CHAPTER 1
A Foundation
Throughout this book I will be quoting lots of Bible verses. This is so that the reader doesn't have to use a Bible as a separate companion alongside this book and thereby require much more time in looking up verses. I use the New King James Version for most all of the verses used in this book. The reader is more than welcome to use their favorite Bible version alongside this book. For those who are more interested in accuracy or the use of several translations you will find the use of a lap top computer to be quick. Much of this book was written with the use of the software "Quick Verse 10". With this software you can have several Bible versions that can be used simultaneously. You can also purchase other add-on software or Bible software programs that offer many versions of the Bible as an aid to studying the Bible. Many of these software programs work as an add-on to "Quick Verse 10."
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1–2, NKJV)
The subject that I deal with in this chapter is not mentioned as one of the basic doctrines in Hebrews 6:1–2. I'm going to include the Bible as part of one of the basic foundational doctrines in Christianity. In the New Testament time, there was no Bible as we know today. All that existed in the first-generation church was the Old Testament and letters that where written to various churches scattered across the earth.
It was taken for granted that the first believing Christians had access to the Old Testament books and these letters (epistles). Thus the subject of written scripture is not part of the basic doctrinal requirements listed in Hebrews 6:1–2. Just because the Holy Scriptures do not mention the Bible and salvation in Hebrews 6:1–2 as two of the basic doctrines does not mean that the Bible and salvation are not part of the basic doctrines.
For believers today, the Bible plays a critical role in the development of maturity and fundamental beliefs of Christianity. Because of the major role of the Bible, I choose to teach about the entire Bible as part of the development of a believer in God. In the second chapter, I teach all about salvation. In the rest of the chapters, I teach about the six remaining basic doctrines mentioned in Hebrews 6:1–2.
In the Bible, there are a few references that mention a foundation. This foundation is what I want to use as a true life structure in everyone's lives, including my own. It is extremely critical that anyone who wants to get to know God and become powerful in his kingdom must have a correct foundation. I'm amazed by how few Christians take the time to learn from someone who knows about the Christian foundation. I'm even more amazed by how few pastors and teachers instruct new Christians about Christian foundations. It is extremely critical that anyone who wants to get to know God and become powerful in his kingdom must have the correct foundation.
Any time you intend to learn something or build something, you will need a platform or a foundation. You will need a solid base to work upon. If you're going to produce a product, you will need a factory. If you are going to build a business, you will need a fundamental amount of money to start it. If you want a good, lasting marriage, you will need a foundation of basic understanding and knowledge of relationships.
The Bible uses buildings as an example of a spiritual foundation in God. God wants us to build ourselves into fully mature Christians. Building a proper foundation in God is the act of building and growing into that fully mature spiritual man or woman of God. The Bible compares a believer's life to the construction of a building and also to a farmer, but for now, I will use the analogy of a building. Every believer is called to first build and later be used in God's service. You will not find, in the entire Bible, God using immature or baby Christians to perform his great deeds. You will find God using mature people to perform his wonders and deeds among men and women.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. (Jude 1:20, NKJV)
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. (1 Corinthians 3:9–10, NKJV)
In whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22, NKJV)
Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:7, NKJV)
To build a solid and secure building requires a good foundation. A poor or weak foundation will not support much weight of the materials used in a building. A strong and solid foundation will support a lot of weight of the materials that are used in a building. The same principle applies to a believer's life in God's kingdom.
In past centuries, men used a large cornerstone to begin a foundation. The Egyptian architects used this first. The cornerstone was one massive, solid stone. The bigger the stone that was used, the better the foundation. The same parallel is used in Christianity.
Jesus Christ is referred to as the main cornerstone of Christianity. Without Jesus, you cannot build anything in God's kingdom. Jesus is the required cornerstone to anything that is done within God's kingdom. Anything done outside of Jesus is religion—man's attempt to appease God through man's own efforts.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. (1 Corinthians 15:50, NKJV)
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11, NKJV)
Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." (1 Peter 2:6, NKJV)
Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. (Isaiah 28:16, NKJV)
God the Father and the Holy Spirit also make up the foundation having a vital role along with Jesus as being the corner stone. The basic subjects of this foundation are: salvation in Jesus, the Bible, faith, repentance, baptisms, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal punishment. It all begins with Jesus. That is why he is referred to as the chief or main cornerstone. Jesus is like a door to the kingdom of heaven. To get to God and all that he has for us, you have to go to Jesus first.
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1–2, NKJV)
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:13–18, NKJV)
The direct translation of verse 18 explains that Peter's name means small rock or pebble. Rock means a large rock. In verse 18, Jesus is telling Peter that his name means small rock. Jesus is using the word rock in reference to himself. Peter is a pebble, and Jesus is a large rock. Why does Jesus use this analogy? God can't use a pebble for a foundation. God requires a large rock for a secure foundation.
The entire point of these verses is that Peter finally understands through revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. With this revelation to Peter, Jesus is saying that He Himself is like a large rock to build the church of God upon. This statement probably sounded very strange to Peter and the rest. Then Jesus gave them an insight to their calling.
A revelation in the Bible is when God speaks to a person and reveals a fact or certain bits of information. A revelation is God's voice within a person. A revelation is when God is speaking to you personally. I go into more detail about how God speaks to someone in the chapter about faith. This subject is also discussed in the book: America's Resurrection – A Modern-Day Prophecy.
Each and every time that God speaks, New Testament believers call it a revelation from God. It is like a being in a classroom after reading the assigned chapter, but you still don't understand the theory being explained. When the professor goes into more detail in the lecture, you suddenly come to understand the theory. This is a revelation in the classroom. A revelation from God is when God speaks to you personally, and you suddenly gain some facts about the kingdom of God from God himself.
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19, NKJV)
Jesus is trying to show the disciples that God desires to use them to build the church of Christ. They probably didn't understand verse 19 until later.
The point of this passage is that Christ is the cornerstone for Christianity and that select people are called to be builders while the rest make up the entire structure of Christianity in a church. I might also mention that God desires to dwell in the midst of his church in the hearts of men and women.
Every believer has a specific task to make up the church structure or church building. The church building is not a material building; instead, it is made up of a group of believers. Each believer is just as important as another. The more people who believe in Jesus, the bigger the church of Christ. As believers grow and mature, they will be shifted to other parts of the building structure.
Whatever the duty or calling, church members are vitally important to the health of the church building. As a member increases in maturity, so will the calling and responsibilities of that individual increase. The more members of a living church, the more powerful the church becomes; God can use His church to destroy Satan's structure as well as convince the world about God. As the church becomes larger, God can pour out more power through his church.
A good solid foundation in every believer's life is the main key to building a powerful church. With a weak foundation, the entire building will be weak, cracked, and unstable—eventually crumbling and falling apart. I have personally witnessed this crumbling and falling with many believers and several new churches within my first fifty years of life.
In whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22, NKJV)
For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:9, NKJV)
So, how does a person build his or her spiritual life? How do you build your life in God's kingdom? What must believers do to build our lives in God? How do we build upon the foundation of Jesus?
Three Steps to Each Phase of Building
There are many phases of building upon the foundation in God's kingdom; in fact, there is no end to building. For each phase that a believer undergoes, there are always three steps that occur. As you begin to build upon Jesus's rock, you will notice these three steps occurring and reoccurring in every phase you encounter. These three steps are also signs that you are building correctly. I call these three steps "The Revelation Steps."
I'll use the verses mentioned above in Matthew 16:13–18 for an illustration how these three steps occur. In the first step, Peter has a direct personal confrontation with Jesus as did all the disciples.
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:13–15, NKJV)
Jesus speaks to them all directly. Jesus did not single out Peter. Jesus spoke to all the disciples in the past just like in this direct personal confrontation. This is what is required for step one. You have to have Jesus, God, or the Holy Spirit speak to you directly. You must have a confrontation from one of the three.
For step two, there must also be a revelation within your spirit that accompanies what is spoken. A revelation from God is when someone receives an inner understanding within his or her spirit about what is being spoken. Only God can do this within anyone. You suddenly are experiencing a spiritual understanding that is coming from God himself. No one can understand what a revelation from God is like until they experience one for themselves. A revelation from the Father is the most wonderful and exciting experience that any human can ever experience. This revelation experience can last or linger up to two days. I personally live for the next revelation from God. Getting revelations from God is that exciting.
In verse 17, we read, "Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.'"
For the first time, Peter has a revelation from the Father concerning who Jesus really is. The Father puts the revelation of who Jesus is within Peter's spirit. Peter understands with his mind and his spirit.
Two things are happening within Peter at the same time. Jesus is speaking to Peter's mind, and the Father is placing this revelation within Peter's spirit. Every time God speaks to you, it will be to your spirit. God communicates to us through our spirits. By experiencing this, you will truly understand how God speaks to anyone.
In the third step, there is a personal acknowledgement of the revelation of what you just experienced. You will speak about the revelation you have experienced from God. You will find yourself confessing to others about your revelation—even though they may not understand.
Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16, NKJV)
I'll give a modern-day example. When someone accepts Jesus into his or her heart, these three Revelation Steps occur. Revelations begin when someone hears another preacher talking and telling stories about Jesus. You will hear other people talking about Jesus, but nothing really happens inside you.
One day, you will hear someone, usually a preacher, talking about Jesus and his role in people's lives. When this person speaks about Jesus, a revelation occurs within your spirit. God is revealing within your spirit about Jesus, and within a few minutes, you understand with your mind and spirit what is being spoken and revealed. It's not just with the mind; your spirit is involved now. You understand within your spirit who Jesus truly is and why he came to earth.
You will also know that you must respond with your mouth. You follow the preacher's instructions and confess your sins. In an instant, Jesus cleanses you of your sins, and you are clean within your spirit. You can't keep quiet about this experience because it's so exciting. You will speak to someone else about what happened. This example is the first of many revelations that God wants to bring into everyone's lives.
These Revelation Steps always occur this way for every revelation that you will ever receive from God. These three Revelation Steps are required for building your life in God's kingdom. This is how God establishes growth and maturity in your life and your spirit.
Growth and maturity are controlled by God and not by you. You must build God's way. When you begin building, God will do his part. I have seen tens of thousands of people try to build in God under their own initiatives. They never grow or mature. In fact, they always end up in false doctrines and usually fall away from God. They didn't receive revelations from God.
Building your life in God takes time and patience. The truth is that it takes years to build, mature, and grow in God's kingdom. There is no quick building program for your life in God. If you apply yourself to all the instructions in God's written Word (the Bible), you will be able to build a wonderful, successful life in God's kingdom. I will show you how to build this later.
