神经纶的目标
神的经纶不是为着救恩。救恩既不是神经纶的目标，也不是神经纶的完成。这不过是手续，过程，以达到神的目标。神的目标乃是建造祂永远的居所。这建造就是今天的教会，永世里的新耶路撒冷。
基督是石头为着神的建造
许多基督徒熟悉行传四章十二节，那里说，“除祂以外，别无拯救，因为在天下人间，没有赐下别的名，我们可以靠着得救。”我曾多次使用这一节来传福音。我放胆告诉人说，在全宇宙中只有一个名能拯救他们。这名不是孔子或柏拉图的名，乃是耶稣的名。在行传四章十二节的耶稣乃是石头。前一节说，“祂是你们匠人所轻弃的石头，已成了房角的头块石头。”我们如果读行传四章十节，会看见这石头显然就是拿撒勒人耶稣基督。耶稣基督，那被钉十字架又从死人中复活者，就是犹太匠人所藐视的石头。祂已经成了房角的头块石头，除祂以外，别无拯救。那些弃绝祂的，不但弃绝了救主，也弃绝了建造的石头，就是房角的头块石头。
房角石是把一所建筑物的墙连起来。在建筑物的角上有很多石头，其中有一块称为房角首石。古时巴勒斯坦的犹太人建造房屋，注意三种石头：基石、房角首石和顶石。建筑物是立在基石上，建筑物的四面是由房角首石来联结，而在房顶上有顶石。这三块石头托住并保护整个建筑物。在以赛亚二十八章十六节，基督是基石；在撒迦利亚四章七节，祂是顶石；在行传四章十至十二节，祂是房角石。彼得在行传四章不但传基督是救主，也传基督是建造的石头，是将各墙联结一起的房角首石。彼得有这种观念，因为他领会神在基督里的救赎，乃是为着祂的建造。因此，他能在彼得前书说，“你们来到祂这为人所弃绝，却为神所拣选所宝贵的活石跟前，也就像活石，被建造成属灵的殿。”（彼前二4-5。）
信息重点：神的经纶不是以救恩为目标，救恩乃是过程；神最终的目标乃是建造祂永远的居所，就是今天的教会和将来的新耶路撒冷。
应用祷告：主啊，求你开我的眼睛，不仅看见你的救恩，更看见你的心意乃是要得着一个团体的居所。
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A Bird’s-Eye View of God’s Building in the Bible (1) — 1 Pet. 2:4-5
The Goal of God’s Economy
God’s economy is not for salvation. Salvation is neither the goal nor the completion of God’s economy. It is merely a procedure, a process, to reach God’s goal. God’s goal is to build His eternal dwelling place. This building is the church today and the New Jerusalem in eternity.
Christ as the Stone for God’s Building
Many Christians are familiar with Acts 4:12, which says, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” I have used this verse many times in preaching the gospel. I boldly tell people that there is only one name in the entire universe that can save them — not the name of Confucius or Plato, but the name of Jesus. The Jesus of Acts 4:12 is a stone. The preceding verse says, “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.” If we read Acts 4:10, we see that this stone is clearly Jesus Christ the Nazarene — Jesus Christ, who was crucified and raised from the dead, the stone despised by the Jewish builders. He has become the chief corner stone, and there is salvation in no one else. Those who rejected Him rejected not only the Savior but also the building stone, the chief corner stone.
The corner stone ties the walls of a building together. Among all the stones at the corner of a building, there is one called the chief corner stone. In ancient Palestine, Jewish builders paid attention to three kinds of stones: the foundation stone, the chief corner stone, and the topstone. The building stands on the foundation stone, the four walls are joined together by the chief corner stones, and on the roof there is the topstone. These three stones support and protect the entire building. In Isaiah 28:16, Christ is the foundation stone; in Zechariah 4:7, He is the topstone; and in Acts 4:10-12, He is the corner stone. In Acts 4, Peter not only preached that Christ is the Savior, but also that Christ is the building stone — the chief corner stone that joins the walls together. Peter had this concept because he understood that God’s redemption in Christ is for His building. Therefore, he could say in his first epistle: “And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:4-5).
Message Focus: God’s economy does not have salvation as its goal; salvation is the process. God’s ultimate goal is to build His eternal dwelling place — the church today and the New Jerusalem to come.
Prayer: Lord, please open my eyes to see not only Your salvation but, even more, Your heart’s desire — to gain a corporate dwelling place.