Page 89 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2010
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89

Let us begin by “rightly dividing the Word of truth” that Paul presents in into a two-stage project:

                                                                1 Cor. 3:9-15

“…ACCORDING TO THE GRACE OF GOD…         “…YOU ARE GOD’S BUILDING...
           AS A WISE MASTER BUILDER,                EACH ONE’S WORK

       I HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION…            WILL BECOME MANIFEST…
 NO OTHER FOUNDATION CAN ANYONE           IF ANYONE’S WORK WHICH HE

       LAY THAN THAT WHICH IS LAID,          HAS BUILT ON IT ENDURES,
             WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST…        HE WILL RECEIVE A REWARD.
                                         IF ANYONE’S WORK IS BURNED,
           IF ANYONE BUILDS ON THIS
FOUNDATION…LET EACH ONE TAKE HEED                HE WILL SUFFER LOSS,
                                       BUT HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED…”
              HOW HE BUILDS ON IT…

“THEREFORE LEAVING THE DISCUSSION OF   “BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS VERY THING,
 THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF CHRIST,  THAT HE WHO HAS BEGUN A GOOD WORK

         LET US GO ON TO PERFECTION,                IN YOU WILL COMPLETE IT
NOT LAYING AGAIN THE FOUNDATION...”           UNTIL THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST”

                            Heb. 6:1                                Phil. 1:6

                     The natural illustration in these two pictures reveal a two-stage project,
                     (1) laying the foundation and (2) building a building on that foundation.
  The spiritual illustration in the two passages above also convey a two-stage project God intends to
complete in us, (1) lay the foundation (but don’t keep on laying it again) and (2) Going on to perfection-

                          allowing He who has begun a good work in you to complete it.

      THE                            This is vitally important:                             THE
 FINISHED      As God’s people, we need to see that God the Father has                UNFINISHED
 WORK OF        sent two distinct personages of the triune Godhead into
THE CHRIST    the life of the believer, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit.          WORK OF
                                                                                       THE SPIRIT
                                   Their work is not the same.
            Although Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished!”, it is a statement
             that can only be applied to laying the foundation of eternal life in

              the life of the believer. NOTHING is to be added to the finished
                     work of Christ! It is sufficient for receiving eternal life.

             However, if we receive eternal life through Christ, for what purpose
            does the Father then send the Holy Spirit into the life of the believer?

 The Holy Spirit has come to build a building upon the foundation that Jesus Christ has laid! Where the
foundation produces eternal life, the building produces eternal rewards as the believer learns to yield his

     life to the tutorship of the Holy Spirit in producing a life filled with good works! Paul states plainly:

     “THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND THESE THINGS I WANT YOU TO AFFIRM CONSTANTLY,
THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED IN GOD SHOULD BE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS.”

                                                                       Titus 3:8
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