Paul,
The Master-builder
by
Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
In
I Corinthians 3:10, the Apostle Paul declares by divine inspiration:
“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a
wise [instructed] master-builder, I have laid the foundation,and another
buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”
In
what sense was Paul the master-builder of the Church, and what “foundation” did
he lay? Did he not himself say that “other foundation can no man lay than that
is laid, which is Jesus Christ”? Yes, he did — and in this very passage! He
sought to lay no other foundation than Christ, but God had chosen him to
proclaim Christ in a new way.
Some
years previous our Lord had asked His disciples: “Whom say ye that I am”, and
Peter had instantly replied: “Thou art the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the
living God” (Matthew16:16). This is how believers in general had recognized Him
at that time (John 1:49; 6:69; 11:27; 20:31). Indeed, the Messianic kingdom was
to be established upon Christ as God’s anointed Son (Messiah means “anointed”).
But
with the raising up of Paul, God began to form “the Church which is Christ’s
body” (Ephesians1:22,23; Colossians 1:24,25). This is the Church of today, and
it is founded, not on Christ as King, but as the exalted Lord and Head of the
“one body” (I Corinthians12:13).
Paul
does not present Christ as Messiah, but as Lord. In Romans 10:9 he declares:
“That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as LORD, and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved.” Again in I Corinthians 12:3: “No man can say that Jesus is the Lord,
but by the Holy Spirit”. And again in Philippians 2:9-11, he declares that
God has highly exalted Christ and given Him a name above every name, “that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father”.
Have
you confessed Him as your Lord and Saviour?
(A 10 Minute Video)
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