Precious Cornerstone

Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16 in 1 Peter 2:6, but he phrases it this way, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame (ESV)."

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, in modern building methods, the cornerstone is largely commemorative, a memorial marking the date of a building's construction, but in ancient times, the cornerstone served an important purpose. It was the first stone laid in the building's foundation, and it helped support the weight of the building.

In the New King James Version, Ephesians 2:20 refers to Jesus as the "chief cornerstone," meaning He is the pivotal point of our faith, the stone upon which our entire belief system rests, the key to our salvation, of whom Isaiah prophesied more than 200 years before His birth.

A person can believe in Jesus' existence upon the earth as a man and great teacher, but without belief in His divinity and resurrection, they have no true belief and salvation.

Friends, test your faith to be sure it's built upon the rock of Jesus, our Savior, Son of God, who died for our sins and rose again after three days, to build a living temple of believers, a testament of faith to the one true God.

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone." Ephesians 2:19, 20 (ESV)

Diana Dodd is the founder and managing editor of the Christian blog site, Joy in Faithful Living. She and her husband Bryan, a career Army officer, have been married for 23 years and lived all over the United States. They currently reside in Kansas with their two girls, ages 16 and 10.

This piece was originally published at Joy in Faithful Living in 2020. They have graciously granted us full permission to re-publish the series here, but we would love for you to visit their site and support their ministry, as well! Check out their work at joyinfaithfulliving.com.