~~ Work on your Building ~~

Eph. 2:19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22. In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Paul is speaking to the Gentiles Christians here. But he is speaking to the Jews also; for he took of the twain and made one new man. That one new man is this entire ‘building�?which God is building.

Notice that this building is fitly framed together and grows. Yes this building is growing. Verse 22, in whom ye are also builded together as part of this house, which is for the purpose of God coming and inhabiting this building. He does this through the Spirit.

19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22. In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Notice it said we are built upon a certain FOUNDATION. We did not build the foundation. We are only to ‘build�?upon this foundation. What we build will be our part of the building. If the house we build upon the foundation remains when it is ‘inspected�?by the fire judgments, then we will receive our everlasting house from Heaven. This is our mansion; a body not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.

But if our ‘building�?is destroyed by the fire judgments, then we will loose what we built for and will not receive the reward of that glorified body.

Before we started building our house, the foundation was laid for us. We had nothing to do with laying the foundation for this great house for God to inhabit. But someone did lay this foundation. Who did this? And what is the foundation? These are very important questions you must find the right answers to, if you intend to build upon the right foundation.

You may build upon the foundation, which has been laid, or you will build upon the earth with no foundation. You must choose. God will not make you choose to build upon the true foundation. You must decide that for yourself. You may either build upon the solid Rock foundation, which will stand any storms, which can come against it.

Or you may build upon the sand. Now what is that? It is flesh = human flesh, or the things which be of man.

Luke 16:5. And he said unto them, Ye are they, which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Matt. 15: 9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Anything highly esteemed among men is an abomination to God. If you follow the doctrines and the commandments of men, your worship of God is in vain. He pays it no attention. It will avail you nothing. It will not build you a place on the foundation, which will grow into a holy habitation for God to dwell in. If you practice and believe doctrines taught by man and not written in God’s Word, then you are following the doctrines of men and therefore your building will not stand. Examine your beliefs with the Written Word and see if they fit. Else you are building wood, hay and stubble which will burn up when the fire judgments come upon the building to ‘judge�?it.

Luke 6:46. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

47. Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

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.

49. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Here we are told how to lay our house upon the sure foundation, the Rock. We must come to Jesus, hear his sayings and then do them. Else you are building upon the sand which will fall when the storms descend upon it.

1Cor. 3:9. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

Here we are told that we are working with God and we are his building.

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 how he buildeth thereupon.

Here Paul said he was a wise masterbuilder. But what was Paul building? He was working on the foundation of the building. He laid this foundation. Notice that he said he did this according to the GRACE God gave unto him. Paul had been deep into law; but he did not lay this foundation out of law; he laid it by Grace.

But he did not work alone. We are told at the beginning of this lesson that all the apostles and the NT prophets are also part of laying this foundation. So then we find that the Apostles of Jesus laid this foundation for the building of God. We are the temple, which is being built. But each of us must build our own part there. But we must build upon the right foundation. We must build our part of the wall and building upon the foundation which the Apostles laid. Else you are on the sand and it will fall. You will receive no eternal reward.

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

Here we are told that no one can lay another foundation. It will not do. We must ALL without exception, build our spiritual house upon the foundation of the doctrine of the Apostles. See that Jesus said we lay on the Rock foundation by coming to him and HEARING HIS SAYINGS AND DOING THEM. So the Apostles taught us the sayings of Jesus. This is the only sure foundation. If you build on any other foundation, it is not right, and it cannot stand. It will have a great fall.

So if you intend to build a tower, or high building for safety, then you must find out what the foundation is, for we do not work to build the foundation. The Apostles laid that foundation and we cannot lay another one. Our labour is to build our spiritual life, or house upon their foundation.

So it is of eternal importance and consequence to make sure you start building on the right foundation. The only way to do this is go exactly by the doctrine of the Apostles. Did not Jesus say the foundation was his ‘doctrine�? And that the Apostles laid this foundation? Then it had to be that the apostle’s doctrine is the same as that of Jesus and the only true foundation to build upon.

If no man can lay another foundation, how is it that almost the entire church today teaches stuff not taught by the Apostles? How is it that they do not teach salvation the Apostle’s way? Because they are all building upon the sand = the doctrine and commandments of men. Did not God say this is an abomination to him? Sure he did. We just read it.

Maybe you do not take this seriously. But if not, then when your judgment day comes, you will be cast into hell fire because you built your house on the wrong foundation and it cannot stand.

Abraham was told he would have two different kinds of children. One would be as the sand of the sea. What is this? It is the law people. The works of the law are said to be of the flesh, which is of the dust or sand.

The other group of children is said to be as the stars of Heaven. What is this? It is the children of Grace. We are the spiritual Jews. We are the true Seed of Abraham to whom the promises were made and kept.

The sand therefore is that Law of Moses. It is the works of the flesh. It is doing your own thing. It is esteeming the things, which be of men. It is following the doctrines and commandments of men. It is the sand foundation, which will crumble and fall.

The children of Grace are the children of Faith. Without Faith it is impossible to please God or to build your house on the true foundation. The law is not of faith, therefore the law group are the sand group. They have no faith and cannot please God. Their house will fall and great will be the fall of it. If you think this is not right, show another group of people serving God--show someone other than law and grace people. There is no one else. God only dealt with man through law and grace, no other way. So one of these groups has to be the sand group and the other the Rock group. It is also the sheep and the goats = always two groups.

Without faith, you will deny everything the Apostles taught, for they taught the commandments of Jesus. Paul told us that is the true foundation.

Acts 1:1. The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Now see this tells us that Jesus was teaching until the day he was taken up, after he had through the Holy Ghost given COMMANDMENTS to the apostles whom he had chosen.

Now a lot is said here in this short verse. Jesus chose the Apostles. He was moved by the Holy Ghost to give the Apostles some commandments until the day he was taken up into heaven. So these commandments COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE COMMANDMENTS OF MOSES. FOR THOSE Commandments were already given. They are NOT the foundation for the new City of God. The City is the same as the Building. It is the habitation of God; the saints built up together into a Holy Temple.

Proof? Sure.

Revelation 21:1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

See that this holy city is the bride of Christ? So it is the same as the building we are building upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets. Did not God say he would come and inhabit or dwell in that house?

3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

See here that the tabernacle or temple of God is with men and he will dwell with us. So this is the bride of Christ, which is that building we built upon the foundation of the Apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone.

Rev. 21:9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and High Mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13. On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Once again here we are told that this holy city is the Lamb’s wife. See that it says the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve APOSTLES of the Lamb. This is solid proof that each of those twelve apostles were a part of the foundation of this holy city, or the building which is going to stand for it is upon the solid Rock. The Rock is the true doctrine of Jesus, which was taught only by the Apostles whom Jesus himself chose. To fight the doctrine of the Apostles, and try to enter in another way, is to become a thief and a robber. You are thus building upon the sand. Any doctrine except that taught by Peter and Paul, the two main apostles is the sand, which cannot stand.

Now it is established by the three required witnesses of Written Scripture that the Apostles all taught we must first believe in Jesus; then we must repent of our sins [this meaning to be sorry enough for them to give them up] and then we must be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ to get those sins remitted. [Acts 2:38]. Then we must also receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues by the Holy Ghost. Together these baptisms make up the one Baptism, which baptizes us into this Holy Temple, or into Christ. Thus we have set our house upon the only true and sure foundation, the doctrine of the Apostles which they alone laid. No other foundation can any man lay than that which is already laid by the Apostles.

Now for more proof that the foundation has to do with repentance and baptism:

Hebrews 6:Hebrews 6:1. 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,

2. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

3. And this will we do, if God permit.

If you are trying to have salvation, or build your spiritual house on any other foundation or doctrine, then it is very clear from all these Scriptures that you are building upon the sand and it will fall.

Now lets look a bit at how or what we are to build upon that foundation. Remember that no man can lay another foundation. We must all build upon the same foundation, that of the Apostle’s teachings. The Scripture below goes back and picks up with our Scripture in 1Cor. 3:

12. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

See there are six ways or elements we can build upon the foundation which will be our part of the building. First is gold. We know gold actually represents God himself and the truth of His Word. So we must have God and his true Word in our lives and be living them to build the gold. Silver would represent Jesus, the Son and His true teachings which are the very same as God’s for He taught God’s Words. So it is the same, we must go by the teachings of Jesus. The precious stones is what Peter said each one in this precious building is. We are lively STONES in this building. As we obey the doctrine and commandments of the apostles, we become placed in this building which it the holy city, which is the bride of Christ.

So see, there is not other way to get into the Bride except to obey the Apostle’s doctrine.

Then there is wood, hay and stubble one can build upon the foundation. You know the wood, hay and stubble represents the works or doctrines of men. Remember we showed that Jesus said they worship him in vain, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. See it all hinges on which doctrine you believe and obey. Men will tell you, oh no, you do not have to be baptized in Jesus Name. You do not even have to be baptized. You can just sprinkle or nothing at all. Peter got that thing wrong. We are under no command to be baptized in water in Jesus Name. But what did Peter actually say?

Acts 10: 44. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them, which heard the word.

45. And they of the circumcision, which believed, were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

47. Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

So here is the account of when Peter opened the door to the kingdom to the first Gentiles. They came in exactly the same way the Jews did in Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost. These people received the Holy Ghost just the same way with the evidence of speaking in with tongues. But was this enough? NO. Read verse 47 & 48. He commanded them to be baptized in water in the name of the Lord. Now that has to be one of the commandments Jesus gave them after his resurrection. It said he gave them commandments by the Holy Ghost. So the Holy Ghost is the one here who said for these people to be baptized this way. Surely you can trust the Holy Ghost to know and say what Jesus said, can’t you? If not, then what or who do you trust with your eternal life? Where is their foundation proven to be acceptable by God? Do you truly care to have eternal life? If so, you are going to have to drop your false doctrine and pride and come in the same way those people did. There is no other way recorded in the Word.

So if you disobey this, the doctrine of the Apostles, which we have solidly proven in this message is the true foundation for the holy city, then you are building upon the sand which is headed to hell fire. Your works are wood, hay and stubble if they are doctrines of men. So they will be burned up. Everything you have done since your false conversion [some way other than the Apostle’s way] will be wood, hay and stubble and be burned up.

13. 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.

14. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

If you defile your body or temple of God by sinning and living evil and disobeying the Apostles, God will destroy your temple. Is it worth it to keep on in your man-made doctrine? Why would you hate the one and only way given among men whereby we must be saved, which is the name of Jesus Christ. We must be baptized in His Name to be in His bride. This message solidly proves this. If you think God will accept you while you reject his plan and try to go in another way, you are sadly mistaken.

By: Jo Smith

12/4/2003