaks of in 1 John 2:3: “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3, ESV).

So then, if I were to approach you, Christian, and ask you, how do you know that you are saved? How do you know that your sins are forgiven? What should your first response be? I know that I am right with God because of what Jesus Christ did for me? He lived for sinners, died for sinners, and rose for sinners. God’s Word says that I’m forgiven if I trust in him. I trust in him indeed. And more then this, God’s Spirit is in me and reminds me that I am God’s child. And more than this, I am growing in holiness. I am progressing in sanctification. And when I sin, God’s Spirit convicts me and calls me back. And I know that God disciplines those he loves. 

This issue of confidence or assurance is an interesting one. There are some who are confident that they are God’s children when they should not be, for they are hypocrites. There is no fruit or evidence that they are a child of God. And yet there are others who ought to have assurance who do not. Perhaps these are plagued by a tender conscience or by some other thing. These need to be reminded of the truth of the gospel – “whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. These also need to be reminded that true Christians do sometimes fall into sin. No one is perfect. It is our ongoing pursuit of holiness, our progress, and our positive response to the discipline of the Lord in repentance, that are pieces of evidence that we are indeed children of God. Indeed, it is through this pursuit of holiness and through progress that we make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10).

Five, believers are to strive after holiness but not with their own strength alone. No, we must strive with the strength that God provides. And we are to strive making use of the means that God has provided for our growth in grace. We must abide in Christ to produce godly fruit. And we must partake of the ordinary means of grace – the word of God read and preached, prayer, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. These are all to be administered when the saints assemble to fellowship with one another. Strive for holiness with everything that is in you, but not in your strength alone. Paul wrote to the Philippians, saying, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” (Philippians 2:12, ESV).

Six, Christians are not to strive after holiness alone but must pursue it within the church. There Christians are to encourage one another and stir one another up. “[S]ince we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:21–25, ESV). 

Seven, as we strive after holiness in the church we must not despise discipline. Discipline is such an important part of the Christian life. And please hear me: before discipline is formal and corrective (Matthew 18, 1 Corinthians 5:11, etc.), it is organic and formative. God disciplines his people continuously because he loves them. And God’s people are to exhort, encourage, and correct one another continuously, because they love God and one another. Paul wrote to the Thesolonian church, saying, “Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thessalonians 5:13–14, ESV). To the churches in Galatia he said, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1–2, ESV). Formative discipline is not the job of the elders only. Every member should be concerned to encourage others in the temple of Christ in their pursuit of holiness.

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Conclusion

God’s temple is holy, brothers and sisters, and you are that temple. The stones of God’s new creation temple are those who have been made holy by the shed blood of Christ. These will pursue holiness in their way of life, for God has cleansed them, renewed them, freed them, and is sanctifying them still. 

Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 37:1–14

“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”” (Ezekiel 37:1–14, ESV)

New Testament Reading: 1 Peter 2:1–12

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 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. 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.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” 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. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:1–12, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

In this brief series, we are considering the church as it exists in the world today under the New Covenant, and we are doing so according to the theme of “temple”. As you know, the church is called the temple of God in the New Testament, and so we are taking a bit of time to consider the implications of that.

In the previous sermon, we considered the foundation of God’s temple-church. The foundation is not made of stone but is Christ. Or to say it another way, the foundation of God’s inaugurated eternal temple is the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone. God’s temple is not physical. It is spiritual. Its foundation stones are people filled with God’s Spirit. The apostles and prophets are said to be foundation stones in this temple, not because of anything in themselves, but because of the message they proclaimed. And who did they proclaim ultimately? They proclaimed salvation through Christ, the promised Messiah, the One Anointed by God with the Spirit beyond measure. The foundation of God’s inaugurated eternal temple is Christ. The clear implication is this: all who are a part of God’s temple now, and all who hope to be a part of God’s temple in the new heavens and earth, must be aligned with Christ and they must also trust in him or depend upon him, for he is the only foundation of God’s eternal temple. Stated in another way, it will only be those who are aligned with Christ and who trust in him as their eternal foundation who enjoy the glorious and gracious presence of God forever and ever in the new heavens and earth. 

Today, we will shift our attention from the foundation of God’s inaugurated eternal temple, to the stones of this temple. Like with the foundation, the stones of God’s temple are not made of stone. No, they are people. This is about God’s presence, brothers and sisters. This is about God dwelling in the midst of his people. This was even the point in those days when the tabernacle, and later the temple of God, was constructed by Old Covenant Isarel. Those physical structures were not made because God needed shelter. And neither were they made in order to make communion with God possible for people. No physical structure was needed in Eden, remember? Nor was a physical structure necessary from the days of Adam to Moses. Men walked with God in those days, and they did not have a physical structure to contain God’s presence. And we know that in the New Heavens and earth, there will be no physical tabernacle of cloth or temple of stone. No, all of God’s renewed creation will be his tabernacle. There in that renewed creation, God will dwell in the midst of his people, and his people who have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb will dwell with him – we will enjoy his presence. The physical tabernacle and the physical temple of Old Covenant Israel were not needed to make communion with God possible. No, but they were graciously given to Israel, one, to facilitate the form of worship that was given to them, and two, to function as signs or symbols concerning God in heaven, the way that he had made for men to approach him, and the work that he would do through the Christ in the future to earn a new creation. 

Do not misinterpret (as so many have) the purpose of the Old Covenant tabernacle and temple, brothers and sisters. To use the language of Paul in Galatians 3:19, they were “added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made…” (Galatians 3:19, ESV). The tabernacle, and later temple, along with all of the laws unique to Old Covenant Israel, were added for a time until the promised Christ was brought into the world through Israel to accomplish his work of redemption. And when he came, he declared the temple – the physical, Old Covenant temple in Jerusalem to be desolate and obsolete. Christ declared the temple to be desolate and obsolete, not because he was against the temple, but because, now that he, the Messiah, had come to accomplish redemption and to inaugurate the New Covenant, the temple of Old had served its purpose. 

And listen to this: with the transition from the Old Covenant to the New there did also come a change in the law, in the priesthood, and with the temple. The temple of Old was made of cloth, stone, and precious earthly things. The New Covenant temple is spiritual. Its foundation is the Anointed Christ along with the apostles and prophets who testified concerning him. And its stones are all who align with Christ and trust in Christ who have been made alive and filled with God’s Holy Spirit .“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, ESV).

I’d like you to imagine being a Jewish-Christian living in the days when Jesus walked the earth and shortly thereafter.  Growing up, you would have worshipped at the temple in Jerusalem and lived according to all of the ceremonial laws of Moses. But when Jesus, the Messiah arrived, he set all of those things to the side, because he fulfilled them. Imagine how difficult that transition would be. And it was a transition. The Old forms slowly passed away as they gave way to the New. The book of Acts tells that story. And by the year 70 A.D. that glorious temple in Jerusalem was gone. The Romans destroyed it. They tore it down to its foundation just like Jesus said they would (Matthew 24). That must have been a very jarring experience even for the Jewish Christians. They must have wrestled emotionally with a sense of loss. 

But was it really a loss? Answer: No! For something much, much greater had arrived. Christ arrived. And by his finished work, a new creation had entered in. It was then that the Spirit of God was poured out on all flesh. It was then that God’s eternal kingdom was inaugurated. It was then that God’s eternal temple was begun. No doubt, those Jewish Christians who lived during this time of transition wrestled emotionally with a sense of loss. But if their faith in Christ was true, they would have confessed that there was no loss, but only gain. 

Indeed, the book of Hebrews is all about this. And Paul’s words to the Philippians definitely apply. He was thinking of everything he had left behind to as a Jew according to the flesh to follow Christ when he said, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:8–11, ESV). Once Paul saw Jesus for who he was, all of the fleshly, earthly things associated with Old Covenant Judaism seemed like rubbish to him. And this would have applied to the earthly temple too. As grand and glorious as that structure was (and it was very grand and glorious!) it was nothing in comparison to the surpassing worth of Christ, his covenant, kingdom, and temple. 

I’ve asked you to use your imagination and to try to see all of this through the eyes of a Jewish Christian living in the days after Christ’s ascension so that you might enter into the struggle of considering that which is spiritual and invisible as being far superior to that what is physical and even gloriously so.

Brothers and sisters, many of these first churches were very small. They would have assembled in rather humble buildings, sometimes in homes, and sometimes in rented halls.  And we know that these churches were often persecuted, sometimes severely. That would have tested the faith of many, don’t you think? I’m sure that many from amongst the Jews were tempted to turn their backs on Christ and return to the well-established and visibly glorious ways of Old Covenant Judaism. This would have been especially tempting prior to the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. But those who knew and truly believed that Christ was far superior and that he had come in fulfillment to these visible and earthly things, persevered in Christ. They, like Paul,  counted “everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus [their] Lord. For his sake [they]…  suffered the loss of all things and [counted] them as rubbish, in order that [they might] gain Christ and be found in him…” (Philippians 3:8ff.).

And I mention all of this, not only to encourage you to imagine how things must have been for these early Christians so that you might sympathize with them but so that you might also see that we wrestle with similar thoughts and emotions in our day. I doubt that any here are mourning over the loss of the temple in Jerusalem or longing in their hearts to see it rebuilt. No, but I’m confident that many of us have struggled with the spirituality of the church and her apparent weakness and insignificance in the world in this New Covenant era.

The church, like her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, often appears to be small, weak, and insignificant in the world. There have been times when the church has thrived both physically and spiritually, externally and inwardly. But those times have been rare in the history of the church. And in many cases, the worldly prosperity of the visible church is not a sign of inwards and spiritual health, but of spiritual sickness and compromise. Brothers and sisters, Christ’s church often suffers. She often appears to be weak and insignificant. And I would imagine that many of you have noticed this and have struggled with it, somewhat. How do we interpret the weakness and the suffering of Christ’s church? How do we interpret the church’s apparent insignificance in this world? If Christ, his covenant, kingdom, and temple are truly better than that of the Old, then why don’t we see its glory? The early church wrestled with these questions as the Old gave way to the New. And I would argue that we struggle with these questions too but in a different way. Given our sound doctrine on this point, we may not mourn the loss of the temple in Jerusalem or wish for its rebuilding. But it is possible that we have erred by equating the health and prosperity of Christ’s church with earthly prosperity, power, and glory. If this is the case, then it is our perspective that needs to change. We need to the church with eyes of faith. We need to see her as spiritual. We need to see her as the humble inauguration of something that will be consummated in glory in the future. Stated simply, the church is like her Lord. First, he humbled himself and suffered for us, even to the point of death on the cross, and then he was exalted in glory. And so too, the church will share in Christ’s sufferings, and then she will be raised to glory when Christ returns to make all things new. Those who know this and believe this will persevere in the faith. Those who do not know this or believe this sincerely will be severely tempted to turn their backs on Christ when faced with suffering, because they love this world and things of this world.  

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The Stones Of God’s Temple Are Those Who Align With Christ And Trust In Him 

In fact, God’s temple-church is glorious. Those who have been given eyes to see can see its glory and its beauty. Christ himself is the foundation of this glorious temple, and it is those he has redeemed by shed blood who are its stones. The stones of God’s inaugurated, new creation temple are those who are aligned with Christ and trust in him. They have aligned with him in that they have received his word. And they trust in him in that they depend upon him for the forgiveness of their sins and for eternal life. These do not trust in themselves, nor in any other created thing, but in Christ alone.

This is what the Apostle Peter teaches in the passage we have read. In 1 Peter 2:4, Christ is called, “a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious…” (1 Peter 2:4, ESV). In 2:6 Peter quotes passages from the Old Testament which spoke of the coming Messiah in these terms. First, Peter quotes from Isaiah 28:16, saying, “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.’” He then remarks, “So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe…” – and here he cites Psalm 118:22 followed by Isaiah 8:14 –  “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’” Finally, Peter makes this comment: “They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do” (1 Peter 2:6–8, ESV). 

So Peter describes Christ just as the Old Testament does. He is a living stone – a cornerstone chosen and precious. But you will notice that Peter and the Old Testament Scriptures also refer to Christ as a stumbling stone and a rock of offense. In other words, he is both the chosen and precious cornerstone in God’s temple upon which some will build their lives, and he is also the stone that others will be offended by and trip over to the ruin of their souls. How can Christ be both the chosen and precious cornerstone and the stone of stumbling and rock of offense all at once? 

Well, the difference is not found in Christ, but in the way that men and women relate to him. Those who see him as God’s chosen one, consider him to be precious, and believe in him, will have him as their sure and eternal foundation. As Isaiah 28:16 says,” whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” And as Peter remarks, “so the honor is for you who believe…” Those who align with Christ and believe in him will be blessed to have him as their sure and eternal foundation. These are the ones who are described in 2:4 with these words, “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…” (1 Peter 2:4–5, ESV). Those who believe in Christ and see him as precious, have him as their foundation. They are the living stones, and Christ is the living foundation.

But notice, others reject him. In fact, Psalm 118:22 predicted that the “builders” would reject him. Who is this a reference to except the Jews themselves? Some Jews believed in Jesus, but many – especially the leaders, and through them, the nation – rejected him. They crucified the Messiah, God’s Anointed One. And why did they “reject” him? Why did they consider him to be a “stone of offense”? For many reasons, one of them being that his mission was not to overthrow Rome, to restore Israel as an earthly nation, to maintain the Old Covenant, nor to prolong and promote the use of the earthly temple. No, he came to inaugurate a New Covenant. He came to inaugurate a kingdom, not of this world. He came to die, not for the Jews only, but for all peoples. He came to build, not a temple of stone, but a spiritual, eternal, new creation temple consisting of living stones quarried from every tongue, tribe, and nation. Many of the Jews were deeply offended by these things, and so they crucified him. To those who are offended by Jesus and reject him, he is not a cornerstone, but a stumbling stone, and a rock of offense.  He is the very stone they trip over leading to their eternal destruction. Jesus is one stone. He is God’s chosen and precious cornerstone. But some will build their lives upon him by receiving and believing in him, while others will trip over him in their disbelief, and their fall will be very great. And then Peter adds this word of clarification: “They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do” (1 Peter 2:8, ESV).

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These Stones Are Chosen By The Father In Eternity

In verse 9 we learn more about these “living stones” that come to Christ, believe in him, and are, therefore, “being built up as a spiritual house” unto the Lord. Why do these living stones align with Christ and believe in him? Why do they come? Notice that the first word of verse 9 is “but”. This verse is meant to be contrasted with verse 8, which says, “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” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV).

Those who come to Christ to receive him,  believe in him, and rest on him do so because they were chosen by God in eternity. This is the doctrine of election or predestination that is found everywhere in the Bible. It is God who has chosen to save, and it is God who as chosen who he will save. 

Just as God chose the bring his Messiah into the world and to preserve his precious and very great promises through the line Seth, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Eber, Tarah, Abram, Isaac, and Jacob, and just as he permitted the nations to walk in darkness in those days, so too has God chosen those he will save through faith in the Messiah while leaving the rest to walk according to their sinful ways. This doctrine is very clearly taught in the Scriptures. God chose Israel in a fleshly way. They were given the covenants and the promises. From them the Messiah was brought into the world. And Gode has chosen to save some from amongst the Jews and some from amongst the Gentiles through faith in this Messiah, for this is one mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here in our passage, Peter picks up language that was commonly used to describe Old Covenant Israel, and he applies it to all who have faith in Christ, Jew and Gentile alike. Again he says, “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” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV). Indeed, his letter was addressed “To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you”, he says (1 Peter 1:1-2, ESV).

Many of the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, as they were destined to do. But some believed. And we know that many Gentiles (non-Jews) also believed. Read the book Acts to hear all about that. And pay careful attention to Peter’s involvement in bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. He brought the gospel to them,  he saw that they, just like the Jews who first believed, were filled with the Holy Spirit, and he was happy to report this to the church in Jerusalem. That story is told in Acts 10 and 11, and I think it is important background for the letter that Peter wrote, which we call 1 Peter. 

Peter was concerned to emphasize that all who had faith in Christ – all who came to him as God’s precious and chosen cornerstone – all who believed in him and were, therefore, being built up into a spiritual house, from amongst the Jews and from amongst the Gentiles – were chosen by God. God, by his grace, chose to grant them faith in Christ so they might be his “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession”. Of course, they were not a race, a priesthood, or a nation in the way that Old Covenant Isarel was, but Israel foreshadowed them in an earth way, and so Peter uses these terms so that we might make the connection. What God did amongst Isarel in an earthly and fleshly way, he was doing now in all the earth through Christ in a spiritual and eternal way. And Peter wants us to know it is all by God’s grace – it is all because of his choosing.

The doctrine of election is important, brothers and sisters. It was taught clearly by Christ, his apostles, and the prophets. Here is an instance where we must align with Christ and believe his word. The doctrine of election is important for many reasons. Here are two: It produces humility and it increases gratitude. 

If it is true that we come to Christ to receive him and believe in him because God chose us, then there is no room for boasting, for our salvation is by God’s grace from beginning to end. That is what Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” If the doctrine of election causes you to be prideful, then you have not understood it. Rightly understood, it produces humility. And it produces gratitude before God as well, for we come to see that salvation is a gift from God both in its accomplishment and in its application to us in time. 

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These Stones Are Called To Faith By The Word And Spirit In Time 

That leads us to the third observation about these “living stones”, and it is this: These stones are called to faith by the word and Spirit in time. There are many Scriptures texts that speak very clearly about this, but it is found here in 1 Peter 2 as well. 

When did Christ accomplish our salvation and become the cornerstone of God’s eternal temple? Answer: he accomplished our salvation and became the cornerstone of God’s temple when he lived on earth in perfect obedience to the Father, suffered and died in the place of sinners, rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended to the Father’s right hand. That is when Christ became the cornerstone in God’s eternal temple. It was accomplished nearly 2,000 years ago. 

And when did God choose the stones that would be set on top of this foundation? Answer: in eternity, before the creation of the world. This is stated in many places and in many ways. Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:4 are well known. There he says that God the Father “chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:4–6, ESV).

But when are these living stones added to God’s temple? When are they quarried and placed? Answer: in due time, through the preaching of the Gospel as the Spirit works. There is an external call, friends. That is the human proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And there is an inward call too. That is the Spirit working inwardly to make a dead sinner alive, to open blind eyes, and to unstop deaf ears. 

We may call this being “born again”. That is what Peter calls it in 1:3 of his letter. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3–5, ESV)

We may refer to this as a “calling”. That is how it is put in our passage for today. “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. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9–10, ESV). 

How are these stones made to be “living stones”. When are they quarried and placed as stones in God’s eternal temple on top of the foundation of Christ, the apostles, and prophets? They are, at just the right time, called to faith in Christ and repentance from dead works, through the preaching of the gospel and the internal working of God’s Spirit upon the mind, will, and affections. Many of you have experienced this, and so you know what it is like.  

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These Stones Are Being Built Into A Holy Temple To Worship And Serve The LORD

Lastly, let us notice the purpose for which these living stones are chosen, called, and placed as “living stones” within God’s temple. These stones are being built into a holy temple to worship and serve the LORD.  

Look at verse 5: “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 Peter 2:5, ESV)

Look again at verse 9: “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.” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

And consider the call to holiness at the beginning and end of this passage. 

Verse 1: “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:1–3, ESV)

Verse 11: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:11–12, ESV)

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Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, it is imperative that we see the church as spiritual, and not as earthly or fleshly. The way that we think about the nature of the church will have an impact on many things. 

Who belongs to it? It is those who align with Christ, have faith in him, having been chosen in eternity and called to faith in time by the preaching of the gospel as the Spirit works. It is those who make a credible profession of faith, therefore, who ought to be baptized and received as members of Christ’s church. 

Stated negatively, it is not those of a particular ethnicity or lineage who are stones in God’s temple-church, but those who have faith only. It doesn’t matter who your daddy is. That mattered a great deal under the Old Covenant. In fact, it made all the difference. All born to Abraham were partakers of that Covenant, citizens of that typological kingdom, and invited to worship at that typological tabernacle and temple. This was true whether or not a person had faith in the promises concerning the Messiah. 

But this is not the case under the New Covenant. This covenant is pure. God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah concerning the purity of the coming New Covenant, when he said, “Behold, the days are coming…  when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:31–34, ESV). 

Here is the great difference between the Old Covenant and the New. Many within Old Covenant Israel did not believe the promises concerning the Christ. Old Covenant Israel was filled with disbelief and idolatry. At times only a small remnant of the true Israel remained. And yet all who were born from Abraham were rightly said to be members of that covenant and nation, for the covenant was earthly and fleshy. Not so with the New Covenant. Under the New Covenant, all are circumcised of heart, all are regenerated, and all have the law written on their heart. Under the New Covenant, there is no need for one covenant member to say to another covenant member, “know the Lord”,  for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. This is not about ethnicity or genealogy or the flesh. No, It’s about faith. 

Are there false professors within the New Covenant community? Yes, indeed. There will always be weeds intermixed with the wheat, and goats (even wolves!) amongst the sheep. The Lord will sort all of that out in the end. We are responsible to understand the true nature of Christ’s covenant, kingdom, and temple though. And we are to be careful to give baptism and the Supper to those who make a credible profession. This is what our confession says in 26.2: “All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.”   

Who belongs to the church? Those who believe in Christ. And what should the church do in order to promote its growth? We will consider this question in some detail in a future sermon. For now it will suffice to say that it will do no good to employ worldly tactics according to the wisdom of fallen man, for the church is spiritual. It will grow in depth and in size according to the will of God and the means that he has prescribed. We must be faithful, not innovative if we wish to see Christ’s church flourish. 

And what should we concern ourselves with? Faith in Christ, the proclamation of his gospel, and the worship of his most holy name. For “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 Peter 2:5, ESV), “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.” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)