Except the LORD build the house – Part 2

(“Breaking ground” and “foundation”)

God has given us a spiritual blueprint in His holy word which helps us understand how the LORD will “build the house” and give the increase which comes from Him alone. That blueprint was written for God’s elect so that we could go from carnal babes in Christ and grow unto mature sons in Him.

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Luk 10:24  For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

2Pe 3:18  But grow [build the house] in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

The following verses show that “the error of the wicked” is connected to “they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

2Pe 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

It is critical therefore to examine ourselves to know if we are in the faith every day (2Co 13:5) as the LORD builds the house with His word which sanctifies us through a lifetime of growing in “the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (Joh 17:17). LORD willing, we are submitting to and hearing (Eph 5:21-22, Jer 22:29) Him as we learn of the plans and the process within the “spiritual blueprint” He has laid out for each of us so that we don’t “fall from your own stedfastness”.

These verses below have much to do with “breaking ground” and “foundation“, and all come back to one main point, which is that our life must be founded upon the Rock, Jesus Christ, and becoming part of this foundation today is a gift being given to God’s elect in this age so that the world can be founded on Christ one day, who is the Chief cornerstone and His Christ, who are the Pillars of the temple (Rev 3:12, 1Ti 3:15-16).

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

1Co 3:10  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 (2Co 13:5-9, Eph 4:11-13, Eph 3:12-21) how he buildeth thereupon [“breaking ground” and laying a proper “foundation”].
1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

How are the “breaking ground” and the “foundation” being established by God?

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2Co 13:6  But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
2Co 13:7  Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
2Co 13:8  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
2Co 13:9  For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  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 [solid spiritual foundation]:

Eph 3:12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Eph 3:13  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
Eph 3:14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 3:15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, [Rom 11:18-20]

[Rom 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Rom 11:19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:]

Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; [more “breaking ground” and “foundational” spiritual terminology]
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Gen 7:9  There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark [breadth, and length, and depth, and height], the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

The end result of God granting that we dig deep into the earth and overcome in this age is:

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long [“and digged deep” – Luk 6:48], that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1Ti 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

If the premise is wrong when laying any foundation, the entire building will be compromised, and so God has called us to understand, as His kind of first fruits, how we can through an examination process and by digging deep into this spiritual process of “breaking ground” through Christ, lay a proper “foundation” so we don’t deceive ourselves into thinking there is another foundation, or way or life or truth other than through our Lord. It is a gift God gives his children in this age, and the health which He gives us as we dig deeper into “how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God” brings us to see how each joint supplies to the edifying of itself (the body of Christ) in love [what a healthy foundation looks like and will be doing (Eph 4:16, 1Co 12:1-31)].

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, [“breaking ground”] whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves [your own “foundation” in the Lord]. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2Co 13:6  But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
2Co 13:7  Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
2Co 13:8  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
2Co 13:9  For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  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.

Joh 21:17  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Joh 21:18  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
Joh 21:19  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Christ was not trying to humiliate Peter by asking him over and over do you love me, but rather was preparing Peter’s heart to understand that the foundation He was going to build in Peter’s life would be coming from God alone, and that was the premise which was going to be needed in order for Peter, and all of us, to be a solid pillar in the body of Christ who is able to “Feed my sheep” (Mat 16:18, Psa 127:1).

I would like to end this study by looking at some physical examples from Wikipedia which discuss the purpose and the requirements of a good foundation, in order to draw some hopefully helpful analogies of what God’s purpose and requirements are in each of our lives.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_(engineering)#Purpose

Purpose

Foundations provide the structure’s stability from the ground.

To distribute the weight of the structure over large area so as to avoid overloading of the soil beneath. [Eph 4:16, 1Co 12:1-31]

• To anchor the structures against the changing natural forces like Earthquakes, floods, frost-heave, tornado or wind.
• To load the sub-stratum evenly and thus prevent unequal settlement.
• To provide a level surface for building operations.
• To take the structure deep into the ground and thus increase its stability, preventing overloading.
• Specially designed foundation helps in avoiding the lateral movements of the supporting material.

Requirements of a Good Foundation

The design and the construction of a well-performing foundation must possess some basic requirements that must not be ignored [Deu 4:9, 1Ti 4:16, 2Pe 3:18]. They are:

• The design and the construction of the foundation is done such that it can sustain as well as transmit the dead and the imposed loads to the soil. This transfer has to be carried out without resulting in any form of settlement that can result in any form of stability issues for the structure. [Christ, our cornerstone – Rom 14:9]
• Differential settlements can be avoided by having a rigid base for the foundation. These issues are more pronounced in areas where the superimposed loads are not uniform in nature. [(1Co 3:9) different functions and different measures of faith we operate in 1Co 12:6, Rom 12:3]
• Based on the soil and area it is recommended to have a deeper foundation so that it can guard any form of damage or distress. These are mainly caused due to the problem of shrinkage and swelling because of temperature changes. [Deu 30:17-18, Heb 12:25, Eze 28:5, Rev 3:16-17]
• The location of the foundation chosen must be an area that is not affected or influenced by future works or factors. [Luk 8:5-8]

God has considered all of his plans for us to prosper us (Jer 29:11) and to give the body the healthy foundation that we need so that we can bear the sins of the world with Christ and one day bring healing because of the only foundation that any one can truly build upon “Jesus Christ” (1Co 3:11, Php 1:6)

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: