Who Are You Putting Your Faith In?

For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.
​But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message--
which is also what they were destined for.
1 Peter 2:6-8

Before I begin my devotions, I always pray that God will lead me into all truth and that any words I write here will be words from Him, not from me. I want to be very careful about what I say because the Word of God is not to be taken lightly. So when I write, it is always with trepidation and with an ear listening for guidance from the Holy Spirit so that I do not go off on a tangent, leading God's people astray. I take the discerning of Scripture very seriously. So let's look at the verses above, and I will attempt to convey what I heard the Holy Spirit telling me about this passage.

The chosen and precious cornerstone spoken above is Jesus Christ. How do we know this? Scripture confirms it (Acts 4:10-12; Ephesians 2:20-22; Isaiah 28:16). What is the importance of a cornerstone? The cornerstone (also known as the foundation stone) is the first stone set in constructing a masonry foundation. This stone is the most important in the structure because all the other stones will be set around this stone. So it determines the position of the entire structure.

Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone

If you have trusted Jesus as your Saviour, you are now part of the structure that Jesus is building, aka - the church. Everyone who trusts in Jesus will now have their lives aligned (or set) around Jesus. Everything about the individual's life who claims Jesus as Saviour (as their chief cornerstone) determines their entire position (worldview) of life. This is why Christians often seem like intolerant and impossible people to the world. Our view of life is "set in stone," as it were, based on the Word of God. And who is that Word? Jesus! (John 1:1; John 1:14). Our Chief Cornerstone. Therefore, we are built upon a solid foundation and need never be ashamed of that.

But this cornerstone has become a stumbling block to many, and the parallels in Scripture to modern construction today are astounding. Why? 

Because the architects have
​rejected the cornerstone.

Until the development of modern construction, the stone was usually at a corner, possibly as the first of the foundation stones, and it was a real support. The modern cornerstone need not actually support, need not be positioned at a corner, and need not be part of the foundation; often it is placed ornamentally in the façade or in an interior wall or floor. 

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "cornerstone." Encyclopedia Britannica, August 14, 2008. https://www.britannica.com/technology/cornerstone.

Today, those who reject God are like the architects that no longer need the cornerstone for structural support. The chief cornerstone - Jesus - has become a stumbling block to many, and they believe He is not required to live. He is simply a figurehead to an institution they deem no longer viable. Sadly by rejecting the cornerstone, they deny that for which they were destined - eternal life with God.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10, NKJV

Today, Jesus offers you the incredible privilege of becoming part of His holy nation. With Jesus as your chief cornerstone, your life will be built on a solid foundation that offers eternal rewards. The church (the body of Christ) is not a building made of stone. It is not a religion. It is not Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist, Anglican or anything else. It is not an institution or charity that claims Jesus as its figurehead. It is not a list of rules to follow, nor is it a fan base for the next President or Prime Minister. But the real church is a body of people who believe in, follow and trust Jesus as their Saviour. They have joined themselves to the Chief Cornerstone to be a light to the world and serve others. Not even the gates of hades can stand against that. (Matthew 16:18).