The Cornerstone of God’s Household
The household of God, according to Paul, is the community of the saved.
But the church is not the Saviour. The church is the community that points to the Saviour.
Christ Alone: The Cornerstone of God's Household
Paul says: "Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory." (1 Timothy 3:16)
He’s talking about Jesus, clearly.
The cornerstone of the household of God is not the people - it's Christ Himself.
Christianity is not a moral code of conduct. It's a relationship with a person, who leads us in our conduct.
Christianity is not a set of convictions or doctrines. It's a relationship with a person, who outlines our convictions or doctrines.
Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ above all, and the rest of our Christian lives flow from that relationship!
Paul says He, Jesus, is the cornerstone of the household of God. We read that in Ephesians: "You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22)
You see, in those days the cornerstone was the main stone that was placed at the base and corner of any building. It was the largest, heaviest, and most carefully positioned stone in the structure. It not only set the foundation, but it actually determined the course and design of the whole building. Without it, the building was completely unstable and liable to collapse.
Why the Church Needs Jesus as Its Cornerstone
Jesus is the cornerstone of God's house! He establishes the foundation and designs this whole building! Without Him, our community has no foundation, no direction, no conduct even. Without Him the household will fall to the ground.
Many churches have fallen to the ground, because they removed Christ as the cornerstone, and began to build on other things. I pray that this will not be true of my church!
The cornerstone image is used all through the Bible. In the Old Testament it was prophesied that a cornerstone would come from Judah, and that the people would reject Him. Jesus saw Himself as that cornerstone, as did the early Christians.
Question: Is He YOUR cornerstone? Your everything? Your King, Your Lord, Your Saviour, Your Foundation, Your Friend, Your Life?
Life in the household of God means life with Jesus as your everything. Join the household! Join the Christian community! We're imperfect, but we love Jesus deeply, because He first loved us.
Together, let's build this household day by day, so that more and more people learn that there is a Cornerstone they can trust and build their lives on - and His name is Jesus Christ.
Paul's words about women learning in silence make far more sense once we understand the pagan culture of Ephesus he was addressing. Take time today to test what you're being taught, by Scripture, rather than by culture.