Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 19

 Christ is Precious to True Believers and we are Never Ashamed to Put all our Trust in Him Alone

1 Peter 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

One of the most horrible things that can happen in the life of a young kid or teenager is to be shamed or feel shame at any time or place. Many of them will go to or do some extreme things to avoid ever feeling this human emotion. It is also present in the life of grown adults as well, however, most are able to cope with the negetive results of feeling shame as they get older. Our English dictionary defines shame in this way; A painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt; disgrace or dishonor. There is another shaming that has occured and continues to occur to this very day being instigated by the devil 👿 against true followers or disciples of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. One of the chief tools used by this enemy of God/Jesus and true believers is the prodding or egging on of unbelievers to mock and laugh 😂 at true Christians for being weak by needing to make up a fairytale God in the sky to lean on or use as a crutch in life. I say all of this because the Apostle Peter reminds us of the words spoken by the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 28:16) when he writes to us with these words, "Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded." (1 Peter 2:6) (KJV). As we learned from the last study/commentary, we born again or begotten again sons and daughters of God are being built up into a spiritual house. Christ is the 'chief corner stone' of each individual spiritual house and He is the 'chief corner stone' of the collective building of all true believers (scattered all over the earth 🌎) that make up His Bride the Church ⛪. The Apostle Paul put it this way to the Ephesian believers, "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22) (NKJV). The Apostle Peter above says that to us Christ is 'precious' and this English word is translated by the Greek word entimos meaning valued (figuratively): - dear, more honourable, precious, in reputation. The Apostle Peter also says above that those of us who truly believe on Him shall not be 'confounded' and this English word is translated by the Greek word kataischunō meaning to shame down, that is, disgrace or (by implication) put to the blush: - confound, dishonour,  make ashamed. In other words, unlike a child or teenager fearing that something precious to them will bring them shame from their peers, we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit (Romans 8:23) through regeneration and the new birth have truly tasted and seen that our Lord Jesus Christ is good and nothing or no one will cause us to be put to shame or shamed down or feel disgrace because we have put our whole weight on Christ or our whole trust in Him only and alone to manage and control all aspects of our lives, for without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5) (not even tie our shoes), as the Psalmist King David wrote with these words we cling to them, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" (Psalms 34:8) (NKJV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of Christ being the 'chief cornerstone' of His Spiritual House the Church ⛪, "All sincere Christians have in them a principle of spiritual life communicated to them from Christ their head: therefore, as He is called a living stone, so they are called lively, or living stones; not dead in trespasses and sins, but alive to God by regeneration and the working of the Divine Spirit. (2.) The Church of God is a spiritual house. The foundation is Christ. It is a house for its strength, beauty, variety of parts, and usefulness of the whole. It is spiritual foundation, Christ Jesus, - in the materials of it, spiritual persons, - in its furniture, the graces of the Spirit, - in its connection, being held together by the Spirit of God and by one common faith, - and in its use, which is spiritual work, to offer up spiritual sacrifices. This house is daily built up, every part of it improving, and the whole supplied in every age by the addition of new particular members. (3.) All good Christians are a holy priesthood. The Apostle speaks here of the generality of Christians, and tells them they are a holy priesthood; they are all select persons, sacred to God, serviceable to others, well endowed with heavenly gifts and graces, and well employed. (4.) This holy priesthood must and will offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. The spiritual sacrifices which Christians are to offer are their bodies, souls, affections, prayers, praises, alms, and other duties. (5.) The most spiritual sacrifices of the best men are not acceptable to God, but through Jesus Christ; He is the only great High Priest, through whom we and our services can be accepted; therefore bring all your oblations to Him, and by Him present them to God. The matter of the quotation is this, Behold, I lay in Zion. Learn, 1. In the weighty matters of religion we must depend entirely upon Scripture - proof; Christ and His Apostles appealed to Moses, David, and the ancient Prophets. The Word of God is the only rule God hath given us. It is a perfect and sufficient rule. 2. The accounts that God hath given us in scripture concerning His Son Jesus Christ are what require our strictest attention. Behold, I lay, etc. John calls for the like attention, John 1:29. These demands of attention to Christ show us the excellency of the matter, the importance of it, and our stupidity and dulness. 3. The constituting of Christ Jesus Head of the Church is an eminent work of God: I lay in Zion. The setting up of the pope for the head of the church is a human contrivance and an arrogant presumption; Christ only is the foundation and Head of the Church of God. 4. Jesus Christ is the chief corner-stone that God hath laid in His spiritual building. The corner-stone stays inseparably with the building, supports it, unites it, and adorns it. So does Christ by His Holy Church, His spiritual house. 5. Jesus Christ is the corner-stone for the support and salvation of none but such as are His sincere people: none but Zion, and such as are of Zion; not for Babylon, not for His enemies. 6. True faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to prevent a man's utter confusion. Three things put a man into great confusion, and faith prevents them all - disappointment, sin, and judgment. Faith has a remedy for each."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…