The world has rejected Jesus Christ, but believers have come to him for salvation and continue
to come to him in order to grow in that salvation. “Come” is in the present tense which indicates
the believer continues to “come” to Christ, who is “the living Stone.” But, as if to warn the believer pursuing growth, Peter inserts the comment that this Christ was “rejected by man” and most
likely will continue to be rejected even by believers after they have accepted him as savior.

A continuation in coming to Christ means the believer, who is already saved, will begin to be
built into a spiritual house. This spiritual building is a temple made up of believers who
are maturing as they

“Are being built” is not an imperative that commands the believer, but a principle that occurs
when they continue to come to Christ. By continually coming to Christ the believer will
become part of this spiritual construction that will produce activities and works that are
acceptable to God.

The New Testament provides a list a things that are considered sacrifices, yet are not
typical animal sacrifices of the temple:

1. Faith – Phil. 2;17
2. Financial gifts – Phil. 4:18
3. Bodies – Romans 12:1
4. Praise – Hebrews 13;15
5. Gentile Converts – Romans 15:16
6. Death testifying of Christ – 2 Tim. 4:6

Irenaeus (125-) grew up in Anatolia (Turkey) and heard Polycarp (a disciple of John) speak and was familiar with Papias and Ignatius (other disciples of John). Irenaeus was sent by the bishop in Rome to Gaul (modern Lyons, France) where he encountered deep rooted Gnosticism that he engaged in a theological battle for the soul of Christianity. In 177 Irenaeus wrote his huge work entitled "Against Heresies." His major point was that he himself had heard the disciples of the Apostles (John and Philip) teach and they had not hidden any information and there was no more "secret" knowledge. Irenaeus used the Scriptures (OT and NT) to build his theology and rebuke the heretical Gnostics.

(Irenaeus writings online here)