A cornerstone in the natural realm is essential in the construction of any building. If that corner stone is not perfect in it's plumb line, the whole building will be distorted in some manner. Ultimately, the structure will begin to show these signs openly, and in time the whole building may crumble. We may understand this same principle in the Spiritual realm. If the "Chief Corner Stone" who is Christ is not used for the Spiritual building of the church, then it also becomes distorted and in time will crumble. Peter affirms in his writings, "He that believeth on Him shall not be confounded." To be confounded, means being confused or bewildered. God does not want His people to be confounded, confused or bewildered about His church!
The scriptures invite us to be, workers together with God. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth these words of admonition.
"For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 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 in Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 3:9-11)
What an amazing invitation this is! The Master Builder has laid the foundation for we who are believers to build upon. He came from heaven to earth to build His church, to show us the "Way" back to our Creator. He not only showed us the way, He became the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. Christ laid a SURE Foundation for all time and eternity! This foundation is built on the Rock! Peter confessed that Rock to be Christ. He said boldly, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus in turn affirmed, "Upon this rock (meaning Peter's confession of faith) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
The apostle Paul wrote these words of assurance to the Christian believers for all generations..."Now therefore ye are no more strangers but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Eph. 2:19-22)
Another Divine proclamation is made in 2 Timothy 2:19..."Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
Those who come to Christ, depart from sin. Those who are truly born again of the Spirit of God are made free from sin! Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. If we are God's building, and have become partakers of His Divine nature, we do not continue in sin that grace may abound. Paul stated in Romans 6:2..."God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
These proclamations give us the true foundation for Biblical Christianity. The gospel tells us that Jesus came into this world to save his people FROM their sins, not IN them. It is written in the book of Acts that the, "Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." Again it is written, that "Whosoever would call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." This means saved from Satan, sin and self.
Biblical Christianity brought salvation to those first believers, and it will do the same today...IF...we will accept the Master Builder's plan for His church. Paul recognized this reality of faith as he wrote to the Christians at Rome. "But God be thanked that ye WERE the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. Being made FREE FROM SIN, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Rom. 6:17-18)
That form of doctrine was the pure doctrine of Christ. Doctrine just simply means the substance of ALL that our Lord Jesus Christ taught. He is the "Word of God." Everything He said became "doctrine." That word has been misused and abused and distorted by man made doctrines rooted in the first apostasy. Many people in the Christian community think that it is the differences in interpretation of Christ's doctrine that bring divisions. No! Christ's doctrine is not "confounding." Whosever believeth in Him shall not be confounded. Keep this in prospective...it is the various "traditional doctrines" of man that have brought the divisions into the Christian community.
The first essential doctrine is the recognition of Christ as the only "Head" of His Church.
It is written..."And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence."
To have the pre-eminence in all things, means to have all authority over everything that is said and done. To have pre-eminence over all things means to excel and surpass all other views or ideas coming from any human influence.
Denominational churches have all made their own laws, creeds, dogmas, doctrines, disciplines and systems of co-operation. They have devised, General conferences, self proclaimed Ministerial Assemblies, Presbyteries, Cardinals, Bishops and Synods.
These all ignore the Divine Architect's Master plan and have usurped the Theocracy of God which He intended for His Son.
Every institutional church has it's own boards and committees who organize all the business of the church. The Sunday School boards and a superintendents appoint Sunday School teachers, rather than the teachers receiving a "calling" from God. There are music committees that schedule singers and players on instruments months in advance. There is a bulletin printed up mid-week for all that will be in the program for the Sunday morning service. A Time to pray, a time to sing the hymns, a time for the special singers and the choir to perform. A time for the offering, a time for the sermon and then perhaps a time to accept Christ. All systematically done in advance!
The early church, those first Century Christians never met with such elaborate ritualistic forms and ceremonies. There was never a post-lude, a pre-lude or a doxology. And think of it! All of this elaborate ceremony is done in a one hour period every Sunday morning.
I ask...Where is the spontaneous worship and praise lead by the Holy Spirit in all that?
Let us consider what Christ intended "true worship" to be. As the Head of the Body, Christ has taught all believers how to worship God. He said, that all must worship God in Spirit and in truth. When our Lord walked upon this earth, an extremely religious Pharisee named Nicodemus came to Jesus and acknowledged Him as a teacher sent from God. Many church orientated people do that very same thing today. Jesus answered Nicodemus and gave this message to all mankind since that time. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Except a man be born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."(John 3:3-7)
Born again people worship God in Spirit and in truth. What does that actually mean? When one is born of the Spirit, there is a "spontaneous" worship that comes from the heart. it is written of those first assemblies, that one had a psalm, one had a word of praise and one had a testimony. Their worship to Christ was NOT a pre-programed ritual! It is said of the early Christians that they could not help but speak of the things that they had seen and heard. They went everywhere preaching the gospel.
It is written: "They turned the world up-sidedown."In today's social churchanity, the great strategy is to "teach" Christians how to be witnesses and win others to Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who is the teacher and He draws men unto Christ. Multitudes in leadership positions spend millions of dollars going to Seminars to hear popular motivational speakers trying to learn how to "build larger churches." Christ, the Master Builder has already given to all who will hear the Divine blueprint.
Jude writes this word of instruction from the Master plan..."But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
Linked with this instruction, Paul writes: "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him" Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."
The obedience to these instructions by those first century Christians was blest by the Holy Spirit and multitudes were saved and healed. God confirmed the word with signs and wonders and miracles of healing, because they were rooted and built up in Christ who is the "Chief Cornerstone" and the "Master Builder."
As believers, we are to be established in faith. How did we receive Christ? By faith! We are to continue in His word. Jesus gave this stipulation to the disciples when He walked with them. "If ye continue in my words, then are ye my disciples." To be, "rooted and built up and established," comes by spending time in the Word. We are invited and commanded to, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15)
The Master builder has given us these exceeding great and precious promises that we may be more than conquerors over sin, the flesh and the Devil. As believers we are now by nature, "doers of the word and not hearers only." It is as natural for a born again child of God to do righteousness as it was for him to do unrighteousness before he or she was born again. By nature we were the children of darkness, but now after being born again, we have received the Divine nature which has made us free from the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2Pet.1:4)
God has promised this through His word and confirms it through the experience of our hearts and with the manner of life-style we live. This is our assurance that we have passed from death unto Life in Christ. Paul writes: "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness,and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:22-23)
This experience is called the doctrine of holiness. It is written: "Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." The scriptures abound with the nature of the holiness of God's true children. "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be he ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy." (1 Pet. 1:14-16)
The Bible tells us that, our God is a God of faith. "Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb.11:6)
Again it is written: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Again..."Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised."
Again..."Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Then the believer's statement of faith..."But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." (Heb. 10: 38-29)
The SUBSTANCE of things hoped for is the reality of the Divine house or completed Building. Amen? Amen. Let us see next through the eye of faith that "Spiritual" Building from the Divine Architect and Master Builder.
