Wrought, Squared, Fashioned & Fitted

All who are designed for heaven hereafter are wrought or prepared for heaven while they are here; the stones of that spiritual building and temple above are squared and fashioned here below. And he that wrought us for this is God, because nothing less than a divine power can make a soul partaker of a divine nature; no hand less than the hand of God can work us for this thing (Matthew Henry's Commentary, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 499). 

1 Peter 2:1-5

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

Christian, groaning in the flesh, wondering how it can be that the soul soars heavenward when contemplating the glory of God, only to feel the tug of the tether, of this body, held captive by invisible gravity, to this dirtied and blood soaked earth, you are a living stone, being squared, fashioned and fitted for eternity with God via his Son, Jesus Christ! 

Let's break this down to bitesized pieces: 

In this life we learn that acknowledging our inward, wicked inclinations, opens the door to the possibility of banishing them from our being, and from our bodies, meaning that when we are made aware of our sinful nature and repent, we no longer desire engagement with and then indulgence in:

Malice

Guile

Hypocrisies

Envies

Evil speakings

Rather, we taste the Lord's graciousness, as babes that long for the sincere milk of God's word, as our soul satisfying sustenance. Vile and wretched human inclinations transform. Compare the list of five above to the list beneath this sentence: 

Benevolence

Candour

Sincerity

Generosity

Purity of speech

Dead things don't live and breathe, while finding meaning in this life. Dead things do not search for and find God, or the life of the Spirit. Dead is dead, but to be alive, a living stone, squared, fashioned and fitted, for the temple of God, sends the mind, heart and soul, on a mission for meaning, while we walk the earth. 

We are wrought by the divine hand as Christians, to be welcomed into his Kingdom. Jesus is called the corner stone:

Ephesians 2:15-20

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.

We become partakers of the divine nature as we are readied for heavenly citizenship, and while we are on our earthly mission as reconcilers for Christ sake. Jesus came in the flesh of man, and in his sinless state, remained pure, without malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, or ever speaking evil. Jesus modelled the perfect man for us, and despite temptation and tribulation, he maintained his godliness, and we can too, with his help, of course, take on these holy traits of benevolence, candour, sincerity, generosity, and purity of speech. 

We can transcend this earthly existence and aspire to being temple building living stone material. The spiritual house of God, as priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices: It all sounds so marvellous, until of course, we look closely at the word sacrifice. 

Jesus was rejected and still is, by the majority of mankind. Humans don't like perfect examples; most humans despise sin free creatures, because we are comparative by nature, which is precisely the reason we see so much in the way of malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy and evil speech. These are the icky soul sludge traits that mark and mar humans, that do not know the Lord, or know him vaguely. Christians cannot stand themselves when these ugly traits show up in our own thinking and resultant behaviours, when permitted to lead the way. 

Christians want to be just like Jesus, and join the ranks of the prophets and the apostles; we long for fellowcitizenship with all the saints, in the household of God, in heaven.  

Dear reader, are you a living stone, a human representative of Christ, on earth? 

While you are here below, do you consider the temple of the living God, and you being placed as building material when the earth rolls up like a scroll, and all that is left is glorious eternity with our Maker? 

The Bible paints pictures for us, and true to it's Author, the golden thread of truth is woven throughout, with the images getting brighter, as details compliment and complete, the blueprint designed by his divine hand. I wish I could draw the sentiments I feel, but alas, all I have is a keyboard, a white screen with words typed on top, and my desire for you to see what God has planned, as he reveals his love to you through his Word. 

Living stones, what a concept, dear reader. 

Sacrifice is the willing price Christians pay as we navigate our earthly existence in favour of honouring God now and for eternity. There are many things the flesh wants that are abhorrent to the health of the soul, and dear reader, it is the power of God that gives strength to the weak and tempted, each time we say no to earthly desires. Over time, with the flexing of faith muscles, resistance becomes slightly and then again more each time easier, to say a resounding no to temptation of all sorts. 

If Jesus resisted temptation, and told us we can too, then we can, because Jesus, never lied. I pray we are row partners, dear reader, as living stones in the heavenly haven, the true temple of the living God, in paradise.