Through Wisdom A House Is Built! By James Lantz
The church is God’s house! I am not speaking of the building that is constructed with lumber, brick, and mortar but rather the people of God in whom God dwells. 2 Cor. 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Again the Holy Spirit through Paul refers to the church as being God’s house. 1 Tim. 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Cor. 3:16 NLT Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? The prophets refer to God’s house as Zion. Ps. 132:13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. We know that Jesus is the cornerstone upon which all other stones are laid. 1 Pet. 2:6 WNT For it is contained in Scripture, (“See, I am placing on Mount Zion a Cornerstone, chosen, and held in honour, and he whose faith rests on Him shall never have reason to feel ashamed.”) God has longed for this day of the church in which His Spirit would dwell within every believer and upon all who serve Him!
This mystery of Christ and His church was kept hidden until Jesus our Lord and master was raised from the dead! If Jesus had not risen from the dead then we would still be in our sins and there would be no church. 1 Cor. 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 1 Cor. 15:22 For just as through Adam all die, so also through Christ all will be made alive again. The moment we make Jesus the Lord of our life is the very moment the life of God enters our spirit and recreates our spirit like unto His glorious spirit. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Immediately our spirit is immersed (baptized) into the church of the firstborn by the Holy Spirit. Col. 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Water baptism is taught in other passages but you can easily see that this is referring to the work of God and not man. Precedence for water baptism is established in the book of Acts as immediately upon your confession of faith or the same day but the Holy Spirit is quicker than that! God went all out to redeem His man and to make a place for us to rule and reign in Christ Jesus at His right hand through out all eternity! This is no small thing that God has accomplished through the working of His mighty power to us who believe when He raised Jesus from the dead. Eph. 1:19-23 NLT “ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. “
God has done great things for us! 1 Sam. 2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them. Rom. 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thank God we know that mercy is granted to those who humble themselves through repentance and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ! He had Jesus suffer the punishment for our sins and recreated our spirit with His righteousness. 2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. More grace is given to those who give themselves in obedience to the building of God’s house! James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. God will continue to shower His kindness on us throughout eternity as we rule and reign with Him! Rev. 1:5&6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. God purposed to include us now and throughout eternity in ruling and reigning with Him in the kingdom of His dear Son!
We are God’s building materials for His custom house! Paul mentions that all of us together are God’s temple (house). Peter refers to us as lively stones. 1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Eph. 2:19 – 22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. God’s house is very precious to Him and He is going to dwell with us forever! God told Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house and that He would speak to him there. The Potter takes the marred vessel and remakes it into a new vessel. The word of the Lord came saying, O house of Israel, you are like the clay in the Potter’s hand to me. Turn from your evil and make your ways and your doings good and I will turn your coming destruction away from you. Israel responded, there is no hope, we will walk after our own devices and everyone will do the imagination of his evil heart. How hard hearted these people must have been, refusing God’s great mercy. Ps.103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases. Ps.103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. God has not changed, He only accepts top quality building materials in the building of His house. Our righteousness is in Jesus and we are commanded to be holy as He is holy! Eph. 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. God is just as passionate today about His house as He always has been! 1 Cor. 3:17 NLT God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
We are the builders of God’s house as well as being God’s building materials! The chief priests, scribes, and elders were the builders of God’s house during Jesus’ earthly ministry but they failed to recognize Jesus as the chief cornerstone and thus were rejected. Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner. God’s house shall be built and no one can stop it from being built! Jesus has been commissioned and ordained as the master builder to see that all of us do our job! Heb. 3:6 NLT But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. Jesus went to be with the Father and entrusted us to be co laborers with Him in the building of God’s house. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith! If we refuse to be a supplying joint (co worker) Jesus will raise up someone else to do our part and we will be judged for it. 2 Cor. 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. Judgement for the believer has nothing to do with working to pay for our sins because Christ blood was shed that our sins might be remitted. Judgement for the believer will be all about what we have done or not done in relationship to what we were called to do in building the church. 2 Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. No works of the flesh will be accepted, rather only those things done by walking in the spirit. Rom. 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Ps. 127:1 NLT Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is so important that we do our part in the building of God’s church! If you don’t know what your part in building God’s house is, pray that God will show you your part. Begin to serve in your church. Going to church is not serving. Serving is when we are giving of ourselves to bless others in the body of Christ. Giving is a form of serving but certainly not the only way we are to be serving God’s people. Bringing people to church is serving. Sharing Christ with others as the Lord opens opportunities is building God’s house. As you serve in the church that you are called to, you become planted. Ps. 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. Great fruitfulness comes from those who plant where God puts them because their roots go deep and their work goes outward. James 3:17 NLT But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It (God’s wisdom) is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
