1Pet 2:5 You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
In verse 5 Peter speaks of both a spiritual house and a holy priesthood. “Spiritual” denotes the qualification of the divine life that lives and grows; “holy,” the qualification of the divine nature that separates and sanctifies. The house of God subsists mainly by the divine life; hence, it is spiritual. The priesthood subsists mainly by the divine nature; hence, it is holy. The holy priesthood is the spiritual house. The coordinated body of priests is the built-up spiritual house.
Although Peter did not address his two Epistles to the church, nor did he use the term church in stressing the corporate life of the believers in this verse, he does use the terms spiritual house and holy priesthood to indicate the church life. It is not the spiritual life in an individualistic way, but that in a corporate way that can fulfill God’s purpose and satisfy His desire. He wants a spiritual house for His dwelling, a priestly body for His service.
Peter’s view concerning the believers’ corporate service in coordination is the same as Paul’s in Romans 12. This service issues from three vital steps in the spiritual life: new birth (1 Pet. 1:2), growth in life by being nourished with Christ, and building up with the believers. According to 2:5, the building up of a spiritual house into a holy priesthood is for a particular function. This function is “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
The spiritual sacrifices which the believers offer in the New Testament age according to God’s economy are Christ in all the varied aspects of His riches as the reality of all the sacrifices of the Old Testament types, such as the burnt offering, meal offering, peace offering, sin offering, and trespass offering (Lev. 1–5). Also these spiritual sacrifices include our praises and the things we do for God (Heb. 13:15-16; Phil. 4:18).
Prayer Confession Heavenly Father thank you for this word. Thank you for making me part of the body of priests, separated and sanctified to offer up sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Lord, I offer up praises and worship before God daily that it may become a sweet smelling aroma unto God. Father let there rise a living stream of praising and worshipping you in spirit and truth in Jesus’ name, Amen.