Sketch I. The Only Foundation For other foundation can no man lay than that lay, which is Yahshuah Messiah.—1 Cor. 3:11. THE divisions of Messiahianity originated at Corinth. It was here that professed believers began to classify and arrange themselves under human leaders, and to assume human distinctions in religion. One said, I am of Paul; another, I am of Apollos; I am of Cephas, &c. The apostle, in this epistle, especially in the first three chapters, strongly discountenances this course of procedure; shows its carnality; reminds them that all these are the servants of the same Yah’uah , preach the same gospel, are not divided, much less opposed to each other; that there is but one true and saving foundation: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Yahshuah Messiah. Let us consider, I. Messiah as a foundation. The term is architectural, and refers to that which is the lowest part of a building, and on which the whole structure rests. It is often employed, however, to denote the beginning of anything, and sometimes the essential principle of any system. In our text it may be considered applicable to each or the whole of these significations. The church is a spiritual edifice, and Yahshuah is the foundation stone, as well as the head of the corner. Redemption is a dispensation of grace and mercy to man; of that dispensation Yahshuah Messiah is the beginning. Messiahianity is a system of truth: of that system Messiah is both the centre and the essential principle. 1. Messiah is the foundation of the gospel. The gospel is emphatically the gospel of Yahshuah Messiah. He is its founder, source subject, and glory. All the doctrines of the gospel, all its privileges, all its bless ings, are from him, and from him only All its ordinances bear his name, and all its light and glory emanate from him. 2. Messiah is the foundation of a sinners acceptance with Father Yah’uah God. He is the only way of access to Father Yah’uah God He is the one Mediator—the true propitiatory, or mercy-seat. We are justified by faith in him, and are accepted in the Beloved. We have redemption in his blood even the forgiveness of sin. 3. Messiah is the foundation of a believers hope. The Messiahian is begotten to a lively hope; but it is by the resurrection of Messiah from the dead; 1 Peter 1:3. Messiah is in him, the hope of glory; Col 1:27. The believers hopes relate to full and complete salvation—victory in death—an entrance into the kingdom of glory—resurrection from the dead, in the likeness of Messiah—and eternal bliss in the presence of Father Yah’uah God forever. But all these grand and sublime hopes rest on the Saviour. We conquer through him; die happy only in him; are admitted into paradise by him; shall be raised by his power, and have eternal life flowing from him. 4. Messiah is the foundation of the whole church. Peter confessed his glorious and divine character—affirmed that he was the Son of the living Father Yah’uah God. And on this rock, (this true and stable confession,) will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it. He is Head over all things to his church; Alpha and Omega; and all and in all; Isaiah 28:16. Notice. II. The distinguishing characteristics of this foundation. It is distinguished, 1. for its strength. And this is of the utmost importance in a foundation. Were it frail and yielding, the safety of the building would be endangered. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Psa. 11:3. But this foundation is Omnipotence itself. Yah’uah God is a rock; and his way is perfect. He possesses all power both in heaven and on earth. He is both the wisdom and power of Father Yah’uah God. It is distinguished, 2. For its suitability. It is so to Deity—every way worthy of him, in which all his perfections are most gloriously displayed. Worthy of his wisdom, truth, holiness, justice, &c. Here the whole Deity is known, Nor dares the creature guess Which of the glories brightest shone, The justice or the grace It is also suitable to the sinner—exactly adapted to his state and circumstances. Here is mercy brought down to a level with his condition. Here is all his need, and all within his grasp— A balsam for his every wound; All, all he wants is here. It is also distinguished, 3. For its perpetuity. It is not affected by the changes of the lines, or by the revolutions of the kingdoms of this world. It is through perpetual ages invariably the same. It is the only foundation which the righteous have ever had to build upon. It is the only one on which all the saved to the end of the world must rest. Patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, &c., have all built on this foundation. And there is inscribed upon it, Yahshuah Messiah, the same yesterday, today, and forever. III. The folly and impiety of attempting to lay any other foundation than that is laid. The text supposes that men would attempt this, and affirms the impossibility of affecting it. And the history of the church amply bears out this supposition. How many false foundations have been laid, and embellished, to attract and draw men from the only Saviour of sinners! What mixtures of hay, straw, and stubble! In what way do men attempt to lay another foundation? 1. By trusting alone to the dictates of unsanctified reason. What havoc have these luminaries of nature made among the spiritual doctrines of the cross!—un-deified the Saviour; extinguished the Holy Spirit; frittered away the atonement; made Satan and Satanic agency a visionary illusion; placed a col repentance, and a lifeless faith, and a spiritless morality, as the basis of salvation. We find it impossible to exclude such from being of those who lay another foundation This is done, 2. By relying on our own righteousness for acceptance with Father Yah’uah God. This may be done in a thousand ways and forms. By trusting to our honesty, or to the absence of notorious and flagrant crimes, acts of generosity, of devotion, of self-denial, of correctness of creed, of public profession. All these things are well in their own place, but absolutely worthless as our souls foundation; for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified. Rom. 3:20-28; 2 Tim. 1:9; Tit 3:5. This is done, 3. When we rest solely on Father Yah’uah Gods mercy to the exclusion of the Saviours merits. It is a glorious truth that Father Yah’uah God is merciful; but it is in the provision, by and through Yahshuah, that this mercy is most strikingly manifested; therefore the rejecter of Yahshuah despises the brightest display of this divine perfection. Besides, Yah’uah God is just, and holy, and true; and he has asserted that the unbeliever shall inevitably perish. John 3:18; 1 John 5:10. The folly and criminality of attempting to lay any other foundation will appeal when we reflect on, 1. The sufficiency of the one laid. He is able to save all; and all to the uttermost. He is the Saviour of all men, especially of them who believe. He wills the salvation of the chief of sinners. Ho never rejected any humble suppliant. All who have come to him have been received, and in nowise did he ever cast them out. How foolish and wicked to reject this foundation! 2. It is to reflect on Yah’uah Gods wisdom and goodness, and on Messiahs sufficiency to save. This foundation is identified with the depths of infinite skill; with the boundlessness of divine love; with the unspeakable preciousness of Messiahs blood. To attempt to lay another is to set at naught these perfections of Deity, and to trample underfoot the blood of Yahshuah. It is the exaltation of self-device and self-sufficiency above Father Yah’uah God and his Son Yahshuah Messiah. 3. It is to involve the soul in remediless wo, by the rejection of the only Saviour. He who rejects the light of life must dwell in darkness. He who rejects the one Saviour perishes necessarily and virtually by his obstinacy and crime. There is no other Saviour—no other refuge—no other remedy. He is the life of the world; to reject him is to be guilty of our own souls blood, and to go down to the pit by the stroke of our own suicidal hand. Application Learn, 1. The invaluableness of the gospel foundation. Sinner, come to it; build upon it. Believer, rest with assured confidence upon it. It can never fail; all is secure here. 2. Necessity of a personal acquaintance with it. Religion is a matter of experience as well as theory. The heart must be right as well as the head. The foundation must be beneath us. Let us, 3. Guard against anything having Messiahs place. Our motto must be Yahshuah always,—Yahshuah only—Yahshuah forever. Whom Father Yah’uah God has appointed as Messiah to teachers Father Yah’uah God’s Ways and the understanding of his character there is only one Father Yah’uah God and there is no other besides him this fundamental Yahshuah the Messiah Messiah taught Father Yah’uah God People
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 21:31:25 +0000