Life and building are two key aspects in the Bible for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. God desires to impart His life into man and thereby to build many men together into His corporate expression. This expression of God has which has New Jerusalem as the consummation.
Life and building are together in Ephesians 4:16; this verse presents a supply from the Head, Christ, through all His members which “causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love.” Growth in life and building are together.
Life and building are also seen in 1 Peter 2. In verse 2 we as Christian babes, born of “incorruptible seed” (1:23), should “long for the guileless milk of the word in order that by it you may grow unto salvation.” This is a life matter.
Then verses 4-5 present Christ as the living Stone and all of us as living stones; as such we “are being built up as a spiritual house.” This is building.
The seed is for life-planting; the stone is for building (v. 5). As life to us, Christ is the seed [1:23]; for God’s building, He is the stone [2:4]. After receiving Him as the seed of life, we need to grow that we may experience Him as the stone living in us.*
Life and building is the path to New Jerusalem, a city built of precious materials with the river of water of life and the tree of life.
Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about prayer.
