“Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord . . . .” If we are to be built into this building we have to be of the same material as the apostles, prophets, and the Chief Cornerstone. Joined together with them, we are to grow into a holy temple of the Lord. “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 . . . .” 1 Pet. 2:4-5. Jesus was the first to have fulfilled the law and the prophets. Matt. 5:17. He did not commit sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. 1 Pet. 2:21-24. We are to come to Him. We are to follow Him. Only those who come to Him and follow Him are being built up to be a spiritual house together with Him—we can also say, to be the New Jerusalem. This is a picture, an illustration of the bride of Jesus. It is written about the city that she had “the glory of God. And her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” Rev. 21:9-11. “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” Ch. 21:3. Most believers reckon that when they get to heaven, they will all be alike; then we will all be like God and have God’s glory. However, based on what we have just read, such thoughts are deceiving. What we have just read occurred right after the resurrection. There was a vast difference between His people and the wife of the Lamb. Why was there such a difference? Well, the difference between them in heaven resulted from the difference that existed between them on earth. If there is a difference down here, there will also be a difference over there. “Pursue peace with all men, and sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord . . . .” Heb. 12:14. There is no doubt that there is a difference between us when it concerns following this exhortation. The bride was described as being the habitation of God—the New Jerusalem. In other words, they have been built together. And they had the glory of God. Peter says that we are to come to Him—the living stone—now to be built up to be a habitation of God. In other words, we are to partake of the glory of God and the light that is clear as crystal now. What is the glory of God? It is His virtues, He who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Pet. 2:9. It is the fruit of the Spirit. Gal. 5:22. Light is indicative of having our senses exercised to discern between good and evil. Heb. 5:14. The good is the wisdom from above that is expressed through our works. The evil is the wisdom from below which is demonic. Jas. 3:13-18. Here we come to the light that is clear as crystal by walking in Jesus’ steps. If we are to be part of this building and be built up to be a house of God, we must also have the same mind that the Chief Cornerstone, the apostles, and the prophets had. Living this life with a superficial and frivolous attitude—as is the norm among religious people—is simply not good enough. “Come to Him!” who in the days of His flesh offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears. Heb. 5:7. Paul did not cease to exhort everyone night and day for three years. Acts 20:31. The exhortation is: Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2:12. Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Heb. 12:28-29. “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourself throughout the time of your sojourning here in fear . . . .” 1 Pet. 1:17. We could continue in the same vein. These verses tell us how the Chief Cornerstone, the apostles, and the prophets reacted. Do you think that we can gain God’s glory and the light that is clear as crystal without this seriousness? Do you think you can be built up together with these saints unless you react in the same way, or without responding the way Paul did when he gave this personal testimony: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified”? 1 Cor. 9:27. Reacting the way we have just read here is considered bondage and legalism by today’s preachers. We live in the last days. Christians of our day have only an appearance of godliness while they live in sin. 2 Tim. 3:1-5. Usually they do not build God’s habitation, they organize religious denominations instead. The main reason is that they do not want to be rejected by men; they would rather be recognized. True godliness is not a requirement for being part of such a building, but what they look for is talent and money. If anyone has these things, they can become pillars there. “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.” Rev. 3:12. This is completely different from being a pillar because of talent and money. Be aware of your time of visitation! “Awake to seriousness, and do not sin . . . .” 1 Cor. 15:34. Make sure that you will be part of this glorious building—the NeSigurd Bratlie

This is one of the simplest and most powerful words in the Scriptures. It begins with “If,” which is very significant because is truly very doubtful that this love exists as far as most believers are concerned. It is easy enough for believers to say it, though, and easy for them to imagine that they do love Him and keep His commandments. However, the Word is true! If we love Jesus, we keep His commandments. In other words, if we do not keep His commandments, we do not love Him. The vast majority of believers reckon that it is completely impossible to keep His commandments—therefore they do not keep them, and therefore they do not love Him. We find the same radical truth in 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” They are certainly not burdensome for those who really love Him with all of their heart! But they are burdensome for all others, even so hard and burdensome that it is even completely impossible for them to keep them!! Seeing that it is written “My commandments,” and “His commandments,” it must necessarily mean all His glorious commandments; otherwise it would say, “some of them,” or “the most important of them,” or something similar. The only correct explanation is that divine love is such an indescribably great and effective power that everyone who is filled with it really keeps all the glorious, blessed commandments of God joyfully and thankfully, all the while thanking and praising God! Therefore the one compelling necessity, before everything else, is to be filled and permeated by this blessing and blessed power of God. Do not relent until you are filled and permeated by it! Your devoted fellow brother—Elias Aslaksen