Lesson 4 · July 22, 1893
The Chief Corner Stone.—1 Peter 2:1-8
Review Questions.—(a) By faith in what are we purified? (b) By what are we begotten? (c) What is its character? (d) What is this word?
1. Feeding on the Word. Verses 1-3
- 1.What do those begotten of God's word and born of his Spirit put away?
- 2.For what are they to long? and why?
- 3.Who will thus desire to feed upon God's word?
2. Built on Christ. Verses 4-8
- 1.What is the condition of stones as regards life? Note 1.
- 2.To what is Christ the Lord likened?
- 3.How was he regarded by men?
- 4.How did God regard him?
- 5.As Christ is the elect, living stone of God, what are those who are Christ's?
- 6.Into what are we, as lively (living) stones, built? Note 2.
- 7.What precious assurance does he quote from Isaiah?
- 8.How is Christ, the corner stone, regarded by believers?
- 9.To whom does he prove a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense?
- 10.Why do these two classes regard him so differently?
Notes
1. Lively Stones.—Better, "living stones." The child of God is ever represented by something which has life, and implies action. He is the soldier on duty (), the contender in the games (), the pilgrim traveler (), a living branch of the True Vine (); he is to grow (), to walk (), to run (), to fight the fight of faith (), to watch, to work, etc., etc.; and when an inanimate object is taken to represent the Christian, like a stone, that object is given life. This life comes from Christ, the living Rock, on which believers as stones are builded, receiving life from the foundation, Christ (; ). They thus become welded or grown to the rock connected with the one life. The object of this building is said to be to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. All that makes anything acceptable to God is that Christ shall be in it, and if Christ is in us, and we in him, the praises and prayers of his people, the sacrifices for his sake, their labors of love, in fact, the very life, are all acceptable in the Beloved. (See ; ; ; .)
2. To the believer Christ is the precious foundation. To the unbeliever, or disobedient (for the terms are synonymous, see Revised Version), he is a stone of stumbling. The same sun and rain which ripen and develop the wheat, also ripen and develop the tares and weeds. The latter class stumble because they will not obey; they do not wish to do God's will. "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein." . The earnest student of prophecy will find added interest in this lesson by a diligent study of . This scripture has especial force to the last days. When God's judgments sweep away the refuge of lies, and the house builded on the sand is overthrown, blessed indeed will those be who have "digged deep," and laid their foundation on the Rock Christ Jesus. , Revised Version.
Bible texts in this lesson
1 Peter 2:1-3 · 1 Peter 2:4-8 · Ephesians 6:13 · 1 Corinthians 9:24 · Hebrews 11:13 · John 15:5 · Ephesians 4:15 · Ephesians 4:1 · Hebrews 12:1 · 1 Timothy 6:12 · 1 Corinthians 3:11 · Galatians 2:20 · Hosea 14:1 · Malachi 1:11 · Romans 12:1 · Hebrews 13:15 · Hebrews 13:16 · Hosea 14:9 · Isaiah 28:14-22 · Luke 6:47-49
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