SURE FOUNDATION

SURE FOUNDATION: CRITICAL NEED FOR YOUTH TO STAND AGAINST EVERY STORMS OF LIFE

PSALM 11:1-3; 2 TIMOTHY 2:17-20.

INTRODUCTION

A  study on the word foundation from the Bible indicates that it means the roots, base, support, source of life and strength, what makes you stand (Jeremiah 50:15; Ezekiel 30:4; Micah 1:6, etc). Foundation is popularly associated with buildings. When a house is to be built, wisdom demands that a foundation should be laid first. To lay a foundation (Luke 6:47-49) you first dig out the earth, then the blocks on a very solid substance (the rock). Then you build the house on that foundation. This is how to build a house that will last, and withstand every external forces, be the storms, winds, floods (waters), torrential rain, etc. Thus, the strength of every building is its foundation. Life is like a building, if it will last and endure the forces of challenges, destructions, and the other forces it must have strong foundation.

From the scriptures, it appears that the strength of foundation depends on its depth (digging deep), the underlying substance (the rock or concrete), on which the foundation is laid, and the foundation itself (Luke 6:48-49; 1Kings 5:17, 7:9-10)

For a building that will go high like a story building the foundation must of necessity go deep. A building that will carry much loads or weight (whether life or dead weight) its foundation must be solid and it is to be laid on a very solid underlying concrete or better still a rock. If we must endure to the end, if we will grow tall like the Cedar of Lebanon in the house of God. If we will carry the loads of our lives and that of the others and burdens of ministry for God, we must pay attention to the matter of our foundation as a youth in the faith. Foundations are usually not seen. They are covered in the earth, but the outcome of every life tells of the quality or what sort of foundation it is laid upon.

A house that has no foundation cannot last. It was not built to last. The reason is because life is not without storms of challenges. This is why Jesus describes a man that built without foundation as a FOOLISH MAN. When he falls, it is usually a great and resounding falls (Matthew 7:26-27). It was built on sand.

What then is the foundation that we must build our lives upon? We shall devote the rest of this Bible study to identifying what constitutes foundation; the thing our lives should be built upon in other to last as a youth in the faith.

1. JESUS CHRIST (ISAIAH 28:8-10, NKJV, MSG, LB)

Jesus Himself in Matthew 21:42 quoted the above scripture and Psalm 118:22 as referring to Himself. Peter also in Acts 4:11 and 1Peter2:4-7, taught that Jesus Christ is the foundation stone laid by God. Though disallowed, spurned by men, He is chosen by God above all others.  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other means under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12, NIV). Jesus said, I am the way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (Jesus). Paul affirmed this truth by saying that, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 3:10; Colossians 1:27).

Jesus is the firm, tested and precious foundation that is safe to build your life, career and your ministry upon. Trusting in Him, you will never be toppled. Make Christ your all in all. Let your life begin and end in him. Base your life, marriage, business, career, etc…, on Him and you will never be toppled. If you are involved in ministering the word or minister as a youth, teach Christ and what He said and did. When your conduct and your doctrine is not based on Christ, your foundation is not Christ and will not last.

2. THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLE AND PROPHETS (EPHESIANS 2:19-22)

When a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he is saved, and has become a child of God, a member of God’s very own family. He belongs to God’s household, with as much right to the name of Christ as anyone. God is building a house, using us all, fitting us in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the Corner Stone that holds all the parts together.

Christ resurrected from the dead after He was rejected and crucified by the Jewish religious leaders. He then charged the apostles to go into the entire world, and preach the gospel to every creatures (Mark 16:15-18). The apostles obeyed. Jesus is the only foundations. The foundation of the apostles and prophets is what they taught and practiced. They went preaching forgiveness in the name of Jesus and salvation to those that believed.  

This gospel was delivered unto us by them which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word (Luke 1:1-2; 1Peter 1:16). They quoted from the prophets to lay credence to the fact that Jesus was the Christ. Isaiah has said that, to the law and to the testimony if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (Isaiah 8:20).

Anyone whose teaching and preaching contradicts Christ which is the foundation laid by the apostles and the prophets, the Bible foretold that there is no light in them. Those who preach salvation in other names and by other means from faith in the name of Jesus Christ have no light of God in them and cannot find light. Our sure foundation, the Chief Cornerstone His name is Jesus; which means he shall save His people from their sins (Matthew 2:23). Anyone who teaches that you can come to Christ and still fornicate, collect bribe, cheat in the examinations and steal from the government purse or that of your parents is false. Any teaching and doctrine that is outside those of the apostles and prophets is false.

3. FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINES (2 CORINTHIANS 5:17; PSALM 78:1-7; LUKE 6:46-49)

There are some doctrines and teachings that the Bible refers to as foundation to be laid for a Christian, usually a young convert. They are basic fundamental truths; they are the principles of Christ and should form the first lessons of the Christian message. Principles are basic general truth that forms the foundation of something (subject or system).

Not to learn them means you will have problems as you begin to go further in that subject, because they may cut across all the topics in that course. For example, if a student fails to know debit and credit in simple Book Keeping that is taught in the Secondary School, he will have problem with Accounting up to the University and Professional levels. Similarly, a believer who does not know the foundation (is not staying true to all that) cannot be a good Christian even if he becomes an elder, choir, usher, pastor or bishop. These principles are elementary but basic. If you miss them, you have missed all that is about Christ and being a Christian. The whole Bible is a book of precepts (rules and guides for living) but there are basic principles (foundation) where a person should begin. When someone says he is born again but cannot overcome sin, check whether he is true to the very first things of the foundational doctrine which is repentance. Those who claim they are born again but you don’t know what sin they have turned their back on. Those who did not make any restitution and have failed to correct their wrongs and are living with them cannot make a true Christians. They have a faulty foundation. You married somebody’s wife or husband. You used somebody else’s name or certificate to get a job and the name you now answer is not your name. You stole government or master’s money to start a business and you did not return it.  Your foundation of repentance is false.

This is not the place to study about each of these basic fundamental doctrines of Christ. These are the first lessons to learn in Christ from (Hebrews 6:1-2). They are repentance, faith, baptisms, laying of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. Other principles of Christian’s living are the reading, hearing, meditating and studying in the word of God, prayer, fellowship with brethren and breaking of bread in Holy Communion and witnessing Christ (that we shall discuss in the future. John 3:1-15)

4. THE SEAL OF GOD’S FOUNDATION (2TIMOTHY 2:25; PSALM 15:2; HEBREWS 1:8-10)

This is a permanent inscription on God’s foundation stone. It cannot be erased. The KJV says, it is a seal. The foundation of God is bearing this seal. Seal is a legal stamp to indicate that it is genuine and authentic. It is a mark of genuineness. God knows those who are His. We may parade ourselves, give names and titles to ourselves, say many things about ourselves and make bogus claims. But God who knows the hearts of all men, who knows the thoughts and intentions of men from afar off, who weigh all the actions of men in a balance. He knows who are His. Men can only deceive themselves and not God. He knows those who are His. Everyone who calls himself a Christian, who says that he belongs to the Lord, and who confesses the name of the Lord, should depart from iniquity, turn away from wrong doings and wickedness. The Bible says, in Him is no darkness at all (John 1:5), and whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor knows Him… He who sins is of the devil (1John 3:6-10). Here is how you tell the difference between God’s children and the devil’s offspring.

Brethren, the seal, the mark, the identity of God’s foundation, and whatever is built on it is RIGHTEOUSNESS. Psalms 89:14, 97:2 says righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne; mercy and truth go before your face. We cannot explain the Bible more than it explains itself. Let us take heed.

CONCLUSION.

In Luke 11:50, the phrase from the foundation of the world in KJV is translated as from the time earth began until now (MSG), and since the beginning of the world (NIV). So the use of foundation in the Bible also refers to the beginning, the start of things. How we start anything matter a lot, be it courtship, marriage, education, business, politics, ministry, etc. the entire building depends on and derives its strength from the foundation. It determines the outcome. Problems in the building are less difficult to handle than the foundational problems. Foundational problems can only be solved by pulling down the whole building and starting afresh. Anything you are starting with lies, cheating, deceit and corruption, the foundation of it is sand and that is no foundation. When you collect people’s things, be it position, money, lands, houses, etc by falsehood, trickery, compulsion, you are building on the sand, without a solid and concrete foundation.

Hear what Jesus said: The man that hears the word but does not obey it, does not practice it but behaves contrary to is like a building on a sandy foundation; when the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more but the righteous has an everlasting foundation (Proverbs 10:25)

May God help us all to take heed to His word while you are still a youth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.