The Book of Ephesians Pt. 22 Living Stones, God's House & Glory!

Fellow citizens with all saints. Members of God's household.

Ephesians 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 

Paul used additional connecting words so we do not lose sight of what he has been revealing about our rich spiritual blessings for all who are "in Christ." The words "Now therefore" remind us even though we used to be cut off from the things of God we now are drawn close to God through faith in Christ. 

We were strangers on the outside of all the promises and hope of God, looking in and isolated from hope. Now, we have the full status of being sons and daughters of God and receive a full, equal inheritance in Christ. What wonderful privileges and blessings our Father in heaven pours out upon His children.

Paul shows us that believers in Christ are now "fellow citizens." The word "fellow citizens"  means that we have been given the same rights and benefits of all other children of God. 

For example being a fellow citizen of Rome conferred many legal blessings and status upon the individual, like the right to have a hearing before your accusers or the right to appeal to Caesar if you disagree with the magistrates decision. Roman law protected Roman citizens  from being assaulted, incarcerated or scourged and could carry a death sentence for the assailant. 

Paul taught us that we have unlimited rights and benefits as a child of God and being in Christ confers them upon us. He used the word "saints" in Ephesians 1 in speaking about the spiritual blessings in Christ that are positional. That is, we possess them now, but we will not fully experience them until we are in heaven with our Lord. 

Our Father is preparing a place for us to live. 

John 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Not only did Jesus make us fellow citizens with all the saints, He also made us members of the household of God. The word "household" is a word of belonging and relationship. We are part of the household of God. We are born as strangers apart from the household of God but Jesus Christ brings us into His home. 

To be a member of God's household means God is our Father and we are His children. Just as most earthly parents love, nurture, care and discipline their children, so our Father in heaven will do the same things for us right now. 

Why do believers need discipline? Because we live with a sin nature that wants to sin if we allow our "old man" the opportunity to pursue lust of the flesh. Therefore, we will sometimes sin and fall short of God's standard. God told us what we must do when we sin but if we do not confess our sins and seek His mercy and forgiveness, then our Father will lovingly chasten us (Hebrews 12:6-7).

Children of God called to holiness.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 

Jesus described His Father's house as a place He is preparing for us in heaven. This is where we will enjoy eternal life as we worship God. Since this is true, God calls us to live a holy life as His children and much of the New Testament is dedicated to showing us our new responsibilities as children of God. 

The blessing of obedience is when we choose to live in the light of God's glory recognizing that He is our Father  and He will nurture, protect, provide, love and care for us as His children.

God's house built on the perfect foundation.

Ephesians 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 

More detail is given about our status as children of God. Paul used some construction terms like "built upon." Ephesus was a very wealthy city with a large number of transient population coming through because it had a deep sea port and it occupied a key position on major Roman roads. Many building projects were ongoing and the remaining ruins show what a spectacular city it was in ancient times. 

Believers are made members of God's household and are His children. We are "built upon" which is the idea of careful construction using strong materials. What is the strong foundation that God builds His children upon? It is His Word, both Old and New Testaments. It is the Living Word, Jesus Christ. 

The word "foundation" refers to digging down to the stone so that the building stones rest on the bedrock. This careful construction will result in a building that is secure, stable and solid. The word "cornerstone" refers to the most important stone in the entire building. It sets the angles for all interior and exterior walls. It sets the standard for determining what is level and plumb. 

For example, if a cornerstone is one degree off from being level, that means that it will be off by by almost 2% at 24 feet away from the corner. Being off that much means that the building will not be square or level or plumb. Windows and doors will not open and close properly and the structure will not be as strong as it should. 

Thus, Paul is telling us that Jesus Christ Himself is our only cornerstone and that He makes His building which is composed of throngs of individual believers, square, plumb and level. The construction word pictures helps us understand that the righteousness of Jesus Christ granted to us at salvation, makes us level, plumb and squared before God. We are living stones placed into the body of Christ by the Spirit of God. 

Believers are individual stones in the house of God.

1 Peter 2:4-6  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5) 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. 6) Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 

Peter tells us that each believer is a living stone being used by God to build a spiritual house, a holy priesthood for the glory of God. This spiritual home is built upon Jesus Christ the cornerstone.

Are you building your life wisely or foolishly?

Matthew 7:24-27  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26) And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 

Faith comes into view as Jesus teaches us about two ways to live life. You can live as a wise man or as a fool. The wise man hears and heeds the word of God and lives according to what pleases God. The wise man is founded upon Jesus Christ the Rock, and his life is safe and secure. The foolish man is careless and does not care how he lives life because he is satisfying the lust of his flesh. The foolish man's life will be washed away like the ocean waves wash beach sand away, so his life is insecure.

Will you live to earn praise from God or lose your reward?

1 Corinthians 3:10-15  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The term "master builder" is the primary or chief architect who sets the standards, designs the building and supervises its construction. Each apostle of Jesus Christ is like a master builder, preaching the gospel, teaching sound doctrine and living for the glory of God. 

Jesus Christ is our cornerstone and foundation. It is up to each individual believer to glorify God by all the choices that we make in life. Our love for God and man, our service to God, our worship of God, our witness for Him, our study of God's wonderful word and the closeness of our relationship to Him will be judged. We have the opportunity to receive rewards and hear the beautiful words "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" or we may suffer the loss of reward because of having wrong motivation. 

Paul will have much more to say about these things, but we do well to remember that we are living stones placed into the body of Christ which is the temple of the living God. 

Ephesians 2:21-22  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

Paul closes out Ephesians in grand fashion. Each believer is a living stone in the temple of God, the body of Christ and this spiritual home is "fitly framed together." This phrase means joining all of the materials, parts, systems and components of the building together with tight tolerances. 

Thus, this living body of Christ, the temple of God, is composed of vast numbers of saints joined close together, as close as a loving family. Like any family, this family of God is growing, not only in sheer numbers but also growing spiritually. 

The words "builded together" have the idea of taking a vast number of different building materials, in this case believers who are living stones, and making them all one building. I find these word pictures fascinating to think about. Right now, there are untold millions of believers all around the world. We do not physically see each other, but we are united in one body, in Christ by the Spirit of God. We will see each other one day in heaven, but right now, at this moment, all believers are connected together in this vast temple of God. We are the dwelling place of God. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

There is much more that could be said about each believer being a living stone in the body of Christ. We could talk at length about how the Spirit of God puts each living stone into Christ's body as He deems best. 

However, I would like to close this lesson with the following text from the apostle Paul. 

1 Corinthians 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

Because all of these wonderful things that God revealed to us through His apostles are true, Paul reminds us that what we believe is to  impact how we behave. Our body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost. God's Spirit is living in each born again believer. God has purchased us with the precious blood of Jesus and therefore, we belong to Him. We must get over any idea that we can live for self when God now owns us. 

Paul urges us with the strongest imperative. Glorify God with your body and your spirit. Why? Because they are God's. This is the idea of living in such a way that other people see God in us! We cause His glory to shine into this lost and dying world. 

May the Spirit of the Living God help us understand our joyful obligations to live for God's glory as believers in Christ.

Bob