THE KEY STONE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 55, Issue 32714, 17 May 1946, Page 5

THE KEY STONE

<». OF GOD’S BUILDING " ; IS CHRIST

(By

W.G.B.).

In this age of the Gospel of Christ, God is forming and completing a great building, called “the Church of God.” Every sinner, saved by the Grace of God, by faith in Christ, becomes as a living stone, with a place and a function, in the Church of Gbd. The Apostle Peter confirmed this when he said “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood/, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” . The building rests upon a rock foundation. “God only is my rock, w said the Psalmist. The Apostle Peter declared before the Lord, “Thou art the 'Christ the Sbn of God,*’ and) Christ replied' to Peter, “Blessed art thou, 'Simon, Bar-joniu. for flesh and? ■blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my flather which is- in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will' build! my 'Church, and the gates of hell' shall not prevail against it.”

Christ is all in all in God’s builds ing. “'Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, 'precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He s precious: but’ unto them which be disobedient,, the stone which the builders, disallowed', the Same is become the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence.” (1 Peter 2). In other words, those who, like Peter, acknowledge Jesus to be the Sbn of God, find it a precious truth that Christ is all pre-eminent and the only mediator between God and man. But these Scriptures are a stumbling l block and an offence to those who will not give Christ his rightful place.

There is l a sense in which all men are building, some honourably, some dishonourably, as judged by earthly standards. All men figure in some form, of social and ideological structure. 'But in the building of which God is the Architect, only men spiritually alive to God, and zealous for the honour of Christ, His Sbn, are permitted to share with Christ the glories of His House. And in God’s House, the human stones have no glbry of then* own, but they enjoy and reflect the glories of Christ, the Chief Corner /Stone. ; “This is 1 the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there 'Salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” (Acts' 4) 1 —PjB.A.