ing floor plan, is exactly the same. Try as the builder may through a variety of materials and colors to personalize the houses that are built on similar foundations, they all look pretty much the same. If the foundations are the same, there is going to be a great similarity in the structure itself. Paul is pointing out that if we are in Christ, regardless of who may come and teach, regardless of how well or poorly you may build, there is similarity and there should be unity. We are His building, not man's; we bear Cod's image, not man's. One final thing about this foun dation. Those who assist in laying foundations, that is, those who lead others to a knowledge and accep tance of Christ, are involved in a noble work. As noble and as im portant as the most significant teaching ministry. In I Corinthians 3:10, Paul refers to himself as a wise master builder who is a spe cialist in laying foundations. Paul's greatest desire is to reach new crea tures for Christ, not simply to build upon another man's foundation, but to launch out into new areas and to do the work of an evangel ist. Romans 15:20 also reveals this basic desire of Paul. It reads, "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gos pel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation." Paul was interested in laying foundations, and he uses a special phrase in I Corinthians 3:10 to des ignate this God-given ability. He referred to himself as a "wise mas ter builder." Does wise here mean intelligent? Perhaps not here. Al though this Greek word almost al ways referred to intellectual skills
What an excellent contrast. And notice the way verse 48 catches the essence of the Greek word for foundation: "and digged deep and laid the foundation on a rock. . . " When you get to the rock bot tom of life itself, Christ must be there or else a person is in trouble when the storms of life come. Note this additional thought on I Corinthians 3:11. It says, "other foundation can no man lay----" There are not a variety of founda tions. In a moment we are going to see that there are a variety of ways to build upon that founda tion — some good and some poor — but here there is no alternative whatsoever for a foundation in life apart from Christ. I think we have echoed in I Cor inthians 3:11 the same concept found in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve Cod and mammon." It is a choice between a foundation in Christ or the shifting sands of satan—no foundation. It is Christ or nothing. Christ or searching despair. Now what does this have to do with Paul's theme of church strife and divisions? Just this, if all Chris tians are on the same foundation, there should be both similarity be tween Christians and unity within the body. If you are found in Christ, there is going to be a great similar ity between your life and the life of any Christian. In Southern California, we have a great many "tract" homes. These homes are very similar because they come from only two or three set plans. For a given group of homes, the foundation, and result
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