自古以來，房屋都是人們避風遮雨的地方，人們對建造房屋也頗有講究。幾千年來，建造的材料、根基和外觀都在改進。但無論房屋建造技術如何進步發展，建築風格如何豐富多彩，房屋的穩固安全依舊是建造時的優先考量。因為在災難來臨時，只有根基穩固、材料扎實的房屋才能屹立不倒。

事實上，房屋是聖經中對信徒的其中一個稱呼，使徒保羅提到：「你們是上帝所建造的房屋」（哥林多前書3章9節）。信徒也被稱為「全群」（使徒行傳20章28節）、「基督的身子」（哥林多前書12章27節）、「弟兄姐妹」（帖撒羅尼迦前書2章14節，當代譯本修訂版）等等。

在彼得前書2章5節，彼得也以建造為比喻，對教會說：「[你們]就像活石，被建造成為靈宮。」然後在第6節，他引用以賽亞書28章16節說：「看哪，我把所揀選、所寶貴的房角石安放在錫安。」而耶穌就是祂的教會唯一的根基。

我們可能認為建造教會是我們的工作，但耶穌說：「我要……建立我的教會」（馬太福音16章18節，新譯本）。上帝揀選我們去「宣揚那召[我]們出黑暗、入奇妙光明者的美德」（彼得前書2章9節）。當我們宣揚上帝的美善，我們就可成為上帝手中的工具，參與祂建造教會的善工。

We have all sorts of names for groups of animals. No doubt you’ve heard of a flock of sheep, a herd of cattle, or even a gaggle of geese. But some names may surprise you. A group of crows is called a murder. How about a congregation of alligators, or a crash of rhinoceroses? Have you heard of a building of rooks (Eurasian crows)?

Building, in fact, is one of the names in the Bible for believers in Jesus. “You are . . . God’s building,” wrote the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 3:9). There are other names for believers as well: “the flock” (Acts 20:28), “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27), “brothers and sisters” (1 Thessalonians 2:14), and more.

The building metaphor recurs in 1 Peter 2:5, as Peter tells the church, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house.” Then, in verse 6, Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone.” Jesus is the very foundation of His building.

We may have the sense that it’s our job to build the church, but Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). We’re chosen by God to “declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). As we declare those praises, we become instruments in His hands as He does His good work.