The Bible also shows us that the church is God’s dwelling place. This is spoken of in Ephesians 2. This fact is one of the greatest revelations in the entire New Testament. We should realize that God has a dwelling place on earth. He needs a dwelling place. In the Bible we see the thought of a dwelling place from Moses’ tabernacle to Solomon’s temple, including the later rebuilding and restoration of the temple. In the church age God is making man His temple. God once dwelt in a big building—Solomon’s temple. But today God dwells in the church; the church has now become the dwelling place of God. We have been gathered together to be the dwelling place of God. We as God’s many children have been gathered together by the Holy Spirit to be the dwelling place of God. This is covered in 1 Peter 2:5. We are the living stones being built into the spiritual house.
How is the spiritual house built? Solomon’s temple was built with dead stones. But today the dwelling place of God is built with living stones. Peter, whose name means “a stone,” was a living stone. When all the living stones come together, they become a temple. If they are not together, can one stone be a house by itself? No! If no stone is upon another, it is a mark of desolation; this is not a good sign. No stone being upon another is a result of judgment and desolation. As long as we have a house, we have one stone upon another. Thank God that today we are saved and have believed in the Lord Jesus; we are now stones. What use does a single stone have if it is left alone? But when the stones are put together, they become a house. When they are isolated, they are useless. In fact, they may become stumbling stones instead of living stones.
Today we are like the accessory parts of a car. When all the parts are assembled together, we have a car which can be driven around. We dare not say that those who are living stones will become dead if they become isolated. But we can say that if a stone is not joined to other stones to be God’s dwelling place, it will lose its function and spiritual riches. As a living stone, we must be joined to other living stones. Only then can we contain God and only then will God dwell among us.
A hundred years ago an Englishman by the name of Mr. Stooneg said, “After I was saved, a most wonderful thing happened to me. One day I came to realize that I was building material in the dwelling place of God. This is a most wonderful discovery.” The first time I read this, I did not think too much about it. What is so wonderful about being building material in God’s dwelling place? But today, as I ponder over it, I appreciate Mr. Stooneg’s word. Once such a feeling is in you, you will realize how wonderful this is.
Thank God! We are indeed material for the spiritual dwelling place of God. If we, as building material, are detached from the building, we will be useless. At the same time, God’s dwelling place cannot go on without us as stones. Without us as stones, there will be holes in God’s dwelling place, and thieves will get into this building. Since I am the building material for God’s dwelling place, God cannot go on without me.
Brothers, we must see that we are the building material the Holy Spirit is using for the building of God’s dwelling place. If you are by yourself, you will lose God’s riches. You will not be able to contain God. You must be joined to the brothers and sisters. Only then can you contain God. A wooden bucket which contains and carries water is made out of pieces of wood. If you remove a piece of wood from the bucket, the whole container will no longer hold water. The nature of the individual pieces of wood has not changed, but the riches they contain have changed. Each piece can be soaked with a little water, but it will never hold much water; it will lose all the riches. We are God’s house, and as soon as we become isolated we lose all the riches.
Brothers and sisters, you may not see it clearly today. But gradually you will see more and more clearly. As soon as you believe in the Lord, spontaneously there is an inclination within you to contact other children of God. There is a desire within you to look for other materials, other stones. You must go along with this nature. Do not isolate yourself from others through concepts of your own.