C-1. What is the TRUE FOUNDATION of the Church? DOWNLOAD to SAVE as a PDF Doc to read OFFLINE. C-1. What is the TRUE FOUNDATION of the Church? The FOUNDATION of any building is the most important part of the structure of any building. And the church is a “spiritual” building that is being built by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is how Yahweh chose His house or His city of Zion to be built. So, the purpose of this series of studies in God’s word is to learn what the Bible itself teaches us as being the TRUE FOUNDATION that was laid by Jesus and the Apostles of Jesus. In other words, what is the God INTENDED foundational teaching that the church is built upon. Let us begin this series of studies in God’s word under the subject heading, >>>D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW OF JESUS!<<<, by reading Psalm 127:1. This verse of Scripture teaches us that we are to allow the Holy Spirit of Yahweh to build His own house by leading and guiding us into all truth, lest God’s house is built in VAIN on false man-made teachings. Psalm 127:1. “A Song of degrees for Solomon. EXCEPT the LORD BUILD the house, they labor in VAIN that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman stays awake but in VAIN.” So then, Yahweh Himself is the builder of His own house. For you see, it was Yahweh who laid the CHIEF corner stone, a TRIED stone for a sure FOUNDATION, according to Isaiah 28:16 and many other verses of Scripture. And we all know that the chief stone or the chief BUILDER of Yahweh's church is Jesus. Let us go ahead and read that PROPHECY in Isaiah 28:16 which we all agree is a prophecy of Jesus as being our sure FOUNDATION. Isaiah 28:16. “Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, (Or thus says my Lord Yahweh) Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a SURE FOUNDATION: he that believes shall not make haste.” The phrase, “I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone”, also means that “Yahweh set for INSTRUCTION, a stone to be the CHIEF builder”. For you see, the Hebrew word translated as a stone also means to BUILD. And this phrase can also mean that Yahweh appointed Jesus as the builder of His church, and then, God INSTRUCTED Jesus what to do, and of the TRIALS that he would endure to fulfill Yahweh’s plan of salvation. Again, all Christians agree that the TRIED stone is a prophecy of Jesus. We all agree that the Lamb SLAIN from the foundation of the world was NOT literally slain in the eternity past. But what some Christians have failed to see is that the Lamb of God was slain for the very purpose of being found WORTHY to RECEIVE POWER, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and GLORY, and blessing, according to Revelation 5:12. With that being said, the Hebrew word translated as “lay” and the first word “foundation” found in Isaiah 28:16 are both translated from the SAME Hebrew word, “yasad”. Here is what the Hebrew word “yasad”, Strong's number H3245 means. H3245 yâsad yaw-sad' A primitive root; to set (literally or figuratively); intensively to found; reflexively to sit down together, that is, settle, consult: - appoint, take counsel, establish, (lay the, lay for a) found (-ation), instruct, lay, ordain, set, X sure. These deeper meanings of sitting down together and to take counsel can be seen in other verses of Scripture like Revelation 5:12. But for now, I want you to see that Yahweh Himself is the wise master builder who has ordained by His prophecy, another builder of His HOUSE to dwell in. And that MAN who God ORDAINED and raised from the dead is under and subject to his God and Father Yahweh his MAKER. Also, know that Yahweh prophesied that He would INSTRUCT or teach His Prophet that He prophesied to raise up like Moses, according to Deuteronomy 18:15-19. For you see, it was Yahweh Himself who chose to use the foolishness of PREACHING to build His CITY called Mount Zion. So then, the prophecies in the Old Testament Scriptures speak of Jesus as being the BUILDER of God’s CITY called Zion that Yahweh will dwell in. And in many of those prophecies we can clearly see that Yahweh is the one who PERFORMS or FULFILLS His own spoken word of PROPHECY. And that means that Jesus is the WORKMANSHIP of his God and Father, as opposed to Jesus being Almighty God Himself in the flesh as orthodox Christianity CLAIMS. Please read Psalm 137:11-14. “The LORD has sworn in TRUTH unto David; He will not turn from it; of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne. 12. If your children will keep My covenant and My testimony that I shall teach them, then their children shall ALSO sit upon your throne for evermore. 13. For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His HABITATION. 14. This is My rest for ever: here will I DWELL; for I have desired it.” And the final FULFILLMENT of this prophecy is still yet in the future, according to Revelation 21:1-10. But again, for now, I want to remain focused on what is the FOUNDATION of that CITY of God called Mount Zion, the CHURCH that Jesus is still yet building. And part of the foundation of the TRUTH is the ORDER of the authority that seems to be just skimmed over by “orthodox” Christianity and not TRULY believed. In other words, I have been a Christian for some forty years and I have never heard a sermon FOCUSED on Almighty God the Father as being the HEAD over Jesus, and the God of His Son Jesus. For you see, the FOCUS of orthodox Christianity has always been from the fifth century, on trying to make Jesus to be Almighty God Himself in the flesh, having two natures at the SAME time during the days of his FLESH, one divine, and one human. But to me, that is NOT what the Bible itself teaches us. The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the FULFILLMENT of Yahweh’s PROPHECY that came forth out from the MOUTH of Almighty God. Simply look at how many times that the Apostles wrote, it is written, or this was done that it might be FULFILLED! And to me, it is high time that the church FOCUSES on the TRUE Jesus that the Bible itself teaches us. So then, what is the FOUNDATIONAL teaching of Jesus and his Apostles? Please read Ephesians 2:19-22. “Now, therefore, you 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 grows unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22. In whom you also are BUILT together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.” Notice that the FOUNDATION of the only true church is Jesus Christ himself as being the chief corner stone. Remember that Yahweh ordained or laid the FIRST stone as a SURE FOUNDATION to build His church upon. Also, notice that this is not only the foundational teaching of the Apostles of Jesus alone. But it is also the foundational teaching of the PROPHETS in the Old Testament. And what do prophets do? They PROPHESY the FUTURE. In other words, what is BEING prophesied does NOT literally exist UNTIL the prophecy if FULFILLED. That is what prophecy means. It means that God will bring into existence what He has PROPHESIED in His word. So then, the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATION of the church is built on Jesus as being the FULFILLMENT of the PROPHECIES of Yahweh, and that Almighty God PERFORMS or fulfills His own spoken word of PROPHECY. And we all agree that God inspired His prophets to write down those prophecies for all generations to read and hear. And not just to hear all of God’s PROPHECIES, but to BELIEVE the prophecies for the purpose of understanding God’s plan of salvation to be saved. We will come back to this truth many times throughout this series of studies. But for now, always remember that God is the HEAD over Jesus, and that God is the God of His Son Jesus. Also, never forget that it was Yahweh Himself who MADE His human Son, Jesus, both Lord and Christ by PERFORMING His own spoken word of PROPHECY for His Messiah to die on the cross. Please read 1 Corinthians 11:3. “But I would have you KNOW, that the HEAD of every man is Christ; and the HEAD of the woman is the man; and the HEAD of Christ is God.” And the Apostle Paul warns the church to take HEED or to be very cautious, as to HOW they BUILD upon the only foundation that is laid, which is Jesus Christ himself. Paul also warned us about NOT teaching ANOTHER Jesus and ANOTHER gospel. And thus, if we have faith in the WRONG FOUNDATION, then we do not have our BELIEF in the one TRUE church that Jesus built as he was instructed by his God and Father to build. So then, what did Jesus himself say that he would build his church upon? Please read Matthew 16:15-18. “He, (Speaking of Jesus talking to his Apostles) said unto them, but who do you say that I am? 16. And Simon Peter answered and said, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed are you Simon Barjona: FOR (Or BECAUSE) flesh and blood has NOT revealed it unto you, but (Rather) my Father which is in heaven. (He has REVEALED this TRUTH to you that I am the Christ, the Messiah that He prophesied in the Scriptures. And that is WHO I am) 18. And I say ALSO unto you, that you are Peter, and upon THIS ROCK (That I am the Christ, the Son of the living God) I will BUILD my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” So then, the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church is the REVELATION knowledge from Almighty God the Father that Jesus is the CHRIST, the SON of the living God. But Satan has tried his best to prevail against this TRUTH that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God by telling his LIE that Jesus is Almighty God Himself, the great I am that I am, that is found in Exodus 3:14. You might have heard the expression that if you tell a lie long enough, then the people will sincerely believe that the lie is the truth. And I believe that Satan has told his lie for so long that orthodox Christianity has been BLINDED from the true gospel by believing Satan’s lie, according to 1 Corinthians 4:4. In other words, the false teaching that Jesus is Almighty God Himself manifested in the flesh, having two natures at the same time, during the days of his FLESH, one divine, and one human, is Satan’s foundational truth that he has BLINDED the church to believe for centuries. And from the fifth century forward, orthodox Christians have blindly accepted Satan’s lie to simply “parrot or repeat” Satan's lie that Jesus is Almighty God Himself to other Christians without reading and studying the Bible for themselves. And thus, orthodox Christianity has dogmatically argued from the fifth century that if you do not believe that Jesus is Almighty God Himself in the flesh, having two natures at the same time during the days of his flesh, one divine, and one human, then you will remain dead in your sins. But that is NOT the FOUNDATION that Jesus and the Apostle laid. Let us read 1 Corinthians chapter 3 where the Apostle Paul rebukes the church for DIVIDING itself by following MEN that teach differently from what the Apostle Paul teaches. And Paul did NOT teach that Jesus is Almighty God. 1 Corinthians 3:1-23. “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto, (Or, before) you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able. 3. For you are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and DIVISIONS, are you not carnal, and walk as men? 4. For while one says, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal? 5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (In other words, it is Almighty God the Father who adds to His church that is being built by His Son, Jesus, and we are simply the ambassadors for Jesus) 7. So then, neither is he who plants anything, (Or more precisely, he that plants any PERSON in Jesus is anything) nor is he who waters; (The Christians who have been planted is anything either) but God that gives the increase. 8. Now he who plants, and he who waters are ONE: (In other words, ALL Christians are a part of the ONE BODY of Jesus Christ, the CHURCH that Almighty God the Father is building through His hand and right arm, Jesus, the highly exalted Son of MAN that God MADE both Lord and Christ, according to Acts 2:36) and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9. For we are laborers TOGETHER WITH God: (Here in verse 9, we see that just like Jesus is the servant of God, according to the PROPHECY in Isaiah 42:1-9, so are we fellow laborers with Jesus, and also laborers of the harvest together WITH the God of Gods to BUILD God’s HOUSE. Also, there is a HIDDEN prophecy in Isaiah 22:19-23 that I will cover in part 2 of this series of studies on the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church. But for now, please understand that you are not only laborers together WITH God, but) you are God's husbandry, you are God's BUILDING. (The Greek word translated as God’s “husbandry” means that we are God’s FARM that God will harvest as His FIRST FRUITS for the fulness of God to DWELL in for all eternity in the ages to come. But right now, only a PORTION of God’s Spirit dwells in us as being PART of our INHERITANCE, according to Ephesians 1:4. And what some Christians have failed to see is that Jesus is the FIRST of the first fruits unto God that God harvested on the day that God raised His human Son, according to 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. And some Christians have also failed to see that it was on the very day that God raised Jesus from the dead that the Father GAVE the Son of MAN, Jesus, the divine nature of immortality. And we will cover all of this, step by step, throughout this series of studies. But for right now, please notice in the next verse that Paul is LIKE or as a wise master builder. But in truth, Yahweh Himself is THE wise master builder. So, always keep in mind the order of the AUTHORITY. Almighty God the Creator is the HIGHEST authority who GAVE His human Son, Jesus, to be the HEAD over the church. And then, Jesus gave his Apostles the authority to keep laying the SAME FOUNDATION that Jesus said that he would build his church upon. And that FOUNDATIONAL teaching of the church is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. So, take HEED how you build on the ONLY foundation that is laid) 10. According to the grace of God, which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the FOUNDATION, and others build thereon. But let every man TAKE HEED HOW he builds thereupon. 11. For another FOUNDATION can no man lay, other than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12. Now if any man builds upon this FOUNDATION (Of Jesus as being the Christ, the Son of the living God, to build vessels of) gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (Here in this verse, we see two different ways of building the church. We can choose to build upon the TRUE FOUNDATION to bring forth works or GOOD FRUIT made of gold, silver, and precious stones that will remain faithful unto the end to receive eternal life in the world to come. Or Christians can wrongly choose to build on another foundation that is NOT the true foundational teaching that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God that Jesus said that he would build his church upon in Matthew 15:16-17) 13. Every man's work (Of building vessels in God’s HOUSE) 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. (Remember that there are two types of Christians being BUILT by what they are being TAUGHT by other Christians. In other words, according to 2 Timothy 2:18-26, there are not ONLY vessels of gold, silver, and precious stones that will be found WORTHY on the DAY of the judgment seat of Christ. But there are ALSO vessels of wood, hay, and stubble in the church that dishonor God and His Son Jesus. For you see, those vessels of wood, hay, and stubble have erred from the truth to build on ANOTHER foundation by teaching a DIFFERENT Jesus and a different gospel. And thus, the Apostle Paul warns us to take heed HOW we build the church, so that we do NOT build vessels of wood, hay, and stubble by building on the WRONG FOUNDATION or on another Jesus that Paul does NOT teach. For you see, the vessels of wood, hay, and stubble will BURN in the lake of fire on that DAY of the final Day of Judgment at the end of the Millennial reign of Jesus) 14. If any man's work ABIDES (Or if any man's work of bringing people to Jesus to be saved, and those Christians that were brought to Jesus remain faithful to endure unto the end) which he has built thereupon, (Speaking a man's WORK of building Christians on the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church, then) he shall receive a reward. (BUT) 15. If any man's work (Of building the HOUSE of God and those Christians do NOT REMAIN faithful unto the end) shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (Speaking of the fiery TRIALS that we all go through to try our FAITH to see if we are vessels of gold, silver, and precious stones. Or to try the faith of a Christian to see if he or she is a vessel of wood, hay, and stubble) 16. Know you not that you are the TEMPLE of God, and that the Spirit of God DWELLS in you? 17. If any man defiles the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 18. Let no man DECEIVE himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness. 20. And again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are VAIN. 21. Therefore, let no man glory in MEN. For all things are yours; (In other words, do not follow men who are NOT following Jesus) 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours. 23. And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.” In other words, we belong to our Lord Jesus, the Christ, and the Christ or the Messiah belongs to Almighty God. So then, if the orthodox church did not ERROR in its INTERPRETATION of the Scriptures when they argue that Jesus is Almighty God Himself in the flesh, then ask yourself the question, “HOW can Almighty God BELONG to Almighty God?” To say this another way, if Christ is Almighty God Himself, and Christ belongs to Almighty God, then that would be saying that Almighty God BELONGS to Almighty God. And tome, that makes no logical sense whatsoever. However, Jesus being MADE both Lord and Christ by his MAKER, does indeed, make perfect sense to me. For you see, it is logical and easy to believe that everything that God makes BELONGS to God. And seeing that the Bible itself clearly teaches us that God MADE Jesus to be both Lord and Christ in Acts 2:36, then that makes perfect sense for Christ to BELONG to God. For you see, that which is MADE requires a MAKER who made that which has been MADE. And what is made by the maker BELONGS to the maker. And Jesus did NOT make himself to be both Lord and Christ. It was Almighty God Himself who MADE Jesus to be both Lord and Christ. Can you not see that every church doctrine must AGREE with every verse of Scripture? We all agree that Almighty God Himself was never MADE or created. So, to teach that Jesus is Almighty God Himself, when the Bible ITSELF says that Jesus was MADE both Lord and Christ, contradicts the Scriptures. And therefore, the Oneness Pentecostal doctrine and the doctrine of the Trinity are BOTH FALSE teachings that CONTRADICT what the Bible itself teaches us in SIMPLICITY! This concludes part 1 of the series of studies to learn the TRUE FOUNDATIONAL teaching of the church which is that Jesus is the CHRIST, the Son of the living God. To continue part 2 of this series of studies to learn what Jesus being the Christ TRULY means in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God, then please click on the study called “D-10. WHAT DOES JESUS BEING THE CHRIST MEAN?” Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>>D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS!<<< And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>>C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH!<<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
To learn more TRUTH, then please return to
VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!
To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>>N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com. Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.
Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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Always be faithful to share, to preach, and to teach the whole gospel of Jesus Christ! |
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