Page 22 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

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Paul the apostle gives us yet another vitally important picture of this spiritual house:

“FOR WE ARE GOD’S FELLOW WORKERS; YOU ARE GOD’S FIELD, YOU ARE GOD’S BUILDING.
ACCORDING TO THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH WAS GIVEN TO ME,

AS A WISE MASTER BUILDER I HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION, AND ANOTHER BUILDS ON IT.
BUT LET EACH ONE TAKE HEED HOW HE BUILDS ON IT. FOR NO OTHER FOUNDATION CAN

ANYONE LAY THAN THAT WHICH IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST.
NOW IF ANYONE BUILDS ON THIS FOUNDATION WITH (1) GOLD, SILVER, PRECIOUS
STONES, (OR 2) WOOD, HAY STRAW, EACH ONE’S WORK WILL BECOME MANIFEST;
FOR THE DAY WILL DECLARE IT, BECAUSE IT WILL BE REVEALED BY FIRE; AND THE

FIRE WILL TEST EACH ONE’S WORK, OF WHAT SORT IT IS (“GOLD,SILVER,PRECIOUS
STONES, OR WOOD,HAY, STRAW”) . IF ANYONE’S WORK WHICH HE HAS BUILT ON IT

ENDURES (THE TEST OF FIRE) HE WILL RECEIVE A REWARD. IF ANY ONE’S WORK IS
BURNED, HE WILL SUFFER LOSS (OF REWARD); BUT HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED,
YET SO AS THROUGH FIRE.” 1 Cor. 3:9-15

We are God’s building. Paul laid the foundation for this building-it is Jesus Christ. No other foundation will work.
The building which is to be erected on this foundation consists of the work/labor of the believer. Two choices of
building materials are given: (1) “gold, silver and precious stones” or (2) “wood, hay and straw.” It is obvious
which category will survive the test of fire being applied to it. You cannot destroy “gold, silver or precious
stones” by fire, but “wood, hay and straw” will quickly be consumed. The moral to the story is this: One
category of building materials is very costly to obtain as it must be dug out of the ground at great expense and
labor while the other material is cheap and easily obtained on the surface of the ground.

Let me show you the very costly building that God wants you to build, the one that will pass the test of fire and
ultimately, provide for you great rewards in heaven for your hard labors:

“...AND THAT DAY ABOUT THREE THOUSAND SOULS
WERE ADDED TO THEM.

AND THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY
IN THE APOSTLES DOCTRINE AND FELLOWSHIP,
IN THE BREAKING OF BREAD, AND IN PRAYERS.”

Acts 2:41-42

APOSTLES

Paul gives us the revelation of the foundation of this spiritual house as well as the house itself in Ephesians
2:18-22 above. The foundation is based upon the teachings of Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone and the
commandments (doctrine) of the apostles and prophets.

The building itself consists of believers interacting with other believers for the purpose of being “joined together
and “built together” into God’s spiritual house. The passage in Acts 2:42 shows us the four building-block
principles that the Holy Spirit singled out which constitute the structural walls of this spiritual house. It is unto
the construction of these four walls that believers, as “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5), are to submit to God’s stated
objective of becoming “joined together” and “built together” into a “holy temple in the Lord” for the “habitation of
God in the Spirit.”

No born-again believer is exempt from this God-given corporate mandate. Churches are not perfect, but this is
the source where other believers are to be found with whom we are to be “joined together” and “built together.”
It is within imperfect churches that God perfects His people as they painfully learn to “continue steadfastly in
the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread (communion), and in (corporate) prayers” as Acts
2:42 so states. You can’t achieve these corporate goals as a solo-Lone Ranger-type of Christian. If you are a
Christian, hear the Word of the Lord concerning the need for public assembly with other believers:

“...AND LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER IN ORDER TO STIR UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS,
NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER,
AS IS THE MANNER OF SOME, BUT EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER,

AND SO MUCH THE MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING.”
Heb. 10:24-25