Building Materials

This week we have been focusing on building an unshakable life. 

1 Peter 2:6 says For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”[a]

We had also looked into 1 Corinthians 3:10-17. We learnt that the foundation of our lives is Jesus Christ and we are building upon that foundation. This foundation will be tested by fire one day and those who succeed will get an eternal reward and those whose building materials burn  in fire, the person will escape because of the foundation but the material will be completely burned down. 

Today’s focus is on the building material. The foundation is a precious and chosen stone which has been proven and tested in time. There is no change in the foundation and it is indestructible. On top of this foundation, we can use 6 different types of materials - gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw. This can be grouped into 2; 

1. Group 1: gold, silver, costly stones
2. Group 2: wood, hay, straw

Let us take a look at some of the differences between both the groups. At first glance, we know that Group 1 is more expensive than Group 2. But you cannot build anything with materials like gold, or silver; rather, you need brick and cement. If you want the work to last, then you need to pay a price. Solomon paid the price to build the temple using gold and silver. Just like the first mobile temple, we are living in a time when we are the mobile temple of God. So, when we refer to building the temple, we are referring to building ourselves in the spiritual sense. 

Materials from Group 1 are available in limited quantities whereas Group 2 is more easily accessible. Group 1 materials are all from below the ground and Group 2 is above the ground. For instance, you can find grass, wood, hay, etc. on the road easily but you will not spot gold just lying on the ground. Group 1 materials will not be easily seen, it will be hidden from plain sight. 

Group 1 materials will be more refined under fire. The quality just increases for the materials. But Group 2 materials will just be burned down to ashes. This is the same with our lives! We are building a temple with our lives. Our life work, if we have built using gold, silver, and many other expensive materials, when put through the test of fire, will come out more pure and refined. But if we build our lives using hay, straw, etc. then all our life’s work will turn to ashes. 

We can pretend to be holy for other people to see but we need to have that character and quality within us also! God does not want your performance! God sees your heart and its attitude. There is nothing you can hide from God. 

Building your life with materials from Group 1 means that using the Word of God and the Holy Spirit as your foundation for building. Your discipline lies in the Word of Script. 

Hebrews 9:27 says Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

What are Group 2 materials? These are the works done in the flesh using human ways and understanding, human principles and authorities. 

Matthew 24:35 says Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

What do we do? We do as it says in Psalm 1, we ought to meditate on the Word of God day and night! Don’t live as the world lives! Live according to the Word!