AMAZING GRACE
GRACE TO BUILD
A. A WISE MASTER BUILDER
"According to the GRACE of God which was given to
me, AS A WISE MASTER BUILDER I have laid the foundation,
and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how
he builds on it," I Cor 3:10.
In what kind of building activities would "a wise
master builder" be engaged? As an apostle and
missionary, Paul would be making disciples, baptizing
them, establishing churches, training men as preachers and
deacons, leading in ordaining them, and teaching them to
observe the "all things" of the Great Commission,
which includes a great host of christian activities. And
for the most part, not only apostles, pastors, and
deacons, but every other church member should be building
up the church on the foundation of Christ by all the GRACE
WORKS of the Great Commission.
B. WE ARE ALL BUILDERS
"According to the grace of God which was given to
me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation,
and another is building upon it. But let EACH ONE be
taking heed how he is building upon it," I Cor 3:10.
Every church member (every covenant person) is a
builder, and we are building whether we know it or not. In
I Pet 2:5 each living stone in the building is also a
priest who is actively offering up spiritual sacrifices
within that same spiritual house. In the same way every
church member is a part of the building and is also a
builder of the building.
The way we build is by living a godly personal life,
living a godly family life, living a godly church life,
aiding each other in making new disciples, loving one
another with a godly love, forgiving each other, and
performing all other christian activities as prescribed in
the New Covenant.
C. GRACE IS GIVEN
"According to the GRACE of God which was GIVEN TO
ME, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation,
and another is building upon it. But let each one be
taking heed how he is building upon it," I Cor 3:10.
Here is one of the many passages which speaks of
grace being GIVEN to covenant people to serve God in
various ways prescribed in the New Covenant: see the
following scriptures, Rom 1:5; 5:15; 12:3,6; I Cor 1:4;
3:10; 15:10; II Cor 6:1; 9:8; 12:9; Gal 2:9; Eph 3:2,7,8;
4:7-8 (I Cor 1:4-7); Heb 4:16; 12:28; Jam 4:6; I Pet 4:10;
5:5.
As stated before, such words as "Grace be to you"
(meaning may God give you sufficient grace) are used over
thirty times in the epistles as a salutation or otherwise.
This also makes it necessary for us to understand that the
New Covenant is a GRACE covenant.
D. GRACE TO BUILD
"According to the GRACE of God which was given to
me, as a wise master builder I HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION,
and another is building upon it. But let each one be
taking heed how he is building upon it," I Cor 3:10.
But this means "works." And it means this kind of
"works" works together with grace. This kind of "works"
requires grace. These "works" are grace works and are
opposed to man's works, our works, Law works, and flesh
works.
We must understand there are TWO KINDS OF WORKS. One
kind of works is man's works, and the other kind is God's
works. And these two kinds of works are opposite to each
other, opposed to each other, contrary to each other, and
as light and darkness they cannot exist together.
These works are either God's works or man's works.
There is no "in-between." If we do not build by grace
works, the works must be flesh works, and God will in no
way accept them.
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