Building Our Lives

Building Our Lives

by Wayne Dailey
Senior Pastor, Bethel Revival Center
43 Norwood St.
Everett, MA 02149

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I Corinthians 3:9-11
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, 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.

The Apostle Paul is speaking about the foundation upon which each one of us builds our works. In building upon this foundation we are warned to take heed what we use to build with.

I Corinthians 3:12-15
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.

Use the Right Building Materials!

There are two classes of material which you can use in building upon this foundation: one class is acceptable by God, while the other is rejected.

Anyone with any common sense knows that if you intended to build something fireproof you wouldn't build with wood, hay, or stubble! The acceptable materials for us to use in building on this foundation are gold, silver, and precious stones. These items are purified when put in the fire. They are meant to withstand great heat. In fact, they become even more precious after going through the fire!

Now, each of us is building upon the same foundation: Jesus Christ. We are not all using the same materials — but we are all busy building. You might not know it, but ever since you've been saved you've been building. Everything you have done since that day has been laid upon this foundation.

And one day it will be revealed what you have accomplished in your building efforts — will all your efforts be destroyed in the test of fire or will they withstand and be acceptable?

All that is wood, hay, and stubble will be consumed; but you will receive a reward for all that remains — the gold, silver, and precious stones.

Reference is made that those whose works are consumed will still be saved — but they will lose their reward. Their works will become an ash heap; nothing will be left to merit a reward.

Observe how some people who profess to be Christians actually live. Notice the kind of works they have that are obviously in the category of wood, hay, and stubble. As you make observation, it will help you see why the Lord will destroy some works in the fire — those works that weren't brought forth acceptably unto the Lord.

Now, let's get a little more serious about building upon this foundation. Let's be a bit more careful in choosing our building materials.

Foolish Prophets Lead People Astray

Ezekiel 13:1-3
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

God sent Ezekiel to prophesy to the prophets who were prophesying from their own hearts. He was given a strong message of warning from the Lord to give to these false prophets.

God used His prophets to prophesy day and night unto the people, trying to turn them about to serve Him with their whole heart. He wanted to spare them the calamities and judgments which would come their way — unless they had a change of heart.

In the midst of things, though, there were these false prophets who went about prophesying smooth things, saying that everything was ok, that God would bless. They prophesied out of their own heart and imagination, prophesying things which were contrary to the Word of God.

Ezekiel 13:10-12
Because, even because they have seduced My people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar: say unto them which daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it. Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?

Let's get some insight here into the procedures involved in building.

Tempered vs. Untempered Mortar

Anyone who has ever had a trowel in their hand and laid a few bricks knows why it is important to have tempered mortar. When you use good, tempered mortar, those bricks dry firmly and they stay that way. You can build as high as you want to — and that wall will stay firmly in place for years.

But it's a different story when you use untempered mortar. If you build with untempered mortar your wall will soon topple.

Why? Because the mortar that was supposed to hold the bricks together fell apart. It wasn't tempered, and so it couldn't get hard enough to last for any length of time.

The Lord uses this illustration in Ezekiel as an example of how we should build our lives.

False prophets had come along to those who were busy building their lives, prophesying messages of untempered mortar to them. Those messages weren't from the Lord. They weren't intended to help anyone draw closer to God. Those messages of peace came at a time when God was crying out to warn of impending judgment.

As these prophets cried peace during such a serious time, they were daubing the people with untempered mortar — and the people were using that mortar to hold their works together.

Here's where we can gain some insight as to what we're doing in building our own lives. We can make some comparisons of those things which are right before our eyes and see what God is striving to tell us.

As we look about, we can understand what it is to use untempered mortar in building upon the foundation which God has laid. A wall built with such mortar will surely fall.

Building Our Lives Properly

Let every man take heed how he builds. Your eternal reward for the works you accomplish in this life will be hinged upon the materials you use.

When God gave you your place in building the wall, the foundation which He laid will support as much as you are able to build. The foundation of God is His Son Jesus Christ. There is no other foundation that is lasting. In your Christian life, the works you build are built upon this solid Rock.

This is why God insists that you use precious material that will last and that you put your building together with tempered mortar. With such a precious foundation only such materials will be acceptable.

If you're not going to build your life on the Word of God, anything you build will be put together by untempered mortar. And, you can count on it, it won't stand. And when you build a bit higher it will soon fall. Why? Because you're building with the untempered mortar of human reasoning.

The Untempered Mortar
of Human Reasoning

When you try to reason out the will of God in your natural mind, you're using the untempered mortar of human reasoning.

When you try to comprehend God's will with your own understanding, once again, you are using human reasoning to build with. And, when you build your works on top of such material, it will only end up crumbling.

How many times you hear human reasoning expressed instead of declaring what the Word of God has to say: Well, I don't see anything wrong with that! At least nine times out of ten that expression is the product of human reasoning.

We should be asking, What does the Word of God have to say about this issue?, building upon the Word of God and not upon human reasoning. After all, it's not what I think or imagine that counts. It's what the Lord has to say that really counts.

We see so much of the untempered mortar of human reasoning in the lives of Christians. I remember a pastor whose head was stuffed with this mortar. Somebody came to him with a marital problem and this was his advice!: a little adultery might be the solution to your troubles.

What do you call that? Adultery has never been and never will be good for anybody. Adultery is wrong, no matter what the circumstances are. Adultery is clearly against the Word of God. Yet that minister daubed his parishioner with untempered mortar and most likely caused them to go out and damn their soul.

God would exhort us to dig into the mortar that will assure us of keeping our bricks together as we build. When we lay our works up, with the Word of God backing what we do, then we know they will remain firmly in place.

Now, if that pastor had given his parishioner some tempered mortar, he would have declared that the Word of God says not to commit adultery. He would have instructed them to seek the Lord for a solution to their troubles.

The Tempered Mortar of Holiness

When you want something in your life that you know is going to stand and not crumble, you can find it in the realm of holiness. Holiness is a mortar that will last. The mortar of holiness will never crumble, never wear out. It will last throughout eternity.

True holiness never goes contrary to God, never goes contrary to His Word, but the untempered mortar of human reasoning reasons away true holiness. This untempered mortar comes to the conclusion that we can live like the devil and be accepted by the Lord — that we can live after the dictates of our own heart and forget what the Word of God has to say. It says, Let your conscience be your guide.

But you can't trust your conscience. The Bible never told you to be guided by your conscience. The Bible declares you are to be led by what God has declared. You are to let the Bible be your guide, not your conscience.

Yes, let the Word of God dwell in you, lighting your feet and your path.

II Timothy 2:15
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If we are using the mortar of human reasoning it is certainly going to cause all our efforts to crumble one day. But when we build upon the Word of God, we are building on a sure foundation. We are using a mortar that we know will withstand the ages of time.

Look in the Right Place

Let's not look to others nor to ourselves in cleaning up our lives. Let's look right into God's Word. If we're going to clean up our heart, we are going to do so by looking into the Word of God. This is what will discern between the flesh and the spirit.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

If you want to have a heart that's clean and pure, you're going to have a heart that's well probed over by the sword of God's Word. When you let the Word of God go to work in your heart, you're rebuilding your life in a solid manner — cleansing it where it really needs cleansing.

The Untempered Mortar
of Self-Righteousness

Matthew 23:25
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

These people had taken the time to clean up outwardly while neglecting to clean up the inside. They didn't allow the searchlight to be applied to their hearts. They knew all the traditions of the elders, such as washing of hands when coming from the market place. They followed every tradition right to the letter, omitting nothing.

But Jesus asked them a question about all of that:

Matthew 15:3
But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

This is where they were guilty. They were careful to observe every one of the traditions — but never took care of what really mattered, never let anything get hold of their hearts.

They were laying up their lives with the untempered mortar of self-righteousness and rottenness of heart. When they were building they were only thinking of their own goodness.

Jesus looked at them — and then at us, and said:

Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus examined these men very carefully, relating to us what they were like. He's wanting us to learn from their example, so we will avoid following their pathway. He emphasizes how they were careful to clean up the outside but neglected to clean the inside.

Matthew 23:27
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

This is what these self-righteous men were like deep within. They never took the time to examine their hearts. They neglected that altogether — not realizing that the issues of life proceed out of our heart.

Steeped in tradition and self-righteousness, they ever built their lives with untempered mortar — turning away from God's commandments and following man's traditions.

They didn't even recognize the Son of God when He was in their midst! The very Creator of heaven and earth stood right on their doorstep, but they turned against Him — and crucified Him.

They were supposed to be so righteous and godly, yet were building with the untempered mortar of self-righteousness!

Could you be guilty of doing this? Could you be building with the mortar of self-righteousness?

Many today are in the same footsteps as those scribes and Pharisees. They are clinging on to their church traditions and rituals, pretending to worship the Lord, while trampling the Word of God underfoot.

When it comes to traditions, we'd best be careful. If our traditions contradict the Word of God, we'd best leave our traditions and start to apply the tempered mortar of God's Word.

Legalism?

Ezekiel 13:22
Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life

These people see the righteous wanting to be guided by God's Word, purposing to go all the way with the Lord — and they quickly take a glob of this untempered mortar and begin to mock and ridicule: You're nothing more than a legalist!

Anyone who strives to build their life upon the sound foundation of God's Word is immediately labeled as being a legalist — when all they're actually doing is avoiding those things which God has declared in His Word are displeasing to Him.

The mocker declares that you're wrapped up in the "do's and the don'ts" if you want to live by the Word of God. They say that since we're under grace and not under the law we are no longer bound to the do's and don'ts.

But when the Bible says not to do something it means what it says!

The Bible very emphatically says, Thou shalt not commit adultery — and that command can never be turned around in God's eyes to be a do; can never give permission to go ahead and commit adultery.

The Word of God said not to commit adultery and it stands today — still saying not to commit adultery.

Yet, because you want to obey God's Word, those who want to live contrary to it will declare that you're living in bondage.

Listen, God expects us to take His Word to heart. He expects us to do the things He tells us to do and not do those things He tells us not to do. Yes, He expects us to live by His Word. Is that legalism?

What is a Legalist?

The Jews, living under the law, were labeled as living under the law. They were considered as being legal because they followed the precepts of the law.

But what about the precepts of the New Testament? We are no longer under the law, but under grace. Under grace we have the precepts given unto us — and we ought to live by them.

Many times, somebody will be persecuted just because they don't want to compromise. They are branded as a legalist, an off-center Christian, merely because they want to live by the Word of God.

In reality, though, those who persecute Christians for wanting to live by the Word of God, labeling them as somebody bad, are doing so because their conscience bothers them. They don't want to obey the Word in every point. They want to do their own thing — whether God sanctions it or not.

What Did Grace Do for You?

I know what it did for me. It brought me out of a horrible life. It turned me around, and sent me down a straight and narrow path with God. Yes, grace taught me to forsake the old pathways I used to trod and to begin to walk with God.

Those who use the untempered mortar of grace covers it all also come and daub their mortar on those who don't really want to abide by the Word of God. They say, It's all right! You're under grace now. God understands. You're free to do as you please. After all, you're not under the law.

They teach men to use liberty as a cloak to hide their rotten lives, because many of the same rotten works that were there before they got saved are still in their lives today. This mortar "graces" everyone up who wants to live in sin and still call themselves saved.

This mortar is spread over the alcoholic, the adulterer, the fornicator, as they try to hide all their sin and immorality under a cloak of liberty and grace. But, in the end, the mortar they use won't hold together.

Let us pay heed to the Word of God and be sure to build on the solid foundation, using the tempered mortar of God's Word.