Ephesians 2:19-22

That becomes so plain and clear now, does it not? Here we see that Christ is not only a foundation but He is also the cornerstone as well. The verb used here, referring to the nouns "building and foundation," shows that once we become Christians, we are placed on a firm foundation and then being built.

We are a work in progress—we are being built into the Temple. So, what we see then from this section here is a process, an ongoing project so that we are not only the house, we are working on the house, and we are being worked on at the same time to make us fit better within the house.

Now, the word "Temple" that is used here more specifically means "inner sanctuary," the "Holy Place," or the "Holy of Holies." The purpose of all this work is that the house may be a fit place for God to dwell in by His Spirit.

Paul adds one more thing here that is interesting and that is that we are fellow citizens with the saints. Citizenship indicates a political entity as well. This house, then, or building, or Temple, or family, is also a kingdom requiring citizenship.

You see how all these usages of these words, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, are coming together into something that is multifaceted, and yet actually, on the other hand, very simply seen. There is a very clear lesson involved in all of these things.

Ephesians 2:19-20

So there the metaphor is shown to be a building.

There we have building terms, construction terms—foundation, cornerstone in whom the whole building being joined together—just like any building that we would build, whether a house or a skyscraper of some kind.

In each of these cases, the inference is describing something being put together by a master designer as a spiritual habitation. This is different from a normal building. We even saw in one place where we are described as living stones. You do not know of any other building that is made out of living stones. Everything else is concrete, steel, wood, plastic, rubber, and glass, not living stones, so you can begin to see that we are talking about a building designed by a designer that is alive. Get that point, this building is unusual, it is alive, it is a living organism, but the building metaphor is nonetheless there.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Here we see that we have been given many examples of those who have built on the foundation of the saints, apostles, prophets, and of course, the chief cornerstone. And here is yet another affirmation of this great calling because we are considered of the household of God, being built a habitation for God in the Spirit, a spiritual dwelling. Now perhaps building spiritually might not seem as difficult, but let us just glance ahead here at a couple of chapters and read Ephesians chapter 4, verses 25 to 32.