…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 2:20-22
Paul reminded the Ephesians that as Gentiles they were once separated from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel, foreigners to the covenants of the promise, and without hope. (Ephesians 2:11-12) Now they were brought into the promises of God through the blood of Jesus.
As fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, their “spiritual houses” were built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ as the chief cornerstone. As believers, we have been joined together to become a holy temple for the Lord – a dwelling place for His Holy Spirit. The body of Christ is built on the cornerstone of Christ Jesus. As the Lord builds on His foundation, we are joined together as one building. Paul describes the building in another way as he describes the gifts of the Holy Spirit that each of us possesses: Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body. And if the ear should say because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body; it would not for that reason cease to be a body. (I Corinthians 12:16) Paul explained to the early church that God was building His temple, His body, each with a unique role to play and that they needed one another in order to have the body function properly. It is the same for us today. Christ is still building His body, the church, and we need one another to function as a whole.
Are you connected to the body of Christ, or have you isolated yourself from other believers? Together we encourage, build up, and exercise the unique gifts God has given us. Together we can make a difference in the world.
Heavenly Father,
Join me together with other members of the body of Christ. Help me, as a part of Your body, to build on Christ, the Cornerstone, and to become a place in which God dwells.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
