Monday, November 5
Another image of the people of God in the New Testament is the house or household of God. It is a metaphor of stones and buildings that highlight the intricate and interdependent nature of human relationships in the church. Peter refers to Christians as “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5). This metaphor also contains a quality of permanency and solidity.
Read Ephesians 2:19-22. What key ideas does Paul emphasize in this passage? What does this image tell us about unity in the church?
In this passage, Paul combines two images of the church: one inert, a house or building; the other alive, a household of people.
A stone is not very valuable by itself, but when it is bonded with other stones, it becomes a structure that can withstand the storms of life. No Christian can be a stone alone, but must be associated with others in the fellowship of the household of God. For an edifice to be solid, it must rest on a strong foundation. Jesus Christ is this foundation, and the “cornerstone” of the house of God (see also 1 Corinthians 3:11). The church also would cease to exist if it did not make Christ the cornerstone of its activities. The church is really about Jesus Christ: His life, death, resurrection, and return. The church forms a community of believers united to share the good news about Jesus to the world. The church’s agenda is Jesus: who He is, what He has done for us and does in us, and what He offers to anyone who will accept Him as Lord and Savior.
The image of a household is also very meaningful. This one rests on the relationships people have among themselves. It is a familiar image of father and mother, brothers and sisters. Ties between family members can be strong, and the accompanying loyalties often transcend all other outside ties. Loyalty is a big part of unity, for how could there be any kind of unity without loyalty, as well?
How does this image relate to the church? Church members are also part of one big family. We are linked, not only because we belong to the human family through our common ancestor Adam but also because we are related to Jesus, the Second Adam, through our common “new birth” experience. Thus, we become united with each other, not just because of the doctrinal truths that we hold in common but also in the experience of being converted souls who have a new life in Jesus.
Sadly, not everyone has had a great experience with his or her own family. Hence, that image might not mean much to them. How, though, can we as a church become the family that these people never had?
