Bible Questions and Answers

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(All quotations from the King James Authorised translation unless stated otherwise).

NKJV 1Peter 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house... 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."
 
When Solomon’s Temple was built all the stones were cut and made ready before being brought to the site; there was no stone cutting in situ.

1 Kings 6:7 And the house (Temple), when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Peter is using the metaphor of the stones used to build the Temple at Jerusalem and applying it to the spiritual Temple being built with men and women as a future dwelling place of God. Christ is the foundation or corner stone and all the other living stones are shaped in their lives to fit their allotted place in the completed building.

Paul uses the same metaphor.

2 Corinthians 6:16... ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 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.

The purpose of God is to fill the earth with his Glory in the form of men and women elevated to the divine nature in whom God will dwell for eternity.

Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Paul explains how this will come about.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Those who believe the gospel and are baptised into Christ are ‘living stones’ being shaped by the trials of this life to conform to the ‘chief corner stone’ so that in the resurrection they may be part of the ‘living Temple’ of the living God.

If you want to come to grips with what the Bible really teaches, why not take the free online Bible study course available on www.thisisyourbible.com? This course will give you a background in the major themes of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

As with everything we offer, there is no cost to you other than your time and effort. You will also have a personal tutor to whom you may pose questions either from the course itself or those questions which come to you as you read the Bible.

I hope this helps.
Glenn Smith