jesus is the foundation of the church

This wondrous Restoration should make of us a people of tolerance, of neighborliness, of appreciation and kindness toward others. Self-discipline can be defined as the ability to live consistently with our vision and commitments. Ephesians 2:19-22. From a Church Educational System devotional address, “How Firm a Foundation,” delivered at the Ogden Tabernacle in Ogden, Utah, on November 2, 2014. Does it at least describe who you are working to become? Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow … It is worth any price. The Foundation will provide service and resources to assist Church of God congregations, regional assemblies, and other movement related organizations with regard to endowments, charitable trusts, and charitable gift annuities, all designed to support the ministries of the church. To build and maintain a foundation, remember three principles: vision, commitment, and self-discipline. However, today’s extraordinary blessing of accessibility to their message can lead to a lack of appreciation for its importance. The church is of divine origin. The gates of hell did prevail against him when he denied his Lord with cursing and swearing. However, that is not all that the New Testament says about the church’s foundation. In the context, he has referred to the church as a household or nation (v19). You will also learn that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. When Jesus was on the cross He said, “ it is finished.” He was talking about the plan of redemption. The church is built upon the foundation that He is the son of God. Our identity then becomes first that of an eternal being—a son or a daughter of God—and of a grateful receiver of the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Moses said: “Ascribe ye greatness unto our God. And in that way Jesus becomes the foundation and focus and goal of the family, and life at home is transformed. But, there were those, at that time, that refused to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and had no desire to obey His word even though Peter tried to help them to understand that Jesus was the Son Of God and salvation comes through Him. We should earnestly seek to build the foundation obtained by the Lamanites who believed the preaching of Ammon and his brethren: they “were converted unto the Lord, [and] never did fall away” (Alma 23:6). Mary Ann Pratt married Parley P. Pratt in 1837. Since he left the earth thousands of churches have begun, but their origin is traceable to humans. Whatever your circumstance, having a firm foundation will lessen your load. The Bible points to and teaches about the true foundation, that of Jesus … They base their belief on an out of context interpretation of Matthew 16:17-19. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 2, Christ is the cornerstone with the apostles and New Testament prophets as the foundation. It becomes more dangerous.”4. For you who are really trying, we sincerely commend you. Jesus was saying, "My followers should be separate from this culture." He and his family were saved when all others were lost. Indeed, it is the essence of our life’s work. In one form or another, all of us understand it. In this world when everything is going every which way but the right way, it is so nice to have a friend that you can lean on. If you have never had the foundation we speak of, or through neglect have let it crack or crumble, it is not too late to put on a hard hat and go to work. In Isaiah, He is called “a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16). But no one can build our spiritual foundation. Peter was not the rock upon which the church was founded. 1 Peter 2:4-8; Eph. The concrete footings and foundations were then tied to the granite bedrock with rock anchors to resist even torrential wind and powerful groundwater. He will never go back on His word, and He will never change. In order for us to be tested, we must face challenges and difficulties. Q: Does this mean that Jesus would build His church on Peter as the foundation? With the message of the oft-sung hymn “I Am a Child of God”6 in your heart and soul and not simply on your lips, and with a continual reliance on the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ, you can find peace and comfort even in the most difficult of times. He will shelter us from the coming storm. But there are other stones in this foundation. I love the cherished anthem “How Firm a Foundation.” Some time ago I was in a meeting in the Salt Lake Temple with the members of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and all other General Authorities assigned to Church headquarters. A house, in this biblical parable, can refer to many things. David stated, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, … my shield, … my high tower” (2 Samuel 22:2–3). The apostles and prophets were participants in laying the foundation, but the focus was definitely upon Christ as the cornerstone. Formally, we make covenants with God through priesthood ordinances. “But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:48–49). The foundation of the church is Christ himself. I Cor.3:11 “For no other foundation can lay than that which is already lain, which is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the anointed One.” The construction process is a significant undertaking, and maintenance is a lifetime effort. But there are other stones in this foundation. She wrote, “I shared his dungeon, which was a damp, dark, filthy place, without ventilation, merely having a small grating on one side. Our connection with God the Father and His eternal plan, and with Jesus Christ, His Son and our Rock, needs to be so firmly established that it truly becomes the cornerstone of our foundation. Perhaps matters in your family are not as you would wish. Thus the work of those who preach God’s word is a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. In The Times Ahead Cling To God’s Promises. For others, it may mean reprioritizing their life and making their love for God supreme. All the words of Holy Scripture are His, and are here included. Jesus is the rock that His church is built on. Henry B. Eyring, “Finding Safety in Counsel,” Ensign, May 1997, 25. All the tools you need to build, repair, or strengthen your foundation are available to you. That Rock is Himself–His own body, for us broken and bruised. Possibly you are dealing with something in your past—either something you have done or something that was unfairly done to you. These can break us, and the surface of our souls may crack and crumble—that is, if our foundations of faith, our testimonies of truth are not deeply embedded within us. A. Many persons are by their own endeavors hewn, polished, and beautified; but they cannot become “living stones,” because they are not connected with Christ. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”  Matthew 26:33, 34, We can count on Him being truthful, honest, sincere, loving and kind today; and when tomorrow comes, we know He will be the same truthful, honest, sincere, loving, kind God. But, the gates of hell did prevail against Peter. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of this work, and it is built upon a “foundation of … apostles and prophets” . Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord works in our hearts – shaping, moulding, calling us through the gospel. Paul says in Ephesians 2:20 that Jesus is actually “the cornerstone.” Jesus is called the foundation because He is the linchpin, as it were, for the entire foundation. As Helaman powerfully taught, “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12). Possessing a firm foundation is the ultimate protection from the buffetings of the world. But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. Jesus Is Better. To fall upon the Rock and be broken is to give up our self-righteousness and to go to Christ with the humility of a child, repenting of our transgressions, and believing in His forgiving love. Photographs above: Eric P. Johnsen; Jared Doxey; Katrin_Timoff/iStock/Thinkstock; matsilvan/iStock/Thinkstock; Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock; Zoonar RF/Zoonar/Thinkstock. The foundation that had been built upon the sand swiftly crumbled while the house that stood on the solid foundation remained intact. Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone of the Christian faith or church, not Peter. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. It is broad enough for all, and strong enough to sustain the weight and burden of the whole world. He said, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  Matthew 16:19, “The keys of the kingdom of heaven” are the words of Christ. Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, and your faith also is vain…. Submission to Christ and faith in Him are here represented. The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.” Psalm 18:2, 31, 46, “And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer: The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.” II Samuel 22:2, 3, “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” Psalm 95:1, “There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” I Samuel 2:2, “He teareth himself in his anger; shall the earth be forsaken for thee? In this matter we are our own contractor. Thomas S. Monson, “How Firm a Foundation,” Ensign, Nov. 2006, 62. (1 Corinthians 3:11) This observation by the apostle Paul warns Christians that it is possible to build either successfully or with awful failure on the foundation that Jesus Christ has laid for us. They declare the conditions upon which people are received or rejected. The gates of hell did not prevail against Him. Against the church built upon this foundation, the gates of hell shall not prevail. This scripture list is adapted from Robert J. Matthews, “I Have a Question: What Is the Symbolic Meaning of the Term Rock in the Scriptures?” Ensign, Jan. 1984, 52. “How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, no. 85. With the design and construction of every temple, significant work is expended on what cannot easily be seen when the project is finished—the foundation. That foundation is the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Vision is the ability to see. Jesus is the Builder and Foundation of the Church With so many different churches existing in the world today, with conflicting doctrines, you may be wondering why it’s important that Jesus Christ should be the builder and foundation of the church. We can learn from the mistakes and the successes of others. You may deeply feel the weight of life’s heavy burdens. He is the Rock, his work is perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:3–4). The church was built upon One against whom the gates of hell could not prevail…. In this we were obliged to sleep.”. Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone of the Christian faith or church, not Peter. Sin entered into the world through Adam, and through the Last Adam, Jesus Christ, sin and death were conquered on the Cross (1 Corinthians 15:45). - Proudly Powered by WordPress. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. The test of these foundations showed up quickly when the storms hit. Yesterday, this long-awaited divine service took place in the church in Herne-Wanne-Eickel (North Rhine-Westphalia), from where it was transmitted to more than 550 European congregations. Maybe you are struggling with your faith. He had established the foundation with which to build the church on. We can count on Him being truthful, honest, sincere, loving and kind today; and when tomorrow comes, we know He will be the same truthful, honest, sincere, loving, kind God. 412-414, Your email address will not be published. The hole was dug into native Pennsylvania granite to provide an immovable foundation upon which to build. The anchors are spaced 15 feet (4.5 m) apart in both directions. Another essential tool is the counsel of living prophets. I proclaim my witness of Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of the Church and the Rock of our lives. When you read the word of God, you can believe it is true because He is so true and honest. Paul spoke of apostles and prophets as the foundation of the Church, with “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).2. We can observe others. Rather, He was saying the church would be built on what Peter said: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." The Church is described in the scriptures as the body of Christ and Jesus Christ is the only Foundation. For some of us, it may mean giving up some addictive habit or repugnant practice that offends God. However, that is not all that the New Testament says about the church’s foundation. Pastor-teacher Dennis Rokser came to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior at the age of 18 through the faithful witness of some friends. Your email address will not be published. Gathering a wide range of critical scholarship, he argues that there is something solid and dependable at the foundation of the church's life and mission. Remember, “in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest” (D&C 84:20). Commitment is the willingness to make a promise. Today can be a pivotal, even historic, day in our life. Knowing that these forces would relentlessly attack the temple, the engineers designed, and the contractor excavated, a hole 32 feet (10 m) deep under the entire footprint of the structure. Or who is a rock save our God? In addition to making covenants with God, we should be willing to make commitments to ourselves, to spouses (or to become a spouse), to friends, and to those with whom we serve. Required fields are marked *. He denied his Lord 3 times. “We can rely on the faith and testimony of others only so long. Definition: The universal church is that organism of professing believers making up the body of Christ through baptism by the Holy Spirit, which was formed first on the day of Pentecost, is distinct from the nation of Israel, and is not limited to local congregational or denominational affiliation.Everyone, living or dead, who has ever put their faith in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost till now, is a member of the universal church, Christ’s body, of which He is the head (E… They hold the keys of the priesthood of God. In one form or another, all of us understand it. Additional photographs: Eric P. Johnsen; Matthew Reier; RedDaxLuma/iStock/Thinkstock; shilh/iStock/Thinkstock. Jesus is the foundation of the church (cf. Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Jun 6, 2015. based on 1 rating. It can be the day we decide to take disciplined efforts to build or to reinforce our foundation. In Ephesians 2:20-22 Paul uses an illustration to describe the blessings we have in the church. Peter was no different than you or me, friend, he was a sinner. Does this describe who you are? Jesus and the Church The Foundation of the Church in the New Testament and Modern Theology by The Rev. Check here to Subscribe to notifications for new posts, Love You Lord Jesus! 1 Peter 2:4 As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God's sight, For example, the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, when completed, will be 82 feet (25 m) tall at its roofline and rise 195 feet (59 m) to the top of the angel Moroni. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  Matthew 16:15-19, Jesus is the rock that His church is built on. “Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. But, Jesus Christ is the foundation of His church. We raise our hands to sustain them several times a year. 2 This is not new doctrine. They chose not to surrender their lives to Jesus and, therefore, their names will not remain in the Book of Life. Jesus Christ is the rock upon which we must build our foundation. Avis argues that Jesus wanted a church in a sense, … Neither Matt. Without this connection, no man can be saved. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. After Parley’s release from jail, Mary Ann and her husband served missions to New York, USA, and to England and were among those who made “the final weary gathering to Utah,” as she described it. A:No. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, 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 growth unto a holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid; which is Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 3:11, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. The Lord referred to Himself as “the stone of Israel” and emphatically stated, “He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall” (D&C 50:44). You likely have experienced much joy and much pain. He denied his Lord 3 times. How fortunate you and I are to have a God that is as solid as a rock. President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, warned: “Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong faith. Today and everyday, He is the same. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”  Matthew 26:33, 34. We can then securely build other righteous identities upon that foundation because we will know which are eternal and which are temporary and how to prioritize them. During the time that Peter walked on this earth, he brought many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and His word, and their names are bound in heaven. This forever destroys the Catholic concept that Peter or the office of Pope is the foundation of the church. When we are redeemed, we become "living stones, [and] are being built into a spiritual house…" (1 Peter 2:5) We haven't made ourselves into stones to be used in the construction of Christ's church; the Lord has done that for us. On the north and south walls, these holes go to depths of eight to 14 feet; on the east and west walls, the holes stretch from 10 to 35 feet deep. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” “To those who believe, Christ is the sure foundation. For who is God save the Lord? And in Matthew 16, the rock is Peter. Jesus built His church on a Rock (Matthew 16:18) What is the foundation of the church of Christ? Taking A Stand Series. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. For six thousand years the floods and tempests of satanic wrath have beaten upon the Rock of our salvation; but it stands unmoved. Our eternal safety depends upon our building upon the sure foundation. 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