what is the foundation of god

Even some who claim to be evangelical Christians say that we cannot know the exact meaning of Scripture. Engineers put dynamite at strategic places in the foundation. Yet, in spite of the attacks, the Word of God endures forever (1 Pet. It adds the word “but” (which is not in the Greek at all) and begins a new sentence. Through prayer and meditation on Scripture, we learn to know and love our heavenly Father and understand what pleases Him. He goes on to show that if you take 16 prophecies, the odds increase to 1 in 1045, an unimaginably huge number. "The firm foundation laid by God" is the Church of Christ, which is here termed a foundation laid by God, because it, the Church of Christ, is the ground-storey of the glorious Temple of the future. The doing of the will of God is nothing more or less than an exhibition of creature willingness to share the inner life with God—with the very God who has made such a creature life of inner meaning-value possible. This is the force of the word ‘’nevertheless’’ in verse 19. Now, what is this foundation? He thinks that Peter is saying that Scripture ranks even above his experience of seeing the transfigured Christ. So in this sense, the Old Testament prophetic word was made more sure. It shows that Scripture comes to us through human authors, but that they didn’t make it up themselves. 5:10; Rom. It is called a foundation in order to express better its immobility - now compare Psalm 11:3-4; Matthew 7:24 … 3:11). A Prophetic Foundation is summed up briefly as being "the purpose of God for one's life, or for a church." But Paul did not speak of himself as part of the foundation. Is Peter responding to the charges of the false teachers, that he was following cleverly devised tales, or he is referring to the cleverly devised tales of the false teachers in contrast to the eyewitness testimony of the apostles? They will cover the entire state two feet deep. GOD'S WORD® Translation Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne. 23:16-22; Ezek. In 1 Corinthians 3:11, the Apostle Paul writes, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." His very first temptation challenged Eve (Gen. 3:1), “Indeed, has God said …?” He has attempted to bring down our faith through liberal theologians, who undermine its veracity. It’ll collapse every time. Q. Even in all of this, he was able to find and hold onto the ‘joyful expectation’ that defines hope in God – not the joy of the world, but rather a deep, abiding spiritual joy that is anchored in a faith that cannot be shaken, a faith that is built on the sure foundation of all the promises of God. But vv. “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity’” (2Ti 2.19). Sin robs us of hope and joy. While certain portions of Scripture were dictated directly by God, in most places He used the personalities and experiences of the authors to shape their language and message, but the final product is, as Hodge puts it, “what they said God said.” (See 2 Sam. It is vital as professed believers in Jesus Christ and adopted sons of God that the Word of God, the infallible Word of God is the foundation upon which we base our relationship with God. 3:16; see also, 2 Tim. The NIV gives an interpretive translation, “no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.” In favor of this view is that the word “is” (NASB) means, “comes” or “came about.” Also, verse 21 seems to support this view by further explaining how the prophets got their message. If you’re going to stake your eternity on that same thing, you really want to be sure that it is the truth. In context, Paul is talking about the Corinthian church as "God's building" (3:9). 7:24-27). 2:19). Jesus is the foundation of the Church of God ( 1 Cor 3:11. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2010, All Rights Reserved. How would you answer a critic who pointed out supposed “contradictions” in the Word? Second, some understand the verse to be referring not to the interpretation of Scripture, but rather to its origin. Before we leave verse 19, let’s apply it by asking, “Are you paying attention to the lamp that is shining in the darkness?” Do you read the Word regularly to gain the light that you need to live in a manner pleasing to the Lord? You can’t become what God wants you to be on a faulty foundation. Mercy and truth stand in front of you. The Word of God 3. For many years, the Church opposed translating the Bible into the common languages of the people for fear that they would misinterpret it. As this passage in Timothy states, because of its divine origin the Scripture can be used authoritatively by God’s servants to teach and train others about the nature, purposes, and plans of God. Who Is the Foundation of the Church? Second, the Bible interprets itself, especially, individual authors interpret themselves. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19, KJV). When you get beyond the entrance, it’s pitch black in there and there are a lot of places where the footing is uneven and there are low overhead rocks. Hebrews 11:1 In the phrase "faith is the substance of things hoped for," Paul is not really defining what faith is, but rather he is showing what faith does in an operative sense: Faith undergirds what we hope for.Substance means "that which stands under." Let’s go back to Zechariah 7: 9 from the first devotion in the series. 7:16), in the city of Bethlehem (Mic. 16:16-18). In this verse Paul brings us the picture of the foundation of a building. The foundation of God is secure. But this view reads into the text all sorts of things that are not there. This very fact is affirmed by Jesus Himself. The verb is used of the wind carrying along Paul’s ship in the storm at sea (Acts 27:15, 17). 1:25). The “foundation of the world” is a reference to God’s act of creation. Make sure you pay attention to it by spending consistent time reading and studying it. The day dawning (v. 19) refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Peter continues (1:19b), “to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.” The flow of thought from the context is, “Since the Old Testament prophets predict the power and glory of Christ in His coming and since our experience on the mount of transfiguration confirmed those prophecies, pay close attention to the Scriptures.”. The foundation of God will never be destroyed, so all will be well! All who ‘‘fall away’’ were never really of the true ‘‘foundation’’; they were never born again and never really saved –- look up Romans 9:6, and compare 1 John 2:19. The work of the Church is difficult and the progress of the Gospel is slow, but in spite of this we can be very optimistic, for the key verse assures us that there is no need for alarm or discouragement. The hope of eternal life is still sure and steadfast. The sure foundation of God is Christ (1 Cor. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Bibliology (The Written Word), Basics for Christians, Establish, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. The comfort is found in the inscription, “”The Lord knows those who are his!”” Notice that it does not only say that the Lord knows about all who belong to Him, but that He actually knows them and He has a tender regard for them because they are His. Prayer. These three sins are mentioned in this chapter:-. We pay attention to the foundation of a house for a reason. Does debt affect giving in modern times in light of the Israelite tithe and slaves? Now, what is this foundation? It includes all forms of lawlessness. If you’re going to base your entire life on something, you want to know that it is solid. Praise the Lord that He knows who belongs to Him and who does not belong to Him! It carries God’s authority and wisdom for how we should live. For example, John MacArthur (The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible Updated edition [Nelson Bibles], p. 1924; also, see, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude [Moody Publishers], pp. Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of thy throne: mercy and truth go before thy face. When these are abandoned, the foundation begins to crumble, and the nation is in danger of collapsing. The apostolic witness to Jesus Christ, which we now have in the New Testament, is one leg of the foundation of our faith. So it more likely refers to the proper interpretation of prophecy after it was given, not to originating the prophecy (Schreiner, p. 323). PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY by Francis Dixon Scripture Portion: Psalm 87:1-7. But the apostles did not understand how it all fit together until after Jesus’ death and resurrection. In one chapter, he takes just eight prophecies concerning Jesus Christ and uses very conservative estimates to determine how probable it is that anyone who might have lived from the time of those prophecies down to the present could have fulfilled them all. God's plan for His people as individuals and as … We stand on that foundation when we confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Matt. In Genesis 3:22 God says, "Since man has become like one of Us...." Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. (Matthew 7) 5:2). 22:16; see, also Rev. As the Lord looks at the professing Church He knows those in that Church who are His. But Peter clearly believed in the objective, bodily, personal return of Christ. 42:1-4; 61:1-2), His miracles (Isa. Jesus Christ is our chief cornerstone, the sure foundation, the Word made flesh. 9:9). 2:18-21). Let us rest on the word of confidence, rejoice in the word of comfort and respond to the word of caution. In this parable, Jesus describes one who hears His words and does them as a man who, when building his house, digs his foundation deeply and upon rock. Surely these must be professors and not possessors; they are in Christendom but not in the true Church; they have faith in their heads but not saving faith in their hearts; they hold the lamp of testimony but there is no oil in their lamps; they are tares and not wheat (2 Timothy 3:5). In 1:16-18, Peter boldly states that the apostles were not following cleverly devised tales when they made known the power and coming of the Lord Jesus. The tense of the Greek verb here suggests that the foundation has stood and yet stands; and, in that it was laid by God, the firm and enduring constancy of it is not to be questioned. But it will be a time of terror and awful regret for those who have rejected Christ. The foundation, Paul tells us, consists of the prophets and the Apostles (Eph. Peter compares the Bible to a lamp shining in the darkness, much as Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” This is the only New Testament use of this Greek word for “dark.” It has the connotation of being not only dark, but also dirty or squalid. To claim that your view is the only right view is divisive. They were in such a sense the organs of God, that what they said God said.”. There should be a zeal and a desire for the Word of God in every true believer. The Bible teaches the absolute security of God’’s people, of those whom He has made His own by election, by His holy calling, by the miracle of the new birth, by the blood-washing of the Lord Jesus and by the operation of the Holy Spirit by whom they have been built into the building of God, the body of Christ. By extension, it applies to all of the Old Testament, since the Scriptures all tie together. But, what does Peter mean when he says “more sure”? Evolution, which (against all reason) is accepted as fact in our public educational system, does away with the need to submit to the Almighty Creator. © 2021 Words of Life Ministries - an independent evangelical Registered Charitable Trust (no.269381) Cookie Policy | Privacy Policy Website by: TEKOA Creative, Study 10 A GREAT CHRISTIAN’’S DYING TESTIMONY, Study 11 BODILY SICKNESS AND DIVINE HEALING, Study 4 A CALL FOR CONSTANCY AND PERSEVERANCE, Study 6 GOD’’S SOLID FOUNDATION STANDS FIRM. He states (Study Bible, ibid. It is a morally dark place. For me, 100 feels more like 25.” Sorry, but 25 mph is not a subjective feeling; it is an objective standard by which anyone may be judged. 2:28; Num. It is the whole number of God ’s elect - the true Church of Jesus Christ - joined to Him in a vital union effected by the Holy Spirit. Roman Catholics contend that the Protestant “right of private interpretation of Scripture” has resulted in thousands of denominations, while their view has preserved the unity of the church. 2. The events of life do not change that. It is an alarming situation and it threatens to bring discouragement to God’’s people. I have heard that there are over 300 prophecies about Christ in the Old Testament, but let’s take just a few: The Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isa. There are many hazards where you can conk your head or fall into a pit. Walk by the light that it gives you to avoid the pitfalls in this dark world. The ESV gets it right by continuing the sentence from verse 19, “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.” Peter is explaining that we should pay close attention to Scripture by interpreting it correctly, because we are dealing with the inspired word of God to us through these human authors. Unless you take time and effort to develop this foundation of love, your efforts to turn from iniquity will eventually fail in the long term. Matthew 16:18 ESV / 177 helpful votes. God looks forward to sharing this gift with us because He has planned this gift for mankind since the "foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34 Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: American King James Version ×). Scripture is not to be interpreted subjectively, according to my feelings or preferences, but rather, objectively, according to the meaning of the text. We apostlesa… We have the solid foundation of God’s Word, but we must pay attention to it in view of the coming day that surely will dawn. Faith is the foundation for what we hope, the foundation for our relationship with God and everything that it implies within His purpose. Our higher educational system (Harvard, Yale, and Princeton were founded to train men in the Word) is now dominated by skeptics who sneer at God’s Word. When we come to know Christ, the Bible becomes our light to show us how to live to please Him in view of His coming, so that we can avoid temptation and sin. 35:5-6), and His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey (Zech. This is our confidence. How should we respond if the foundations are destroyed? Now mark one of those silver dollars, stir it into the whole mix, blindfold a man and tell him he can go as far as he wants, but he has to pick just one. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (Tim. Rather, they must depend on the official teaching of the church. But when Scripture refers to something that happened “ before the foundation of the world,” the event under discussion occurred before anything was ever created, in eternity past. Have you ever watched footage of when they want to take down an old skyscraper? One of these seals is on the God-ward side and the other on the man-ward side. As we’ve seen, Peter knows that he is about to die (1:14). The words of the apostles and prophets are His revelation and they are all still true. The One of whom the prophecies spoke will be with us personally, shining fully into our hearts. Turn to God. 61-62) argues that the Greek word order favors that translation. But the idea is that the Old Testament prophecies about the coming day of the Lord are confirmed and clarified by the transfiguration, where the disciples saw a prophetic preview of Jesus in His glory. 23:2; Jer. Words mean something and languages put words together in structured ways. That despite the great forces that are opposing the Church –- the apostasy that is apparent on every hand, the worldliness that is in the Church, the shallowness that is in the spiritual experience of God’’s people, and the apathy there is in His service – despite all these things the firm foundation of God stands. It gives us a solid foundation on which to build our lives and to stake our eternity. Peter continues, “for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” The idea is, you are not free to interpret the Bible according to your feelings or to take or leave parts of it as you like, because (“for”) the Bible is the very word from God to us through these inspired men. 106-107), take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. You can’t stand before the judge after you’ve been driving 100 and say, “I didn’t understand that sign with the 25 on it!” Nor would it do to ask the judge, “What does 25 miles per hour mean to you? But when Jesus, the morning star, returns, we will have the light of His presence so that we will no longer need the prophetic word. First, the Roman Catholic Church uses verse 20 to teach that individuals are not permitted to interpret the Bible for themselves. Verse 21 is one of the key verses explaining the inspiration of Scripture. We build on that sure foundation by hearing and obeying the words of Jesus (Matt. If you look back at Ephesians 2: 7 in our last devotion, we see that Paul gave a quick glimpse of Ephesians 2: 8-9: “that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (RSV). Be careful to interpret it correctly. Read the Passage. 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