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1 Peter 2:4
4 To [pros] whom [hos] coming [proserchomai], as unto a living [zao] stone [lithos], disallowed [apodokimazo] indeed [men] of [hupo] men [anthropos], but [de] chosen [eklektos] of [para] God [theos], and precious [entimos], KJV-Interlinear
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, NASB
Peter is again borrowing from two passages in the Old Testament.
Isa. 28:16
16 Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed. NASB
Psa. 118:22
22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. NASB
The Messiah, the Savior, The Lord is referred to as the foundation, the chief foundation, the rock, the stone upon which all truth is laid. This is the one and same Jesus Christ.
Christ was rejected by so many back in his day, and even throughout history, He has been rejected, and replaced with other ‘invented’ deities, which have no basis in fact whatsoever.
The stones of earthly buildings are nothing more than rock, concrete and steel. They have no life, and offer no relationship to anyone, for any amount of time.
All earthly churches, temples, buildings or tents where people gather together, do not make up the true church or congregational assembly areas, and they (buildings, etc.), offer nothing sacred or holy.
The true church begins with Christ. And coming to Christ is often the reference for either salvation, or spiritual growth, for Christ is the foundation of both.
Christ is the living breathing God of all of eternity. In Him is all of the power of deity, and life, and truth, and infinity.
Christ is the stone which no creature can move, no creature can modify, no creature can alter, reshape, or change in any fashion.
No other religion, philosophy or belief of any kind, can achieve these things.
Since God is infinite, then His value is also infinite, and the word for precious means extremely valuable, or value beyond measure.
The Bible presents so many examples and illustrations of value in the spiritual life and lack of value in anything that is of this world, that people should get the picture, and one would think, want to pursue doctrine and their spiritual life.
However, as babies who know nothing but know that the milk is good for them, as animals who have only instincts, but know the changes of the seasons, one would think that intelligent man should be better able to recognize truth from lies.
But, in looking around, you can quickly discover that humanity is filled with some of the most ridiculous folks ever born, and yet man is still alive on this planet, when he should have long ago, disappeared. But then, it is not man who is setting his destiny, but God who is preserving humanity out of His grace.
