Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. It is very apparent throughout
the scriptures that Christ alone is the foundation of the faith
once delivered to the saints. Paul testified of this when he
said, For of the foundation can no man lay, than that is laid
which is Jesus Christ. Peter gave testimony of the same
when the lame man was healed at the temple gate. This is the
stone which was set at naught of you builders, which has become
the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in
any other, for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved." Nevertheless, there are
many who believe and teach that the apostles and prophets are
an integral part of this foundation. They often say that Peter was
the one upon whom the Lord would build His church. Yet the church
is not built upon Peter, but upon this rock, in contrast to
Peter as a stone, which is Christ. And while the apostles and prophets
both were used mightily by the Lord in the establishment of
His kingdom in the earth, they were as much resting upon this
foundation as any other inhabitant of Zion. This is why Paul says
that the household of faith is built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets. That is to say, the same foundation
which the apostles and prophets rest upon is that one to whom
they point as the chief cornerstone. Behold the sure foundation stone
which God in Zion lays to build our heavenly hopes upon and His
eternal praise. What though the gates of hell
withstood, yet must this building rise. Tis Thine own work, Almighty
God, and wondrous in our eyes. The kingdom of God manifested
in his church in the present day does not simply consist of
a foundation, but rather is a building which is constructed by him who
is the wise master builder. This building rests squarely
upon its foundation and is tied to it with cords of love which
cannot be broken. Paul says it is a building which
is fitly framed together. He has designed each part of
this building and he has used no unnecessary parts in its construction. But the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. But unto every
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ. This fitly framed building is strengthened by that which
every joint supplieth, and no one member is more important
than any other. Each part of the building is
designed to be dependent one upon another, as each part rests
in the Lord, and the whole edifice groweth into a holy temple in
the Lord. For the body is not one member,
but many. If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I
am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? And if the ears
shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is
it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye,
where were the hearing? But now hath God set the members,
every one of them, in the body, as it hath pleased him. But now
are they many members, yet but one body. This fitly framed building
is built together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. The
only acceptable spiritual sacrifices that can be offered up unto God
are those which are in and of Christ. The benefit that each
of the parts of the body bestows or receives from or to the other
parts is in the ministry of one to another through the exaltation
of Christ. For each part of the body is
a living stone made alive by Christ. And this is the record
that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the
Son of God hath not life. This is the basis of all of the
benefits of the brethren one to another. The fellowship of
the Lord's people is not in their shared interest in the things
of this world. Rather, their ministry one to
another is in their testimony of the life which is in Christ. In this they strengthen one another
and bear one another's burdens. In this they esteem one another
better than themselves. How sweet, how heavenly is the
sight when those that love the Lord in one another's peace delight
and so fulfill his word, when each can feel his brother's sigh
and with him bear apart, when sorrow flows from eye to eye
and joy from heart to heart, when free from envy, scorn, and
pride our wishes all above, each can his brother's failings hide
and show a brother's love. When love in one delightful stream
through every bosom flows, When union sweet and dear esteem in
every action glows, Love is the golden chain that binds the happy
souls above, And he's an heir of heaven that finds his bosom
glow with love. Do you delight in the assembly
of the saints, which is the habitation of God? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.