1 Peter 2:1-8

1: Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
2: like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
3: if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
4: And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5: you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6: For this is contained in Scripture: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
7: This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,”
8: and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

*** 

The same Word which endures forever, is the same Word which has given us eternal life. Not only is it eternal, but pure as well—not prone to decay. We were born again of this incorruptible seed. Peter said as newborn babes—as one born of this unblemished, eternal seed—put aside all evil, and long for the pure milk of the Word, so you may grow by it. If you’ve tasted the kindness of the Lord, which we all do when we’re born again, then long for this pure Word so you may grow in this salvation. The pure milk of the Word nourishes the pure seed of the Word we were born again by, producing a pure life in us, full of good fruit.

We come to Jesus as to a living stone. This stone is precious in the sight of God, but rejected by men. Rejected to the point where He was crucified. However, Peter said that they too like living stones themselves, are in the process of being built into a spiritual house—a holy priesthood—to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

He quoted Isaiah 28:16 which says that God is laying a choice and precious cornerstone in Zion, and whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed. Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone of what God is building. This spiritual household—this priesthood—will worship God in an acceptable way through Jesus Christ. Our lives will be pleasing to Him, and He blesses us with eternal life, salvation, and all the love and goodness of the heavenly Father.

Peter also quoted Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 8:14 to say that for those who don’t believe in Christ, the Cornerstone becomes a stone to stumble over and a rock of offense. They stumble because of their disobedience, not through any fault of the Stone. Whoever is disobedient through disbelief is appointed to that doom. Thank God we have the choice to believe the Word of God, be born again by the Word, and feed off the Word, so we may grow in this salvation and enjoy the eternal life our heavenly Father has provided for us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.


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