A FIRM FOUNDATION
                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                          By W. G. Guy

                Constructing a building begins with a firm foundation.  Even so, that foundation must be laid upon solid ground, preferably solid rock.  This building process especially applies to the church.  First the ground where it is placed must be solid rock: that rock is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and His Word.

Luke 6:47-48 – Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Psalm 18:2 – The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

1 Corinthians 10:4 –  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

          Building the church starts with Jesus Christ, the rock: it begins with people personally accepting Him as savior and LORD.  This places them upon that rock.  Then the building can start.  Unfortunately, as I have traveled around the world ministering to various churches and denominations, I have found that there is a significant level of immaturity in churches.  They are not spiritually built up in their faith.  As such they are not able to receive in-depth teaching, called strong meat, of the Word of God.  In depth teaching His Word is what God called and gifted me to do. 

          This condition of being spiritually immature is addressed in Hebrews:  

Hebrews 5:11-14 – Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

          The apostle Paul addressed this condition in the Church at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 3:1-2 – And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

          Paul, as an apostle, described himself as a wise master-builder.  This means that God a gave him the means to know how to build the church which he then worked to do. 

1 Corinthians 3:10-11 – According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

          Paul goes on to say that many others are involved in building the church up into the image, character and nature of Christ.  These are the Gift Ministries that Jesus ordained after He ascended back to the Father in Heaven.

Ephesians 4:10-13 – He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

          How each of God’s ministers build upon this foundation of Christ is very important: all that are involved in this building process will be judges based on how they built.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 –  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

          Please recognize that not all who call themselves ministers, teachers, pastors or prophets are building the church properly.  They are doing their own thing as they see fit, using man’s ways and the world’s ways.  Jesus speaks of these false preachers:

Matthew 7:15, 21-23 – Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits (not by their gifts).  …..21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

          What I discovered in churches where I ministered, including in Asia, Africa, South and Central America, Caribbean Islands and in America, is a lack of knowledge of the basic foundational doctrines that are required to build upon.  These foundational doctrines are listed in Hebrews where they are called “first principles”:

Hebrews 6:1-2 – Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,  of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 

          These are vital to have as foundational doctrine that without them proper building to spiritual maturity is hindered and the end result is a lukewarm church that relies on man and the world to build upon.  Here is that list of first principle foundational doctrines:

          REPENTANCE from dead works
          FAITH toward God
          BAPTISIMS  of repentance, in Christ, and with the Holy Spirit
          RESURRECTION of the dead
          ETERNAL JUDGMENT of the wicked

          A study of each of these first principles can be found in the Logos Bible study, Lessons 101 to 104 at www.victoriouslivingbiblestudy.com.  (Scroll to the top to find these lessons.)

          Once these first principles are understood, people are ready to move on into deeper understanding of the Word of God.  The benefit of going on to spiritual maturity is that you are able to more easily determine what is of God and what is not of God: including the discerning of evil spirits.  It also develops spiritual discernment which is also lacking in the majority of Christians.

Hebrews 5:14 –  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

          Do you have a firm foundation?  All believers need it!