"The Foundation"

  The fiber of your life, your practices and attitudes are rooted in one thing: YOUR FOUNDATION! Your foundation is everything! When we speak of salvation, it begins with our foundation. When we speak of eternity or something eternal, it is all about our foundation. Whatever your foundation is founded upon, therein will you find your life pursuits.

  Paul told our Corinthian brethren (and us) that the foundation that he laid, there is no other foundation except Jesus Christ (I Cor. 3:10-11). If Jesus Christ is our foundation, our lives will be built on Him. There has never been any other ground for our justification (acquitted from sins) other than Jesus and Him crucified. There is no process to receive justification, redemption, sanctification, and salvation other than Jesus Christ.  These terms which many struggle with are not badges or things we have merited because we are at our worship hour each time the doors are open. These are all gifts from God! They come from the grace of God. Grace is not a payment of a debt. We never could, nor ever will do anything that would merit salvation. It can only be accepted, received and appreciated but never earned.

  God initiates grace! We accept it by faith. God formed the blueprint, drew the plan, put it into action and laid the foundation. We came to God's grace through faith in Christ Jesus. There is no other way. Even our baptism was faith placed in the grace of God laying the foundation in Jesus. You didn't earn it! The foundation God laid, Jesus Christ and Him crucified, is the only foundation that will last.

  Too many find the strong temptation to substitute  this foundation of Jesus Christ for a human-law-works foundation. When one works their way into a relationship with God, no longer is it by faith in Christ but faith in our faith!! That means faith in ourselves. The grace of God through Jesus Christ is turned into a "do it yourself" plan. And we work it! Work, work, work! That's where faith is placed. The more we work, the better we feel because "we" are actually doing something. Work hard, put in your time, give some and you are a successful child of God! We praise ourselves and in the process, we start condemning those who do not work the works with us! We quickly point to Jam. 2:14f that "faith without works is dead!" This foundation is wrong. It is just wrong. This is a businessman's salvation. This is humanism at it's height. God's grace saves completely or His grace doesn't save at all! God planned our salvation, Christ purchased it and the Holy Spirit revealed it. It takes faith to receive it.

  You might be wondering: "Then what about obedience?" Obedience is a necessary part of God's grace and your faith. Salvation is the free gift but it cannot be received by an unbeliever! It is received by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. It is faith in Christ Jesus that stirs one to repent of their rebellious ways. It is faith in Christ Jesus that exposes our sinfulness and willingness to follow Him, not some system. It is baptism into the name of Jesus Christ that faith responds to. Nothing is earned by receiving the word and responding. Faith simply reached to Jesus and obeyed.

  Here's the foundation by which anyone will be saved: By grace...through faith...in Christ Jesus...forgiven! That's a glorious sound which leads to praise and adoration that only belongs to God. More to come!