Foundations
Our first house we bought was in Lawton, Oklahoma & looked O.K., but later we learned it had no foundations. It had been hauled in & set on blocks – basically no continuous footings. Our second one was in Tempe, AZ and had been hauled in also & set on piers. Still no footings, but they did pour a concrete floor. It developed large cracks because in time the weight of the house pushed down the perimeter which in effect & raised up the floor. We fixed/redeemed the problems, but it was a lot of work.
Biblical Christianity is a “house” & also has to have foundations – what it is based on. What is the groundwork - the basic, essential, primary factors, and at the bottom of the matter? Of course, the main foundation & cornerstone is Jesus Christ. Isaiah 28:16, 1 Corinthians 3:11. And is it an accident that Christ is called The Word – Greek “Logos”, right at the start of the most dynamic Gospel of John?? 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” A prominent theologian, M. F. Unger said this; “Words are the vehicle for the revelation of the thoughts and intents of the mind to others. In the Person of the Incarnate Logos, God has made Himself fully known to man.” And there is a profound union between J. C. & the Scriptures.
Now the Scriptures are extremely important & amazing because THEY give the knowledge of Christ. And the god of this world (Lucifer) knows our knowledge of Jesus depends on a reliable Bible so he promotes liberal thinking on the veracity of scriptures which can pull the rug from under Christianity. Is it any wonder that some colleges AND liberal seminaries undermine the scriptures by attacking the authorship, date of writing, doctrines, and accuracy of the manuscripts? This G – note attempts to highlight some references on the excellence & Holiness of the written WORD:
-- Exodus 24:4 “Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. . .” 1500 B.C.
-- Psalms 12:6 “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace earth, purified seven times.” 1000 B.C.
-- Psalms 138:2 “. . . for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
-- Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?” 600 B.C.
-- Matthew 4:4 “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” J. C. said that.
-- Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
-- Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
There in that last reference is a hint of that profound union between Jesus Christ and the scriptures. I had a glimpse of Jesus in a spiritual dream in 1977. He looked at me & said, “Learn of Me”, which was positively the voice of God – (link 7 “I Saw the King”). Now those 3 words were a direct quote from the New Testament, Matthew 11:29. I believe (along with millions of others) that the Scriptures are the written WORD of God or Christ, and as a whole are the VOICE of Divinity to us humans. The people who bash the Bible are undermining their own prospects of peace and relationship with the Lord. How much better to build on revealed Truth as it is plainly given to us?? We all need “Foundations” to be complete as humans. Choose Jesus and His Word, they are Alive. See also link 65 “Why the Bible”. Then for no extra charge, here’s “a word” from Solomon – “He who gives heed to the word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20.
Many other Titles: www.gospelnotes.org * * F. J. Stone * *
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