Sunday, 12 June 2016

Psalm 96, Sing to the Lord a New Song, Thought for the Day








Psalm 96 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)


1
Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
3
Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvellous deeds among all peoples.

4
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
5
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
6
Splendour and majesty are before him;
    strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

7
Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name;
    bring an offering and come into his courts.
9
Worship the Lord in the splendour of his[a] holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth.
10
Say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns.’
    The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.

11
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
    let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
    let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
    he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Yours by His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside, England

Saturday, 11 June 2016

Forever Reign - Hillsong Chapel

The Christian's Firm Foundation 1 Peter 2, The Indepth Series



1 Peter 2 English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

A Living Stone and a Holy People

2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honour is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone”,[a]
8 and

“A stone of stumbling,
    and a rock of offence.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Submission to Authority

13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,[b] whether it be to the emperor[c] as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants[d] of God. 17 Honour everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the emperor.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.


Matthew Henry's Commentary

Verses 4-12

I. The apostle here gives us a description of Jesus Christ as a living stone; and though to a capricious wit, or an infidel, this description may seem rough and harsh, yet to the Jews, who placed much of their religion in their magnificent temple, and who understood the prophetical style, which calls the Messiah a stone (Isa. 8:14; 28:16), it would appear very elegant and proper.

1. In this metaphorical description of Jesus Christ, he is called a stone, to denote his invincible strength and everlasting duration, and to teach his servants that he is their protection and security, the foundation on which they are built, and a rock of offence to all their enemies. He is the living stone, having eternal life in himself, and being the prince of life to all his people. The reputation and respect he has with God and man are very different. He is disallowed of men, reprobated or rejected by his own countrymen the Jews, and by the generality of mankind; but chosen of God, separated and fore-ordained to be the foundation of the church (as 1 Pet. 1:20), and precious, a most honourable, choice, worthy person in himself, in the esteem of God, and in the judgment of all who believe on him. To this person so described we are obliged to come: To whom coming, not by a local motion, for that is impossible since his exaltation, but by faith, whereby we are united to him at first, and draw nigh to him afterwards. Learn, (1.) Jesus Christ is the very foundation-stone of all our hopes and happiness. He communicates the true knowledge of God (Matt. 11:27); by him we have access to the Father (John 14:6), and through him are made partakers of all spiritual blessings, Eph. 1:3. (2.) Men in general disallow and reject Jesus Christ; they slight him, dislike him, oppose and refuse him, as scripture and experience declare, Isa. 53:3. (3.) However Christ may be disallowed by an ungrateful world, yet he is chosen of God, and precious in his account. He is chosen and fixed upon to be the Lord of the universe, the head of the church, the Saviour of his people, and the Judge of the world. He is precious in the excellency of his nature, the dignity of his office, and the gloriousness of his services. (4.) Those who expect mercy from this gracious Redeemer must come to him, which is our act, though done by God’s grace—an act of the soul, not of the body—a real endeavour, not a fruitless wish.

2. Having described Christ as the foundation, the apostle goes on to speak of the superstructure, the materials built upon him: You also, as living stones, are built up, 1 Pet. 2:6. The apostle is recommending the Christian church and constitution to these dispersed Jews. It was natural for them to object that the Christian church had no such glorious temple, nor such a numerous priesthood; but its dispensation was mean, the services and sacrifices of it having nothing of the pomp and grandeur which the Jewish dispensation had. To this the apostle answers that the Christian church is a much nobler fabric than the Jewish temple; it is a living temple, consisting not of dead materials, but of living parts. Christ, the foundation, is a living stone. Christians are lively stones, and these make a spiritual house, and they are a holy priesthood; and, though they have no bloody sacrifices of beasts to offer, yet they have much better and more acceptable, and they have an altar too on which to present their offerings; for they offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Learn, (1.) All sincere Christians have in them a principle of spiritual life communicated to them from Christ their head: therefore, as he is called a living stone, so they are called lively, or living stones; not dead in trespasses and sins, but alive to God by regeneration and the working of the divine Spirit. (2.) The church of God is a spiritual house. The foundation is Christ, Eph. 2:22. It is a house for its strength, beauty, variety of parts, and usefulness of the whole. It is spiritual foundation, Christ Jesus,—in the materials of it, spiritual persons,—in its furniture, the graces of the Spirit,—in its connection, being held together by the Spirit of God and by one common faith,—and in its use, which is spiritual work, to offer up spiritual sacrifices. This house is daily built up, every part of it improving, and the whole supplied in every age by the addition of new particular members. (3.) All good Christians are a holy priesthood. The apostle speaks here of the generality of Christians, and tells them they are a holy priesthood; they are all select persons, sacred to God, serviceable to others, well endowed with heavenly gifts and graces, and well employed. (4.) This holy priesthood must and will offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. The spiritual sacrifices which Christians are to offer are their bodies, souls, affections, prayers, praises, alms, and other duties. (5.) The most spiritual sacrifices of the best men are not acceptable to God, but through Jesus Christ; he is the only great high priest, through whom we and our services can be accepted; therefore bring all your oblations to him, and by him present them to God.

II. He confirms what he had asserted of Christ being a living stone, etc., from Isa. 28:16. Observe the manner of the apostle’s quoting scripture, not by book, chapter, and verse; for these distinctions were not then made, so no more was said than a reference to Moses, David, or the prophets, except once a particular psalm was named, Acts 13:33. In their quotations they kept rather to the sense than the words of scripture, as appears from what is recited from the prophet in this place. He does not quote the scripture, neither the Hebrew nor LXX., word for word, yet makes a just and true quotation. The true sense of scripture may be justly and fully expressed in other than in scripture—words. It is contained. The verb is active, but our translators render it passively, to avoid the difficulty of finding a nominative case for it, which had puzzled so many interpreters before them. The matter of the quotation is this, Behold, I lay in Zion. Learn, 1. In the weighty matters of religion we must depend entirely upon scripture—proof; Christ and his apostles appealed to Moses, David, and the ancient prophets. The word of God is the only rule God hath given us. It is a perfect and sufficient rule. 2. The accounts that God hath given us in scripture concerning his Son Jesus Christ are what require our strictest attention. Behold, I lay, etc. John calls for the like attention, John 1:29. These demands of attention to Christ show us the excellency of the matter, the importance of it, and our stupidity and dulness. 3. The constituting of Christ Jesus head of the church is an eminent work of God: I lay in Zion. The setting up of the pope for the head of the church is a human contrivance and an arrogant presumption; Christ only is the foundation and head of the church of God. 4. Jesus Christ is the chief corner-stone that God hath laid in his spiritual building. The corner-stone stays inseparably with the building, supports it, unites it, and adorns it. So does Christ by his holy church, his spiritual house. 5. Jesus Christ is the corner-stone for the support and salvation of none but such as are his sincere people: none but Zion, and such as are of Zion; not for Babylon, not for his enemies. 6. True faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to prevent a man’s utter confusion. Three things put a man into great confusion, and faith prevents them all—disappointment, sin, and judgment. Faith has a remedy for each.

III. He deduces an important inference, 1 Pet. 2:7. Jesus Christ is said to be the chief corner-stone. Hence the apostle infers with respect to good men, “To you therefore who believe he is precious, or he is an honour. Christ is the crown and honour of a Christian; you who believe will be so far from being ashamed of him that you will boast of him and glory in him for ever.” As to wicked men, the disobedient will go on to disallow and reject Jesus Christ; but God is resolved that he shall be, in despite of all opposition, the head of the corner. Learn, 1. Whatever is by just and necessary consequence deduced from scripture may be depended upon with as much certainty as if it were contained in express words of scripture. The apostle draws an inference from the prophet’s testimony. The prophet did not expressly say so, but yet he said that from which the consequence was unavoidable. Our Saviour bids them search the scriptures, because they testified of him; and yet no place in those scriptures to which he there refers them said that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. Yet those scriptures do say that he who should be born of a virgin, before the sceptre departed from Judah, during the second temple, and after Daniel’s seventy weeks, was the Messiah; but such was Jesus Christ: to collect this conclusion one must make use of reason, history, eye-sight, experience, and yet it is an infallible scripture—conclusion notwithstanding. 2. The business of a faithful minister is to apply general truths to the particular condition and state of his hearers. The apostle quotes a passage (1 Pet. 2:6) out of the prophet, and applies it severally to good and bad. This requires wisdom, courage, and fidelity; but it is very profitable to the hearers. 3. Jesus Christ is exceedingly precious to all the faithful. The majesty and grandeur of his person, the dignity of his office, his near relation, his wonderful works, his immense love—every thing engages the faithful to the highest esteem and respect for Jesus Christ. 4. Disobedient people have no true faith. By disobedient people understand those that are unpersuadable, incredulous, and impenitent. These may have some right notions, but no solid faith. 5. Those that ought to be builders of the church of Christ are often the worst enemies that Christ has in the world. In the Old Testament the false prophets did the most mischief; and in the New Testament the greatest opposition and cruelty that Christ met with were from the scribes, pharisees, chief priests, and those who pretended to build and take care of the church. Still the hierarchy of Rome is the worst enemy in the world to Jesus Christ and his interest. 6. God will carry on his own work, and support the interest of Jesus Christ in the world, notwithstanding the falseness of pretended friends and the opposition of his worst enemies.

IV. The apostle adds a further description, still preserving the metaphor of a stone, 1 Pet. 2:8. The words are taken from Isa. 8:13, 14, Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself—and he shall be for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence, whence it is plain that Jesus Christ is the Lord of hosts, and consequently the most high God. Observe,

1. The builders, the chief-priests, refused him, and the people followed their leaders; and so Christ became to them a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, at which they stumbled and hurt themselves; and in return he fell upon them as a mighty stone or rock, and punished them with destruction. Matt. 12:44; Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder. Learn, (1.) All those that are disobedient take offense at the word of God: They stumble at the word, being disobedient. They are offended with Christ himself, with his doctrine and the purity of his precepts; but the Jewish doctors more especially stumbled at the meanness of his appearance and the proposal of trusting only to him for their justification before God. They could not be brought to seek justification by faith, but as it were by the works of the law; for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone, Rom. 9:32. (2.) The same blessed Jesus who is the author of salvation to some is to others the occasion of their sin and destruction. He is set for the rising and fall of many in Israel. He is not the author of their sin, but only the occasion of it; their own disobedience makes them stumble at him and reject him, which he punishes, as a judge, with destruction. Those who reject him as a Saviour will split upon him as a Rock. (3.) God himself hath appointed everlasting destruction to all those who stumble at the word, being disobedient. All those who go on resolutely in their infidelity and contempt of the gospel are appointed to eternal destruction; and God from eternity knows who they are. (4.) To see the Jews generally rejecting Christ, and multitudes in all ages slighting him, ought not to discourage us in our love and duty to him; for this had been foretold by the prophets long ago, and is a confirmation of our faith both in the scriptures and in the Messiah.

2. Those who received him were highly privileged, 1 Pet. 2:9. The Jews were exceedingly tender of their ancient privileges, of being the only people of God, taken into a special covenant with him, and separated from the rest of the world. “Now,” say they, “if we submit to the gospel—constitution, we shall lose all this, and stand upon the same level with the Gentiles.”

(1.) To this objection the apostle answers, that if they did not submit they were ruined (1 Pet. 2:7, 8), but that if they did submit they should lose no real advantage, but continue still what they desired to be, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, etc. Learn, [1.] All true Christians are a chosen generation; they all make one family, a sort and species of people distinct from the common world, of another spirit, principle, and practice, which they could never be if they were not chosen in Christ to be such, and sanctified by his Spirit. [2.] All the true servants of Christ are a royal priesthood. They are royal in their relation to God and Christ, in their power with God, and over themselves and all their spiritual enemies; they are princely in the improvements and the excellency of their own spirits, and in their hopes and expectations; they are a royal priesthood, separated from sin and sinners, consecrated to God, and offering to God spiritual services and oblations, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [3.] All Christians, wheresoever they be, compose one holy nation. They are one nation, collected under one head, agreeing in the same manners and customs, and governed by the same laws; and they are a holy nation, because consecrated and devoted to God, renewed and sanctified by his Holy Spirit. [4.] It is the honour of the servants of Christ that they are God’s peculiar people. They are the people of his acquisition, choice, care, and delight. These four dignities of all genuine Christians are not natural to them; for their first state is a state of horrid darkness, but they are effectually called out of darkness into a state of marvellous light, joy, pleasure, and prosperity, with this intent and view, that they should show forth, by words and actions, the virtues and praises of him who hath called them.

(2.) To make this people content, and thankful for the great mercies and dignities brought unto them by the gospel, the apostle advises them to compare their former and their present state. Time was when they were not a people, nor had they obtained mercy, but they were solemnly disclaimed and divorced (Jer. 3:8; Hos. 1:6, 9); but now they are taken in again to be the people of God, and have obtained mercy. Learn, [1.] The best people ought frequently to look back upon what they were in time past. [2.] The people of God are the most valuable people in the world; all the rest are not a people, good for little. [3.] To be brought into the number of the people of God is a very great mercy, and it may be obtained.

V. He warns them to beware of fleshly lusts, 1 Pet. 2:11. Even the best of men, the chosen generation, the people of God, need an exhortation to abstain from the worst sins, which the apostle here proceeds most earnestly and affectionately to warn them against. Knowing the difficulty, and yet the importance of the duty, he uses his utmost interest in them: Dearly beloved, I beseech you. The duty is to abstain from, and to suppress, the first inclination or rise of fleshly lusts. Many of them proceed from the corruption of nature, and in their exercise depend upon the body, gratifying some sensual appetite or inordinate inclination of the flesh. These Christians ought to avoid, considering, 1. The respect they have with God and good men: They are dearly beloved. 2. Their condition in the world: They are strangers and pilgrims, and should not impede their passage by giving into the wickedness and lusts of the country through which they pass. 3. The mischief and danger these sins do: “They war against the soul; and therefore your souls ought to war against them.” Learn, (1.) The grand mischief that sin does to man is this, it wars against the soul; it destroys the moral liberty of the soul; it weakens and debilitates the soul by impairing its faculties; it robs the soul of its comfort and peace; it debases and destroys the dignity of the soul, hinders its present prosperity, and plunges it into everlasting misery. (2.) Of all sorts of sin, none are more injurious to the soul than fleshly lusts. Carnal appetites, lewdness, and sensuality, are most odious to God, and destructive to man’s soul. It is a sore judgment to be given up to them.

VI. He exhorts them further to adorn their profession by an honest conversation. Their conversation in every turn, every instance, and every action of their lives, ought to be honest; that is, good, lovely, decent, amiable, and without blame: and that because they lived among the Gentiles, people of another religion, and who were inveterate enemies to them, who did already slander them and constantly spoke evil of them as of evil-doers. “A clean, just, good conversation may not only stop their mouths, but may possibly be a means to bring them to glorify God, and turn to you, when they shall see you excel all others in good works. They now call you evil-doers; vindicate yourselves by good works, this is the way to convince them. There is a day of visitation coming, wherein God may call them by his word and his grace to repentance; and then they will glorify God, and applaud you, for your excellent conversation, Luke 1:68. When the gospel shall come among them, and take effect, a good conversation will encourage them in their conversion, but an evil one will obstruct it.” Note, 1. A Christian profession should be attended with an honest conversation, Phil. 4:8. 2. It is the common lot of the best Christians to be evil spoken of by wicked men. 3. Those that are under God’s gracious visitation immediately change their opinion of good people, glorifying God and commending those whom before they railed at as evil-doers.

The Bible Panorama

1 Peter 2

V 1–3: BABES Just as babies desire milk, so they should desire the Word of God. This implies laying aside everything that is evil, deceitful and hypocritical in order to taste God’s graciousness personally.
V 4–8: BUILDING Jesus is a living stone to us and a cornerstone. Based upon that certainty, Christians are living stones themselves, and are built up into God’s building, the church. Trusting in Christ means that we are built on Him. Those who reject Him will stumble in their disobedience because of Him.

 V 9–10: BELONGING As Christians, they now belong to God, who has called them into light and praise, as a priesthood to Him. Previously they were not His people but are now His special people because they have obtained mercy from Him. They are chosen, royal, holy and special.

 V 11–12: BATTLE To win the battle for holiness, the Christians are told to abstain from fleshly lusts and, rather, glorify God by their good works. What they are will contradict the false accusations spoken against them by their enemies.

V 13–23: BEHAVIOUR Because of this, their behaviour should be distinctive, and include keeping the law, obeying authorities, doing good, honouring and fearing God. Servants should obey masters to be a good testimony to them, even if they are made to suffer. Christ is the supreme example of this, by life and by lip. He never reacted to the wicked behaviour against Him.

 V 24–25: BODY Peter reminds them that Jesus was much more than a good example. In His body on the cross, He actually bore their sins so that they should die to sin and live righteously for Him. They have returned from their sinful straying to the Shepherd who takes care of their souls.

Dictionary of Bible Themes

5317 foundation

The solid base on which a secure structure may be built; used chiefly for the base of the temple. It is used figuratively of Jesus Christ and the apostles and prophets as the secure foundation on which the church is built. Obedience to the teaching of Jesus Christ is the true foundation of Christian living.

The place of foundations in building

1Ki 5:17 Jericho rebuilt: Jos 6:26; 1Ki 16:34 Solomon builds the temple: 1Ki 6:37; 1Ki 7:10; 2Ch 3:3; 2Ch 8:16
Ezr 3:3,11-12; Ezr 4:12 restoring the walls of Jerusalem; Ezr 5:16; Ezr 6:3; Job 4:19; Isa 44:28; Eze 41:8; Hag 2:18; Zec 4:9; Zec 8:9; Ac 16:26

Destruction of foundations is an indication of divine judgment

La 4:11 See also Dt 32:22; 2Sa 22:16; Jer 51:25-26; Eze 13:14; Eze 30:4; Mic 1:6

The foundation of the church

Jesus Christ 1Co 3:11 See also Isa 28:16

The apostles and prophets Ro 15:20; 1Co 3:10; Eph 2:19-20

The church as the foundation of God’s truth

1Ti 3:14-15 See also 2Ti 2:19

Obedience as a secure foundation

Mt 7:24-27 pp Lk 6:46-49 See also Job 22:15-18; 1Co 3:12-15; 1Ti 6:18-19

The foundation of the earth

Ps 102:25 See also 1Sa 2:8; Job 38:4; Ps 18:7,15; Ps 24:1-2; Ps 82:5; Pr 8:22-31; Isa 48:13; Isa 51:13,16; Mic 6:2; Zec 12:1; Heb 1:10

The foundations of the city of God

Heb 11:10 See also Rev 21:14,19

Figurative use of foundation

God himself as the foundation Isa 33:5-6

The foundation of God’s throne Ps 89:14 See also Ps 97:2

The need for a firm foundation in the Christian life

Mt 7:24-27; Mt 16:18; Eph 2:19-22; Heb 6:1-2; 1Pe 2:4-5

Some Scriptures on the Christian’s Foundation

1.    Jesus Christ is our Foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:11-16 English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you[a] are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

2.   The apostles and prophets are foundational to the Church

Romans 15:15-20 New Living Translation (NLT)

15 Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, 16 I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17 So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. 18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. 19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit.[a] In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.[b]

20 My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.

Ephesians 2:16-22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, [a]by it having put to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the [b]saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy [c]temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

3.    The church as the foundation of  God’s truth

1 Timothy 3:14-16 English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

The Mystery of Godliness

14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He[a] was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated[b] by the Spirit,[c]
        seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
    believed on in the world,
        taken up in glory.

2 Timothy 2:14-21English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

A Worker Approved by God

14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God[a] not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[b] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his”, and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honourable use, some for dishonourable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonourable,[c] he will be a vessel for honourable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

4.    The need for a firm foundation in the Christian life

Matthew 7:24-29 New Living Translation (NLT)

Building on a Solid Foundation

24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

Hebrews 6:1-3 New Living Translation (NLT)

6 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds[a] and placing our faith in God. 2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

Encyclopedia of The Bible

CHURCH, THE (ἐκκλησία, G1711). The Eng. word church with its cognate form, kirk, is derived from the Gr. word kyriakón, signifying the Lords or belonging to the Lord. The NT equivalent ekklÄ“sía was originally employed by the Greeks to denote an assembly or congregation of free citizens summoned or “called out” by a herald in connection with public affairs (Acts 19:39). Occasionally it was applied to an assembly of any kind whether lawfully convened or not. In the LXX the “congregation” of Israel is referred to as the ekklÄ“sía, esp. when gathered before the Lord for religious purposes (Deut 31:30; Acts 7:38). The Jews had been called out from the nations to be Gods special people (Rom 9:4). In its simplest meaning the word may be taken to denote the “assembly” or “congregation” of those who are the recipients of His heavenly grace and have been “called out” to be Christ’s witnesses in the world (1 Pet 2:9). K. L. Schmidt points out in his article in Kittel’s Wörterbuch that the electorate (dÄ“mos) of a Gr. city-state were called out or summoned (ékklÄ“toi) by the herald (kérux). This naturally suggests, he says, that in the Bible the reference is to God calling men out of the world. Schmidt suggests that Gr.-speaking Jewish Christians may have begun to use the term ekklÄ“sía even before the Apostle Paul, since they were anxious to distinguish their communities from the Jewish synagogues.

The actual word ekklēsía was used only twice by the Lord Himself. The first occasion was when Peter uttered His great confession of faith at Caesarea Philippi (Matt 16:16ff.), and the other instance was in the context of instructions which the Lord gave His disciples concerning their duty toward an offending brother (Matt 18:17).

II. The nature of the Church

The NT offers several fig. descriptions of the Church, each one stressing some particular aspect of its nature.

A. The body of Christ. This phrase is used with reference to the Church universal (Eph 1:22; Col 1:18), but it is applied also to a single congregation (1 Cor 12:27). The use of this metaphor lays emphasis on the unity of the Church, the interdependence of its members, and their vital relationship with its Head, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

B. The temple of the Holy Spirit (or of God). In the OT, the Temple—and the Tabernacle before it—was the place where God had chosen to dwell in the midst of His people. By the use of this figure emphasis is placed on the fact that Christians individually and corporately are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit; thus the church at Corinth is a temple of God in which the Holy Spirit dwells (1 Cor 3:16). In the epistle to the Ephesians Paul speaks of believers as growing into “a holy temple in the Lord” (Eph 2:21); while the Apostle Peter describes believers as “living stones” which are built up into “a spiritual house” (1 Pet 2:5). By the use of such imagery the accent is placed on the holiness of the Church and also on the fact that it constitutes a worshiping community.

C. The new or heavenly Jerusalem. In the NT the Church is seen to be the spiritual counterpart of Jerusalem as the Jews had regarded that city (Rev 3:12; 21:2). Under the old covenant Mount Zion was the place upon which Israel’s worship was centered, and Jerusalem in a special sense was regarded as the place of the divine Presence (Heb 12:22). The concept of a “new Jerusalem” is a familiar one in the OT.

D. The new Israel. The Apostle Paul visualized the Church as being a “new Israel” raised up. The old Israel had failed, and God’s judgment had fallen upon it. The Lord had said in one of His parables, “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it” (Matt 21:43). Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, are to regard themselves as “the seed of Abraham” (Gal 3:29). Similarly the Apostle Peter takes phrases which were originally applicable to ancient Israel and applies them to the Christian Church (1 Pet 2:9). The “new Israel” knows no racial barriers, but embraces all those who truly belong to Christ.

E. The pillar and bulwark of the truth. This expression is found in 1 Timothy 3:15 with reference to the Church in general. The implication is that the Church is the guardian of God’s truth and the defender of it. The Church is grounded on the truth, and is the citadel of it.

F. The household of God. The emphasis is on the fact that Christians have been born into God’s family, and therefore stand in a special relationship to Him as well as to one another (Gal 6:10). Knowing the same Father, they should recognize themselves to be brothers and sisters in Christ.

G. The bride of Christ. The marriage relationship is used in Scripture as an illustration of the relation between God and His people Israel, and between Christ and His Church. In the gospels there are a number of references picturing Christ as the heavenly Bridegroom (e.g., Matt 9:15; 25:1-12; Mark 2:19; Luke 5:34, 35). John the Baptist is represented as the “friend of the bridegroom” (John 3:29). In the Book of Revelation there are the most explicit references to the Church as being the Bride of Christ. In Revelation 19:7 the Church is seen as the Bride of the Lamb. In the same ch. the “wedding” is pictured whereby the Bride begins her consummated life in the new age.

The NT has a number of different metaphorical descriptions of the Church, which reveal varied names which are used to describe those who make up the membership of the Church. Originally the Church appeared as a sect within Judaism, the “sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Christians themselves preferred to be known as those who belonged to “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14). When Paul wrote to the different churches which he had founded, he almost invariably addressed them as “saints” (Rom 1:7, etc.). These same people were reminded on various occasions that they were witnesses (Acts 1:8), fellow citizens (Eph 2:19), soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Tim 2:3), stewards of the grace (1 Pet 4:10), and aliens and exiles as far as this world is concerned (1 Pet 2:11). They were to see themselves as constituting “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people” (1 Pet 2:9).

Be Blessed today

Yours by His Grace, for the sake of His Kingdom & His Church

Blair Humphreys

Southport,  Merseyside, England

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