◄ What Does Ephesians 2:22 Mean? ►

The good news of peace with God and an eternal relationship with Him has come by faith in Christ's shed blood for the redemption of the body and the forgiveness of sins. Having been born from above, we not only enjoy a new relationship with our Heavenly Father, but we have also become part of a wider and growing body; a new establishment, the Church, who are all members of Christ's Body and the holy Temple of the living God.

Paul gives a beautiful description of the body of believers who are united together in Christ as God's holy Temple. The body of believers who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ, are becoming a sanctified dwelling which is set apart unto God, and in Whom resides the living Lord.

The chief corner-stone of this holy Temple is Christ Himself, and His chosen apostles and prophets are the ones who have laid the doctrinal foundation upon which this spiritual temple is being built, for they were given the knowledge of the glorious gospel of grace by Christ Himself, and to them was unfolded the mystery of the Church in this present dispensation; a mystery which had been hidden in time past from all previous generations.

It was Christ Who said that He would build His Church and one by one, down through centuries of time, men and women have come to faith in Christ Jesus and one by one, they have each been fitted into the growing Temple of the living God.

It was the apostle Peter who described this growing body of believers as living stones who are being built up into a spiritual house. He identified the Christian Church as a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

And here, Paul also describes the beautiful way that this slowly growing body of believers are being gradually built up into a magnificent spiritual house, and fitted together into a holy structure in order to form that fixed abode of God, the holy Temple through the Spirit.

Peter and Paul saw the very first living stones of God's holy dwelling place being fitted together into this living Temple of God, and we who have trusted Christ for salvation are living stones that have been added to this amazing 2000-year-old spiritual structure which Christ Himself is building up into a holy Temple as a sanctified residence for God.

And we who are part of this holy construction which will soon be completed, have the permanently indwelling Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our promised heavenly inheritance, which is being kept for us in heavenly places. Praise His holy name.

Heavenly Father, thank You that Christ is building His Church, stone by living stone, into a holy Temple of God. Thank You that I too have become part of it and have the indwelling Spirit of God as a guarantee. You started a good work in me, and I pray that You will continue to fashion, form, and transform me into the likeness of Christ, with every passing day. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.