17
17
where God’s presence would be known, where light would
shine, where God’s mind would be known, where difficulties
and problems could be resolved. He says, “I have laid the
foundation”. What an architect Paul was! He says, “According
to the grace of God which has been given to me, as a wise
architect, I have laid the foundation, but another builds upon it.
But let each see how he builds upon it. For other foundation
can no man lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ”. “Jesus Christ”; that is what I want to stress, beloved
brethren, that the foundation is none other, it is Jesus
Christ. No other kind of man, no other order of man; indeed.
Paul says, “For I did not judge it well to know anything among
you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified”, 1 Corinthians 2: 2. It
was this Man, this order of Man, that filled the heart and mind
of the beloved apostle Paul as he went into Corinth, and he
says, “I have laid the foundation”. The building is going to
stand; it is standing, beloved, the building that is of God,
related to the order of Man that shone out in Jesus when here
below. We can well understand that God said to Peter and
John,
“Go ye and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the
words of this life” (Acts 5: 20)—“this life”, the life of Jesus in
detail. Oh think of the detail of the life of Jesus as under the
eye of God; how pleasurable it was! Paul says, “I have laid the
foundation”; it was none other than Jesus Christ. Let us,
beloved, repudiate every other man. The flesh has not only
been judged but has gone in the death of Christ. Paul says, “I
did not judge it well to know anything among you save Jesus
Christ, and him crucified”. Man in the flesh is gone as far as
God is concerned. Let us see to it that that man is not brought
up; he has no part in the foundation, no part in the structure,
and the word to us at the present time is, “But let each see
how he builds”.
I believe that the urgent need at the moment is for workmen.
God requires workmen, brothers and sisters, old and young,