Spiritual House

1 Peter 2:4-5 - As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Exodus 19:5-6 - Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

Isaiah 61:6 - And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.

Philippians 4:18 - I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

1 Corinthians 3:16 - Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Conclusions:

• Believers derive their life from Christ, who is the original living Stone to whom they have come, the life-giving Spirit
• The holy priesthood is the whole body of believers
• As priests, believers are to (1) reflect the holiness of God and that of their high priest, (2) offer spiritual sacrifices, (3) intercede for man before God and (4) represent God before man
• Believers are living stones that make up a spiritual temple in which, as a holy priesthood, they offer up spiritual sacrifices
• Israel was to be the people who acknowledged God as their King and, like priests, was to be wholly consecrated to His service
• God’s people, both individually and collectively, are to be set apart to do His will
• Ministers are priests
• The sacrifice is acceptable and pleasing to God because of Christ’s work for us and God’s work in us
• God’s temple is God’s church
• Paul does not mean in 1 Corinthians 3:16 that each of his readers is a temple of the Holy Spirit
• He says you yourselves (plural) are God’s temple (singular)
• Paul eventually speaks of each Christian as a temple of the Holy Spirit
• Jesus is the way to God
• Jesus is not one way among many, but the way

Application:

• Do you reflect God, offer sacrifices, intercede for man and represent God?
• Are you set apart to do His will?
• Are you a priest of the Lord?
• Are your sacrifices acceptable and pleasing to God?
• Are you a temple of the Holy Spirit?
• Do you see Jesus as the only way?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible