If The Foundations Be Destroyed

Psalm 11:1-7

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

“In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?  For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.  If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:1-3)

The world constantly attacks those who serve the Lord.  As Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”   They constantly look for some weakness or inconsistency and make up lies to destroy one’s faith or credibility.  Christianity is based on faith in God and the trust that he will give us the victory over sin, and if Satan succeeds in destroying that, we have nowhere to turn.   There is nowhere else to run that will give us protection.  All we can do is put our faith in God and let him deal with the other things.  We need to put our trust in him before the attacks start.  It is far more difficult to build a strong foundation when under attack.

The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” (Psalm 11:4)

In Malachi 3:6, God said, “ For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”  The continued existence of Israel was based on the fact that God is on his throne and because he has not changed, he still cares for them.  Hebrews 13:8-9 tells the Christian, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.”  

Because neither God, nor Christ change we need to get to know them and what they have said they expect.  Their expectations and the foundation of our faith has not changed. The old ways and teachings have not been updated by God.  The new doctrines are not from God and do not provide a good foundation.   

“The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.  Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.  For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” (Psalm 11:5-7)

In I Corinthians 3:10-15, Paul describes God’s trying the righteous.  “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But 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.  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 

God will test every believer’s works to see how it stands in the trials of life.  If it survives he will earn rewards.  If it is destroyed he will lose any reward he might have expected but he will still be saved because his foundation was Jesus Christ.  Those who have built their lives on the new doctrines do not have the proper foundation and it will not survive the fire, leaving them without even salvation.    

John 3:17-21 describes the situation for those who have not believed on Jesus Christ and accepted him as their foundation.    “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” They have refused to accept Christ because they do not want to admit their wickedness or give it up.   As a result they must face the consequences of their decision, judgment and destruction by God.   

God loves those who desire to please him and watches over them.  He hates the attitude of those who rebel against him and when they let that attitude define them they earn his hate.