July 12, 2023

The Bible Edge

Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have a Bible Edge

I Peter 2:5

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.

Peter is not writing to a church, but rather to individual believers in Christ that were scattered abroad. The devotion you are reading right now was written to strangers to the writer. These devotions go to many individuals in many states from many walks of life. The great difference is that these devotions are not the Word of God. But, I Peter is. These devotions simply highlight one aspect of the Word of God to give those who read them an edge, a Bible Edge for life.

So, when Peter writes: Ye, also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house… he is saying this to individuals not a church. This is an aspect of the true Christian life that few think about, much less understand. Each believer in Jesus Christ is a spiritual house. They are lively stones. Just like Jesus was. For when Peter states Ye also… he compares them to Christ. We know this because of the previous verses (3-4) wherein he wrote: If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also…

Christ was a living stone, and those who believe in Christ are also to be living stones; meaning that they are not natural, not man made, they are spiritual just as He was spiritual. They are built up a spiritual house. But what does this mean? Think about it like this. Every house on our block is different however they all serve the same purpose. They house families. They are gathering places for special days and celebrations. Houses provide protection from the elements, a measure of security, and a place to rest, eat, fellowship, and yes, even worship God in our personal times of prayer, Bible reading, etc. The same is true with those in Christ. They are both at the same time, similar to other believers yet different. Each is their own spiritual house, likened unto living stones.

But Peter didn’t stop there. He states that we are lively stones, a spiritual house, and also that we are n holy priesthood that offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God. Of this consider what is written in Hebrews about our sacrifices. Hebrews 13:15…sacrifice of praise to God continually… Hebrews 13:16…to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased, and of course Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. These are spiritual teachings that can only be understood and lived by spiritual persons.

Suffice it to say that each child of God is a spiritual house and in that house spiritual sacrifices are to be made. Not of blood, for that was offered once for all by Christ, but of self: meaning time, talent and treasure.

William T. Howe, Ph.D.