Why did the apostle Peter call the believers Lively Stones in his epistle? 

1 Peter 2:5 KJV Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

Lively simply means living which is easy to understand, which is what we believers are, while we are still alive here on earth. Stones on the other hand, some may not take to. But Peter is using an analogy of the Church of Christ as a building where Christ himself is the chief corner stone as written in Isa 28:16, Eph 2:20, 1 Pet 2:6. 

In the construction of a building, the chief corner stone is essential as a foundational piece that is accurately cut and precisely laid at the right place before the rest of the stones are added on. Otherwise the building would not stand firmly to withstand the forces of movement and occupancy.  

The rest of the stones are added on and placed in to fit. And so as believers, this analogy teaches us the privilege that the master builder as bestowed on each one of us. Having believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Peter says in 

1 Peter 2:1-5 KJV Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, [2] As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: [3] If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. [4] To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, [5] Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

Teaching us that after coming to Christ, we are to lay aside all our evil ways that once possessed us. These evil ways he describes the first as malice, the Greek word “Kakia” meaning badness, depravity, malignity, trouble, evil, naughtiness and wickedness. These nouns surely describe what we used to be before coming to Christ, and in many of us they still surface in our everyday lives to our disdain.

The second thing Peter instructs us to lay aside is guile, the Greek word used is “dolos” which means decoy, trickery, craftiness, deceit, subtilty. 

Then he also teaches us to lay aside hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking which  includes speaking bad about others and spreading of rumours. 

All the above evil deeds, we used to practice as a way of societal life before coming to Christ, but now having tasted the grace of Jesus in forgiving us, restoring us with God and making us a new creature in Him, we are to lay aside all these evil practices. Yet, it is a struggle to do so. I’ll be first to admit, I too struggle and am convicted in my conscience every time I commit the above.  

If not for the Word of God which instructs me in the way to live and which teaches me to confess and repent of my evil ways, how else can I be a living stone for Christ? 

And so Peter instructs that just as newborn babes who yearn for pure milk, so every believer should yearn to study and consume the pure milk of the Word that we may grow thereby.  

May I urge and encourage every Lifer, to come and study Gods Word together with us. In so doing are we then able to be as what Peter describes,  Lively stones that we should be. Lively to be able to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.  

These spiritual sacrifices would be services rendered to the Lord. As we grow in the knowledge of the Word, we serve God firstly by worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth. Knowing how great a salvation He has blessed us with, how magnanimous His grace and mercies are toward us, how gentle and loving His ways are towards us, should drive our hearts and minds to desire to worship Him with all our heart, mind and strength. And so every Sunday should be the Christian’s favourite day because it is when the whole “building” or body of Christ come together for communal worship of Christ our chief Cornerstone. 

Subsequently other forms and areas of spiritual sacrifices would be our willingness to reject the ways of the world and to learn and practice God’s ways as taught in scripture. Putting aside all former evil ways as described earlier and putting on Christ (Rms 13:14) to serve Him and others through our actions and speech that is with grace and love just as Christ is towards us.  

The younger departments of the Sunday school, namely the Nursery, Junior/Primary and Young Teens regularly come together to sing praises before their bible classes. Our 16 year olds take turns to play the piano or guitar and to lead during these “mini worships”. The older teens are planning to go on a Mission trip to Batam in May 2025. An Adult Ladies class goes to Batam annually to conduct bible classes at the three sister churches.  Some of the men from the Mens’ Sunday school class go out for evangelism fortnightly. 

These are examples of spiritual sacrifices we may offer to the Lord as Lively stones. 1 Pet 2:5 also declares believers as a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. So whilst we struggle with the laying aside of our former evil ways, studying God’s Word regularly will reinforce and remind us that our service to God must be in Christ. Relying on what Christ’s atonement has achieved for us. The righteousness of Christ imputed in us. Exercising faith in Christ alone as we serve him in ways described above, only then is our service acceptable to God when we have confidence in Christ our Cornerstone and not in ourselves.  

The Christian walk is difficult enough and if we walk alone without guidance from Scripture and without mutual encouragement from fellowship we are bound to fail. So may I invite one and all to come to participate in a Sunday school class of your choice. We have classes from ages 18 months and beyond that run almost every Sunday from 9:40am till 1030am in almost all available classrooms on both properties on either side of Gilstead Road. To find out which classes you and your loved ones may attend, please call or text one of us.

Dn Russel Indran 

Eld Terence Tan 

In Christ,

Eld Terence.

Micah 6:8 KJV He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Sunday School Exco 2025