Page 93 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2010

THE FOUNDATION” “THE BUILDING” 93

How important is it for every follower of Christ to embrace the whole counsel of God pertaining to
“rightly dividing the Word of truth”? There are two stark depictions in the Word of God of two kinds of

believers entering into heaven. Paul presents one contrast and Peter presents another.
Both have the same message:

“…YOU ARE GOD’S “TO THOSE WHO HAVE OBTAINED
BUILDING... LIKE PRECIOUS FAITH WITH
US…GIVING ALL DILIGENCE,
EACH ONE’S WORK ADD TO YOUR FAITH
WILL BECOME VIRTUE…KNOWLEDGE…
MANIFEST… SELF-CONTROL… PERSEVERANCE…
GODLINESS, BROTHERLY KINDNESS
IF ANYONE’S WORK …LOVE.
WHICH HE HAS BUILT
…FOR SO AN ENTRANCE WILL BE SUPPLIED TO
ON IT ENDURES, YOU ABUNDANTLY INTO THE EVERLASTING
HE WILL RECEIVE A REWARD. KINGDOM… HE WHO LACKS THESE THINGS IS
IF ANYONE’S WORK IS BURNED, SHORT-SIGHTED, EVEN TO BLINDNESS, AND HAS
FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS PURGED FROM HIS OLD
HE WILL SUFFER LOSS, SINS…”
BUT HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED, (2 Peter 1:1-11 excerpts)

YET SO AS THROUGH FIRE.”

(1 Cor. 3:9-15 excerpts)

Paul describes two kinds of believers. Peter also describes two kinds of believers.
One has built on the foundation a house that One has laid the foundation of “like precious faith”,
glorifies God. He has good works. but has responded to the Spirit’s call to “add to
He built his house out of the costly side of your faith” seven things supplied by the Holy Spirit
the building materials of “gold, silver and that will lead to inheriting the promise of “an
precious stones”. He avoided using “wood, abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.”
hay and straw.” Therefore his work passes This believer has also built an acceptable building
the test of God’s purging fire (test of on the foundation of his faith. He has good works.
motive). This believer receives the His reward is “an abundant entrance into the
additional promise of eternal rewards. Kingdom.”

Paul’s other believer has no works that past Peter’s other believer is described as “he who
the test of fire so he is destined to “suffer lacks these things” (the seven things he was to add
loss” (of rewards) for all of eternity! to his faith by the power of the Holy Spirit at work
However, he himself will be saved but even in his life). He is a believer who lacks spiritual
that is clarified “as through fire.” I take that vision. He is depicted as short-sighted and nearly
to mean that he is like a man whose blind. Notice he has even “forgotten that he was
physical house burned down in a fire, but purged from his old sins.” Here is a believer who is
he just barely gets out by the skin of his not even keeping in mind that he has once laid a
teeth! This one is “Saved, but suffers loss.” foundation of the forgiveness of sins. Today we call
He is saved because the foundation of these kind of believers “backsliders.” This one too
salvation was laid. He just did not respond will suffer loss of reward in heaven (if he ends up
properly to the Holy Spirit to “build on that there at all, for some backsliders will even draw
foundation” a house of good works! back all the way to perdition-eternal misery).

If we had the space to do so we could even make a contrast of whole churches in the Word of God that
manifest a similar pattern. You can do this yourself. Read about the church at Laodicea which Jesus
threatens to spew out of His mouth (Rev. 3:14-22). Compare Laodicea to the church at Philadelphia,
the church that Jesus promises to rapture. Look how Jesus begins every letter to the churches: “I know
your works.” Men will tell you works are not important, but Jesus is judging the churches by their
works! Compare the church at Thessalonica (1 Thess. 1:1-10) to the milk-only, still-carnal, still-babe-
in-Christ church of Corinth (1 Cor. 3:1-23). What makes the difference? The response to good works!