"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries
UNDERSTANDING TRUE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP and FAITH, part 14 (final) quotes
1) Understanding True Bible Faith
Once you have your foundation and supporting pillars established, then you build upon them a firm floor or platform. This floor ties or connects the foundation and all the pillars together into one solid and unshakable platform that can easily support all necessary weight placed upon it. Spiritually speaking, this platform would represent our faith! It represents the major tenets of our beliefs upon which we can all unitedly and firmly stand together on! And this firm platform of truth is unshakable, because it is securely resting upon the major pillars of Bible truth founded in God’s word, and all these are immovably resting upon the solid Rock – Jesus Christ.
2)
Once you have your floor or platform constructed, then the next step is to build your house upon it by constructing walls, a ceiling and then a roof. Spiritually speaking, this house would represent each individual believer!
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21.
“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building....Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16-17.
“...know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
3) What kind of material is to be used in building this house or temple?
“...let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.” 1 Corinthians 3:11-13.
4) What would represent the Gold?
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold...though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”. 1 Peter 1:7.
“Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” Psalms 119:27.
The gold is connected with faith, and also in loving and keeping God’s commandments.
What would represent the Silver? “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as...silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:3.
The silver is connected with being purified from all worthless dross – which is sin and impurities in life and character, and being refined into righteousness.
What would represent the Precious Stones or Jewels? “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10.
“A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.” Proverbs 17:8.
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5.
“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Malachi 3:16-17.
The precious stones or jewels are connected with being clothed in the robe of Christ’s righteousness; giving gifts to others – such as in good deeds and spreading the gospel truth of Jesus Christ; sacrificing self, money and time for God’s cause; fearing or honoring the Lord; and communicating often with other brothers and sisters in the faith.
5) What would represent the Wood?
“...they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.” Isaiah 45:20.
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.” Proverbs 26:20-21.
The wood is connected with setting up idols in our heart that interfere with worshiping only the Lord God of heaven; and it also is connected with being a talebearer or gossiper, being contentious, and being one who creates or continues strife among people.
What would represent the Hay or Grass? “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” 1 Peter 1:24-25.
“Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.” James 1:9-11.
The Hay is connected with pride; trusting in the arm of flesh or in mankind – including trusting in the word or doctrines of men instead of in the word and doctrines of God; and also trusting in riches and wealth instead of in God.
What would represent the Stubble? “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: That say, Let him [God] make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it [or in other words they profess to be followers of God, but in reality they are not – or they are a hypocrite]! Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink [imbibing false and fanatical doctrines]: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 5:18-24.
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Malachi 4:1.
The stubble is connected with being wicked, iniquitous, sinful, hypocritical and vain; it is connected with being deceptive by calling evil good and good evil and putting light for darkness and darkness for light; being self-important, conceited, proud and thinking more of your own ideas and wisdom than others; it is following false and fanatical doctrines, and leading others away from the truth of God’s word; it is caring more for a reward to your advantage than for justice to be done to others, and thus stealing righteousness away from them; it is refusing to obey God’s law; and it is despising God’s word in order to live for self.
6) What kind of house are you building? It all depends upon what kind of materials you are using in constructing your life and character!
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5.
7) If you desire salvation, you must remove every bit of flammable wood, hay and stubble out of your life when and wherever you discover it, and then replace it with fire-proof gold, silver and jewels.
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:20-21.
8) If you choose to build yourself up for God, then He will indeed work within you to become His holy temple and dwelling place, and you will become part of Zion – His holy city, and then you will be prepared for Christ’s coming and not be destroyed by fire!
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls...Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness”. Psalms 41:17-19.
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13.
“When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” Psalms 102:16.
9) If you choose to build yourself up for Satan, then Lucifer will indeed work within you to become his unholy temple and dwelling place, and you will become part of Babylon – his unholy synagogue, and then you will not be prepared for Christ’s coming, but will be destroyed by fire!
“And you...who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein...ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath”. Ephesians 2:1-3.
“I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” Revelation 2:9.
“Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.” Isaiah 21:9.
“Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed...And I will punish...Babylon,...yea, the wall [and house] of Babylon shall fall.” Jeremiah 51:8, 44.
10) Will your house – will your life – be able to stand the great testing so you will gain salvation? Or will your house fail the great testing, and be destroyed?
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27.
11) There is still precious time to quickly remove every bit of worthless material out of your life and replace these with the proper fire-proof materials that will endure unto everlasting life, and you know that the Lord will help you accomplish this every step of the way!
“Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness....For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 41:9-10, 13-14.
“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:18-22.
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23.
“For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” Jeremiah 50:7.
“Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.” 2 Corinthians 8:11.