Building on a Shaky Foundation

[Ramez5]

Matthew 7:24-27 So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great and complete was the fall of it.

Last night, I made a poor choice..not one that would have bothered many, but it bothered me.
I was reminded that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.

The Lord assured me this morning that I am not under condemnation.. to just keep my eyes on Him.. not on my weakness or strength. I was so grateful that if we confess our sins He is sure to forgive us.
I know that because I am saved.. and because I daily look to him for forgiveness..and do all I can to deal with sin in my life that I'm building my spiritual house.. my life on a sure foundation. I did not always do that.

What is the proper relationship between faith and obedience? The simple answer is that you can't have one without the other. This is the question believers have debated for ages.

The Lord gave us a great illustration of how the two work together in this analogy of a house built on sand vs. a rock. If you, as a believer, are living in habitual.. known sin.. you are the foolish man.. building his house on the sand.

If you claim to be living on the rock of salvation through Christ... but you live as if you weren't
then you are building on a shaky foundation.

If you do great works.. but leave the Lord out.. thinking your works are saving you.. you are also building on a shaky foundation.

"whoever hears 'these words' meaning..everything the Lord has said for the last 3 chapters..

Strong's
a word, the WordFrom lego; something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation;

The only foundation that is safe..
is Salvation and Obedience.

A believer who lives in sin..will crumble when the storms of life assail them. Why be foolish? We have a choice.

For years I allowed sin, indulgence, attitudes.. to grow in various ways.. not taking seriously my responsibility to obey.. relying on my assurance of salvation.. yet not really experiencing the fruitfulness that I could have had.. had I sought the Lord.. and cried out to Him to be set free.

Sanctification is a process.. a partnership between you and God. We do have a part to play.. and if we don't do our part.. we will suffer for it.

Matthew Henry summarized this best I thought..
7:21-29 Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue.
It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification.
Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in our right hand.
Let every one that names the name of Christ, depart from all sin.
In John 15 the Lord shows us how to do this..abiding in Him is the only way we can be enabled to be fruitful.. and obedient. I am convicted yet again.. not to take sin in my life as a light matter..or to just brush over it..because it’s ‘natural’ to us.

Though it is wonderfully true that ‘there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus’ because we are set free from the law of sin and death (no longer under bondage to sin)..

But that freedom from the law..and bondage has a purpose..

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life. Romans 6:22

Obedience.. and sanctification are the bricks of our house.. to be built upon the foundation of our salvation in Christ. Then..we will be smart. You can’t have one without the other and still be ‘wise’.

Salvation and habitual disobedience.. are a very shaky foundation for a believer.

We do have a part to play.. we can choose each day to seek the Lord.. and abide in Him.

Dear Lord, May we never be guilty of ignoring the sin that so easily entangles us.. let us lay it aside.. put to death our flesh.. cut off our hand if it causes us to sin.. so many reminders that the precious gift of your grace is not to be sullied by our sinful indulgence. Help us show you we love you by our obedience. Help us prove our devotion to you and our gratitude for your great gift of salvation by a life lived for you .. sitting at your feet while you change us into your likeness. Amen