Peter is in prison soon to die. That is why we see the urgency in writings. The church was young and vulnerable, already having problems. The world tried to push the church, and the church pushed back with the gospel, love and grace. God made an apostle out of Paul, the worst enemy of the church.
Each chapter is a complete thought. The church has always been under threats; the devil has not changed; he uses different means, but the tactic is really the same—he tries to defeat the church of the Lord. He wanted them and us to think we’re only another religion that will not survive. The Sanhedrin told the soldiers to say the body of Jesus was stolen. Rome imprisoned Peter and Paul. Peter was strictly prohibited from saying anything about God yet from out of prison he wrote two letters and they got copied and distributed to the churches. The churches were under attack, and Peter took the time to remind them who they are. And guess what. These epistles that were forbidden by the Roman government, written by this inmate under maximum security… are held in your hands tonight. Verse 9 begins with three words “but ye are.”
I Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 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. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Peter said we are to consider ourselves lively stones, a holy priesthood. There are many views to what a Christian is. Some of them are sarcastic; we’re given a bad rap; it’s unpopular to be born again, almost a crime. We’re considered ignorant and foolish. Some in the church don’t even know. “I’m a Christian because I go to Sunday school” or “I pay my tithes.” One might say “I look like a Christian.” No. No. No. We come to church because we are Christians. We pay our tithes because we are Christians. Doing these things doesn’t define what a Christian is. Peter said we should look at ourselves how God sees us. We need to see if we understand who we are and how we are practicing our Christianity.
He said to the world we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people who were once not a people. Now we are the people of God. Do we see ourselves this way? We can be deceived. What is the truth? It is right here in the Bible. The church survived then and will now if we view ourselves as God does. Following God’s way and will is it. People don’t define us and make us a Christian. We’re not saved because of tradition, our parents, or any other such thing. Peter says “but ye are.” If they take it all away, be who you are. That cannot be taken away.
These are titles that identify us in the kingdom of God. Think about where you work. Just because you have a certain title doesn’t make you that. You are hired and given a title but you’re not what that title says until you learn how to do it. If we say we’re a Christian, what do we do that makes us one? At work we have to do our jobs; it’s an ever learning thing process or else we’ll get left behind. Quality matters. As a Christian don’t let it stop at saying it. Are you growing? Are you active? Are you learning? Are you being?
Reading verses 1-3 we find that the first thing we need to do is consider ourselves a child. It’s not about how many years we’ve been saved. We still have a long way to go. We can never do all we can do for the Lord. We should always be learning. Though adults in the flesh we need to see ourselves as a child in the Lord who needs to grow and learn what God wants. We need to feed on the word ever growing and learning. God is the parent. We are the children. We can mature or immature. For a church to be lively we must see ourselves in the right perspective and put away malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking. Don’t do a good deed and think you can then do whatever you want, or treat others as you wish. Live right. Have we got it down to a “t?” No. We need our heavenly Father. Eliminate these things to help make us who we are. Doing this makes us realize we are one of God’s own. Imagine being 1 of the 12 or even 1 of the 70. It’s more than that. We are 1 of God’s own children. We were born again by a miraculous and divine manner. Through the Spirit of God we are 1 of his.
Consider what we are to each other. We are as lively stones building a spiritual house. We are saved to be a constructive part of God’s wonder building— His Church. We’re right on page 1 of God’s blueprint to build, not just as sitters in a church building. He sees us as all together as a spiritual building. He’s doing something with each of us. A building is built with many things. We can’t have a house with just one cinder block. It takes all of us to build the church. We’re each a stone God uses to put together something wonderful. We work separately through the week being used of God as a lively stone of the spiritual building. Isn’t it grand?
We can’t say we’re constructive unless we are. We’re part of something that’s alive, that’s growing. We’re not measured by numbers or dollars. God measures us by how submissive we are as a lively stone. God takes us and together in Jesus we are something not destructive but constructive. God is building. Jesus is the cornerstone. This makes it all come together. The lively stones work. A living, breathing work with the world’s most needed purpose.
We’ll pick this up next week. Here’s a question for you. Why does Peter say “holy priesthood” in verse 5 and “royal priesthood” in verse 9? What’s the difference? Take a fresh look at it.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 