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NASB | Matthew 11:13 "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 11:13 "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied up until John. |
Bible Question (short): What is a 'foundation?' |
Question (full): Dear brother RCSCROLL, Please read my apology first. My question is, "What is a foundation?" I have been a professional builder, and have built several homes, as well as a church. I understand 'foundation,' but often the term is misunderstood. A structure has several parts, and I think the Bible agrees that the church has several parts. This is best illustrated in the 'parable of the two houses.' "...He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood rose, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built." Luke 6:48 NASB This says that there is a 'foundation' and a 'rock,' as well as the house. The 'Rock' that we know is the 'bedrock' kind, Christ Jesus. You must dig through the 'soil of the earth' to get to Him. Sometimes the 'bedrock' is called the 'foundation' laid by God, we cannot lay it. I agree with this very much. However, we must lay a 'foundation' upon this Rock, and I believe this is the basic gifts and ministries given to the church. They are foundational, they are written in the Word, and they continue to work today. (Please note that I agree with you that many gifts and ministries are misused, abused and-or false. I also agree with you that the apostles and prophets are not exactly like 'pre-church,' but called so in the Bible, nonetheless) You may even call this 'foundation' "the application of doctrine." Upon that 'foundation' you have the 'superstructure' or 'frame,' and all the parts ('members') are attached to it. This illustration explains why we have the single unchangeable 'foundation' of Christ Jesus, laid by our Father, and several 'foundations' of doctrine and action. Please also remember that you cannot have bags of cement, mounds of sand and buckets of water and call it a foundation. Unless mixed in the appropriate amount, poured, finished, and allowed to cure, they are not a foundation. Also know that concrete takes years to completely cure. I believe that our foundation is still 'curing.' Thus the 'foundation' of the apostles and the prophets continues to work in our midst. Indeed, "...having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord;" Ephesians 2:20,21 NASB Thank you, brother, and blessings in Christ Jesus. charis |