Rediscovering The Unshakable Foundations

Matthew 7:24-27, Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but 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 foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

This parable told by Jesus using the imagery of a foundation to describe obeying “these words of mine” as the only true, unshakeable, and eternal basis to build upon for all of life and eternity is used numerous times in the Scriptures. Jesus is described as the Cornerstone, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed" (Isaiah 28:16). Peter borrows this same language in describing Jesus Christ as "a living stone which has been rejected by men but is choice and precious in the sight of God." He is "the stone which the builders rejected," but "this became the very corner stone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense" (1 Pet 2:4-8). The foundation for the Christian is despised by the masses but "choice and precious in the sight of God."

It is vital that we realize we cannot separate the Lord Jesus Christ from His Word. His commands are not options for those building. To build your life upon Jesus Christ is to have a foundation of obedient submission and delight in His teachings. This applies individually and corporately. It applies to nature and nations, to Christians, churches, and countries. 

In a recent letter to friends, Dudley Hall insightfully wrote: “It seems that the storms of life and the winds of skepticism are testing the societal structures upon which we have relied for some time. With questions about corruption in politics, deception in the media, confusion in the medical field, fears about the economy, and discouragement in religion, we are beginning to see the fallacy of trusting that which is not transcendent. Jesus said there would be storms coming that would beat upon every life, exposing the foundations (Matthew 7:24-29). Some were sure that the dawning of 2021 would offer reprieve from the nightmare of 2020, but the difficulties continue to mount. The winds are blowing and the rain is beating upon what we have built. Our efforts at damage control are not enough to restore a sense of tranquility. Something bigger is happening.”

Fantasy is about to meet reality in our modern culture. The God-denying, truth-rejecting, relativism-embracing attitudes and actions of postmodernism are facing the strong winds of Ultimate Reality, i.e. “these words of mine”. The fiction that gender is whatever you want it to be; that truth can be “yours” and “mine” and for billions others, “their truth”; that government now possess all the omni-type attributes of God and can provide for all our needs from womb to tomb; that mankind can control the climate and save the world, etc. etc., is a delusion and the increasing intensity of the storms assailing them will reveal the insupportableness of the foundation.

Pastor Doug Wilson confronts the delusional, crumbling foundation of relativism, with the assertion that “there are only three kinds of people, and they are all absolutists. There are those who worship the true Absolute, the triune Absolute of Scripture, which is what the Christian does. Then there are those who have fashioned an idol, which they call absolute. This is what the Muslim does. Then there is the relativist, or should I say the sham relativist? They have fashioned an idol which functions as an absolute, but which they refuse to call absolute, because they are great believers in openness and diversity.

“The ephemeral gods that we have erected in the public square, the gods of openness and diversity, are in truth impotent gods. They cannot deliver what they promised to deliver to us, and instead they have only brought in societal chaos. And so I bring this testimony to you again. The moment Christ rose from the dead, which He really did do, is the moment that He laid claim to a full and complete ownership of the United States of America. We know this because He was given every nation on earth as His inheritance. “Ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.” Psalm 2:8

Returning to Dudley’s letter for a final word of encouragement during these storm-tossed times, he declares, “God in His mercy is drawing His people back to basics. Simply put, life will not work for long when the creature is magnified above the Creator-Redeemer. Jesus is the subject of the grand narrative of history, the star of creation's drama, the King over all kingdoms, the ultimate desire of created beings, and the glory of eternal God. He will not be ignored for long. Everything built on something less than "these words of mine" will fall under the weight of earthly trouble and fearful myths. Those who are able to discern what heaven is now saying will return to listen to what He has to say - about everything. We are in for a time of discovering true foundations. It should be exciting. Our Father has not given up on us. He is eagerly inviting us to cast aside the chattel as we find the treasure. When the winds finally die down and the rains ease up, we will find that the call to know Jesus is the ultimate purpose in life; that the cross of Jesus is essential to any cure of personal and societal ills; that the church of Jesus is the community sanctioned by heaven to be our refuge. The foundations will be rediscovered, and they will stand.”

“Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).