Foundations

2019-04-05
1 Corinthians 3:11 NCV

What are our lives founded on? God? Or something else? Paul wrote, ‘The foundation that has already been laid is Jesus Christ, and no one can lay down any other foundation.’ This verse was written in the context of division within the church. The people in Corinth were arguing about who they followed. Paul said to them: ‘You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?’ (1 Corinthians 3:3-4 NIV). They weren’t acting like their foundations were in Christ. Instead, they were favoring different preachers and then falling into the trap of jealousy, rivalry, and disunity when others didn’t agree with them. We can also fall into the trap of founding our lives on other things. These might be people’s opinions, success, fame, or something else. And when we realise we’re doing that, we need to remember Paul’s words. Our foundation won’t hold in the storms of life unless it’s based on Jesus, the Rock (have a read of Matthew 7:24-27). Founding our lives on anything other than Him won’t work. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul goes on to say, ‘If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light’ (vv.12-13 NIV). How we live our lives, and the way we’ve built on our foundations, will show on Judgment Day. It’ll be clear whose lives aren’t fully founded in Christ. So let’s make sure our foundations are in Jesus – the only true foundation.

Lev 18-20; Luke 21:12-24; Ps 25:16-22; Prov 10:2