For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11)
Man has been in the business of building structures since the beginning of time, and has learned that when you build properly upon the bedrock, your structure will stand against the storms. Of course, anything that man builds will at some point suffer loss. Jesus Christ is also in the business of building. He told His disciples, “I will build My church; and the gates of Hades[1] will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18; Acts 4:11). Jesus was reassuring His disciples that what He was building would never be destroyed.
As the builder of the church, Jesus Christ is also the head of the church! That is a fundamental truth that must be understood, because there is no other foundation on which we can build and have lasting value (1 Corinthians 3:9–15; Colossians 1:17–18). Paul builds on this thought in Ephesians 4:11–16 by stating, “we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.”
Another important point about the church is that it IS NOT the physical building. The church that Jesus Christ said He would build is made up of individual persons—believers who are being conformed into the image of Christ. Romans 8:29 says, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.” God is in the business of shaping us to be like Jesus.
The Greek word ekklēsia is translated in the Bible as “church” and is defined as, “called out ones.” They are those who have been, “called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:38). The apostle Peter wrote about God’s purpose when he said, “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5–6).
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SUMMARY • Jesus Christ is the foundation and head of the church
• Believers are being shaped into the image of Jesus Christ
• The church is made up of people not physical buildings
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FOOTNOTES
Matthew 16:18. Hades is the place of punishment for the spirits of dead unbelievers, entered at death. This Jewish phrase, then refers to death. Even death, the ultimate weapon of Satan (compare with Heb. 2:14, 15), has no power to stop the church. The blood of martyrs, in fact, has led to the growth of the church in size and spiritual power. John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1155 ↑
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RBG Devotional 15–1: The Rock: Jesus Christ Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. 22-Jun-21, 17:57 |