I PETER: Christ is The Lamb without Blemish, the Chief Cornerstone; "You have been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever!"

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. [Exodus 12:5] He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (I Peter 1:17-21)

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (James 2:14) This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. (Titus 3:8) God paid a very high price to redeem us, the precious blood of Christ.  He was God's plan, foreordained before the foundation of the world. God is Omniscient, and He knew that mankind could not live perfect, sinless lives.  He gave us the laws and commandments so that we would know what it means to “Be holy, for I am holy.” (I Peter 1:16) However, because He is so gracious and merciful and loves us so much, He gave us His Son, a lamb without blemish and without spot, for you who through Him believe in God, so that your faith and hope are in God. 

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” [Isaiah 40:6-8] Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. (I Peter 1:22-25) Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (I Peter 2:1-3)

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8) How should we respond to such a sacrifice of love towards us? Conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear! Therefore, laying aside all, everything that goes not represent Christ.  The only way we can know what those things are is by studying the Word of God, because the word of the Lord endures forever. Therefore, we should desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.  Our goal should not just be to become saved, but we should desire to ...grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” [Isaiah 28:16] Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” [Psalm 118:22] and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” [Isaiah 8:14] They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. (I Peter 2:4-8)

Because of the sacrifice Christ Jesus made for us, we should be convicted to make a sacrifice to Him, offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The first sacrifice is our confession of faith, that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) Secondly, we should sacrifice what we want to do and follow Him, because He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23) Thirdly, we should sacrifice our former way of living and surrender to His will for us, ...that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

These changes are not easy to make but only requires a little bit of faith (Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6), then God will prove Himself and our faith will grow.  God wants to make us into what He created us to be, but we have to come to Him as to a living stone.  God desires to build us up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. But you are a chosen generation [Deuteronomy 10:15], a royal priesthood [Exodus 19:5-6], a holy nation, His own special people [Deuteronomy 14:2], that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (I Peter 2:9-10) Let's not be one of those who are disobedient, who stumble, being disobedient to the word; For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 3:11) He is precious! AMEN!