God had a Plan, THOUGHTS ON BEING FIRST, part 2

Thoughts on Being First – The Foundation

Once I was listening to a woman talk about her frustration with a certain couple whom she and her husband were counseling as the marriage counselors for their church. After awhile I asked her a simple question, “Do you know for sure that they are Christians? Because if they are not, the problem could be that you are trying to help them build on a foundation that isn’t even there.” She decided that made sense, and determined to pursue the message of the gospel with the couple before continuing efforts to help them salvage their marriage.

1 Corinthians 15:3- 8 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

I like these verses from 1 Corinthians because they remind me of that which is ‘of first importance’. I believe that means not only ‘most important’ but also the ‘beginning of what is important.’ In other words, without the gospel, all religious efforts are without meaning and futile.
Jesus spoke about being first through an angel to John in Revelation:

Revelation 22:13 and 16 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
16"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

There are many people in many religions or philosophies in many nations all over the world that strive to build their lives into something good. The problem is that without salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no foundation that is recognized by God.

1 Corinthians 3:9-11 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Luke 6:47-49 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."

God’s plan? Get that foundation in place FIRST, then build.

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Job 42:1-2 Then Job answered the LORD and said, "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

[ALL SCRIPTURES NASB]