Laying a Foundation
One of the elements of life is that certain things cannot build without something in place first. In academia, these are courses called pre-requisites that must be taken before the advanced courses can be pursued. In a professional working career, one must understand the work on the ground before supervising the work on the ground. With Biblical principles, the same thing applies. A building cannot properly be constructed or stand without a sure foundation under it. In I Corinthians 3:11, Paul describes the building and foundation work. While Paul will describe many things about building, the materials to use, etc. in this overall lesson, we primarily want to focus on the foundation and how it should look in application.
A Present Reality: Looking at the language of verse 11 Paul makes it clear that when we build upon the foundation of Christ, that foundation is already laid. So are we laying this foundation, or is it already done? Based on the language of the verse, it must be both. To properly build as individuals, churches, families, etc. it must start upon what is an unshakable absolute. Christ is laid. Period. That work cannot be undone, because what He has done, He has done forever. (Hebrews 8:1, 10:14) When someone wants to build a godly life or churches are going to be established, those buildings will not stand the test of time without an understanding of the finished work of Christ. I know many good people in this world that wither under the oppression of the world’s heat and shiver in despair during its long winters. They are still part of the blood-bought family of God, but they lack the lasting comfort of knowing that all of the people of God will be with Him without the loss of one. (John 6:37-39) Knowing this foundation is sure, set, and unmovable will help us shore up the foundations of our own lives to build proper buildings thereupon.
No Other: Paul makes it equally clear in this verse that there are not a multitude of options to use in building. There is no other foundation than Jesus Christ. Now, that might seem like an obvious point, and to good, godly people it would be obvious conceptually. However, where it gets dicey is in application. Most people’s foundation becomes obvious when you listen to them talk. Listening to how they discuss and describe things, 2 things will become prominent: 1. the source of their information and 2. the prominence of their information. When someone describes things of life beginning with “I think” or “I feel,” they are showing the source of their information (the foundation of their life and thinking) is themselves. However, when someone speaks with “Lord willing,” “Thy will be done,” etc. they are showing a source coming from something other than themselves. Also, we have a tendency to speak more often of things that are important to us. Professionals love talking shop about their vocations, and people with common recreational activities love to swap stories of vacations, adventures, etc. In Malachi 3:16, we read that people who fear the Lord speak often one to another. We do that at church in singing, preaching, and praying. We do it individually when we converse about how great things the Lord has done for us. If the prominence of our patterns of life and/or the source of where we derive our source material comes from something other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified, we have missed the mark of no other foundation.
Perpetual: Tense is very important, and in our study verse, Paul says this foundation “is” Jesus Christ. Not “was.” Not “will be.” Is. It was true when Paul wrote it, and it is just as true now a couple of millennia later. Because of the never-fading nature of Jesus Christ, this foundation is perpetual without the need for updates. (Hebrews 13:8, Jude 3) Looking at the institutions that God has placed in this earth – such as marriage, family, the church – what other institutions except what the Lord has done can say they need no updates? No matter how many people try to “update” and “improve” these God-given institutions, they are perfect as given and perpetual in their benefit. Why? Because God-given things like marriage and the church reflect the unchanging Person of Jesus Himself. My actions within these institutions surely does need improvement, but these things themselves are as God intended them to be from day 1.
Friends, Paul’s labors with the church at Corinth had many twists and turns, and my life sometimes looks like a myriad of checkered decisions. However, I thank God that He has given us these things that don’t change so that we have a sure place in this old world. Whenever I stray from the path and my building gets shaky, I have to come back again and again to the place to see that my Lord and His work is just as sure as it ever was and always will be. Something that resonates with me from watching people for many decades now is that when someone is grounded upon the doctrines of grace and the finished work of Jesus Christ, their life reflects very noble and honorable things. When their mind is clouded from these glorious truths, they many times are either prideful or cast down depending on the season. Knowing what we are in Christ Jesus keeps our building firm upon the unmoving foundation of an everlasting work done for us.