“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
— Ephesians 2:19-22
I’m a mom of three wild boys who are continually constructing new inventions. From Lego models to blanket forts to nature shelters, their hands are ever busy forming something new. There always comes a moment when one of the boys runs to me crying because his creation is falling apart. Nearly every time I examine the problem, my answer is: “You’re lacking structural integrity.”
Adults face a similar dilemma as my children; unfortunately, our dilemma can be much more serious than that of a Magna-Tile house falling apart. When a person’s life lacks structural integrity, their whole world will crumble. Ephesians spells out this foundation as what the apostles and prophets built their lives on. A strong foundation for life is built upon God and His Word, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.
God revealed Himself to us through the Old Testament and New Testament; old covenant and new covenant; law and grace. The prophets foretold that Christ would come to usher in the fullness of grace. They told of Israel’s tent being enlarged to welcome in the church. The apostles declared the promise of Christ fulfilled. They share the new covenant of grace from Christ’s atonement for us.
There is one sure foundation: God and His Word. There is one binding stone that holds the whole foundation together: Jesus. Without the cornerstone, the whole building will fall. It is on this foundation God has chosen to build His people in order to have His Spirit dwell with us.
What Is the Church?
Not everyone who steps into the church building is a part of the body of Christ—just like not everyone who steps into my home is a member of the Gardner family. The Church is anyone who has been brought into God’s household and made a citizen of heaven.
To become a member of God’s household, you must have been brought out of darkness by the blood of Christ. You must be reconciled to God through the cross (Ephesians 2:13-16). In order to have a life with structural integrity, you must surrender your life to God. You may see some wear and tear on the outward architecture of your life, but a foundation built on Christ will never dissipate.
What is the Purpose of the Church?
God designed the church to consist of individuals being built together as a holy temple for the dwelling of the Spirit of God (Eph 2:21-22). In the beginning, God had built Eden to be man’s dwelling place with God. This perfect garden temple offered unrestricted access and an intimate relationship between God and man. However, sin broke this original temple space. Ever since then, God has been moving forward to bring man back to the original Eden state.
God gave Moses intricate instructions for the tabernacle where His Spirit would dwell. He gave the same design to David and Solomon for the temple. After the temple was destroyed and Judah was taken into exile, God returned a remnant to Jerusalem who rebuilt the temple. However, the people in Ezra’s day wept when the temple was reconstructed because it no longer contained God’s Spirit. Without the Spirit of God, the temple building was empty and lacking.
Though Jerusalem’s temple no longer contained the Spirit, God was working to have His Spirit dwell with unlimited access with mankind. The death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus made God’s dwelling with man possible again.
Do You Live a Bold Life?
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
— Hebrews 10:23-25
In the Old Testament, no one had direct access to God except for the High Priest. A curtain divided the people from the presence of God. Animal sacrifices had to be made daily. If the High Priest was not completely clean and holy, he would die in the presence of the Almighty.
We, the church, do not have to live in fear. We have direct access to the Almighty Yahweh because of the once-for-all shed work of Christ on the cross.
- “Draw near” is a tender and unrestricted calling. Rest assured in your faith that Jesus has cleansed you of the sin that should separate you from God.
- “Hold on” is a repeated command in Scripture. Do not let anything distract you or cause you to doubt the hope that has been given to you.
God is faithful. The finished work of Christ is sure. The dwelling place of the Spirit is within you. This should compel you to draw near to others who also cling to the faithfulness of Christ.
Reflection
- Remember and rehearse the truth of the gospel. Reflecting on who God is, embracing His Word, and being in communion with the Spirit grows intimacy with God.
- Watch out for one another. No one was meant to walk through this life alone. We need godly community to provoke one another to love and good works.
- Gather together. Make it a habit to spend quality time with other Christians. This goes beyond Sunday morning. We need to be invested in one another’s lives.
