By Apostle Ackah-Baidoo, Former National Head

 

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:9-15; 1 Peter 2:4-6; Isaiah 28:16

The believer’s life is compared to the construction of a building in the Bible. For instance, Jude 20 says, ‘But you, beloved build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.”
Peter also says that believers are like “living stones being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ ” 1 Peter 2:5

The first and most important aspect of every building is the foundation which sets the limit to the weight and height of the building. The foundation and the building have a fixed relationship. A building may cave in if it does not have a strong foundation.

The same thing may happen in the lives of some believers. Many believers set out to raise a fine imposing christian building but before long their edifice begins to sink. They become spiritual have-beens. Why? They lacked God’s appointed foundation.

What then is God’s appointed foundation for the life of the believer? Paul answers this in 1 Cor 3:11: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”  Apostle Peter confirms this in 1 Peter 2:6-8 as he quotes Isaiah 28:16 : “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a test stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.”  Thus, both the old and new testaments agree that Jesus Christ is the true foundation of the Christian life.

Christ himself, not Peter, is the rock upon which the Christian church is to be built. (Matthew 16:13-18). The church would be insecure and unstable if Peter were its foundation. Peter, human as he was, did deny Jesus before his crucifixion (Luke 22:31-32). He even  tried to prevent Jesus from dying to save mankind who were to become the church (Matthew 16:21-23). Further, Peter compromised the truth of the gospel because of fear of his countrymen (Galatians 2:11).  The only rock upon which the believer is built is Jesus Christ. No wonder Moses says “their rock is not like our Rock, even our enemies concede.” Deut. 32:21.

How then do we build upon Christ? 1 Cor. 3:12, 13 says: “if any man builds on this foundation using gold, sliver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.”

According to this scripture, two kinds of materials may be employed: beautiful and lasting materials like gold, silver and costly stones: or baser and more perishable like wood, hay or stubble. A Christian life of wood, hay and stubble is a life that is unstable, without insight, barren, and full of sin. A life of gold, sliver, and precious stones represents a life of purity, service, strength and patience.

Above all, we need the word which is the abiding material. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus points out two different builders – the wise builder and the foolish builder. Each man’s house had to endure the rain, floods and the wind. Remember, there is no storm-free Christianity. The wise builder built in such a way that his house survived the storm but the foolish builder’s house could not. Which of them do you want to be? Wise builder or foolish builder? Jesus, our life, is a Wise Builder.

What do we do then? Building on the rock means hearing and doing the words of Christ. Once the foundation – Christ the Rock – has been laid in our lives, we build on that foundation by hearing and doing the word of God. We must diligently study and apply the word to our lives (Ezra 7:10). It is not miracles or even prayer but the Word. This is because the Word is proof of discipleship (John 8:31) and of love for God (John 1:23; 8:51; 1 John 2:4,5). The one who loves God keeps his word.

God does not do anything outside of his Word. The Word of God is the supreme standard by which all else must be judged and tested. Genuine miracles are in the Word and prayerfulness is also in the Word. Let us go from the milk of the Word to the meat of the Word. “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words will by no means pass away” (Mathew 24:35).

Let us allow Christ to be truly our life - our True Foundation - by studying and living his Word. Let us build on this Solid Rock with the enduring materials of gold, silver, and precious stones which will stand the tests of storm and fire. If we do this, we will offer the dying world healing and hope by the power  of Christ and  they will come to worship God. Jesus Christ, our life  and the True Foundation of the Church, is still the answer.

 

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