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Foundation of Faith

Importance of Foundation

If you have ever lived in or visited a large city you probably have had the chance to watch a skyscraper under construction. For the first six months or so of the project all the workmen do is make a great hole in the ground. To build a tall building by starting far below the surface level seems absurd even crazy. But as you would suspect there is a good reason for the large hole. To build a mammoth building it is first necessary to dig down until a strong foundation can be built one that is capable of supporting the skyscraper.

A doghouse needs no foundation and an ordinary house can be built on little more than a concrete slab. But a skyscraper that’s different. It requires a deep and solid foundation.

So it is in our Christian life. Our upward potential is totally dependent on the foundation underneath it. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》

Importance of Foundation

A very short man wanted to drive a nail in his wall to hang a picture. He stood on a chair but it was not high enough. His wife place a box on the chair but he was still short of his goal. So a stool was piled on top of the box. Balancing himself precariously the do-it-yourself picture hanger began to tap timidly with his hammer. “Why don’t you bit it hard?” asked the wife. “You’ll never drive the nail that way!”

Our hero looked down from his perch to reply “How can a man hit anything hard on a shaky foundation like this?” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》

"AFTER CONVERSION
WHAT THEN?"
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. Wonderful blessings come to those who respond to the gospel of
 Christ...
 a. They receive remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit
  - Ac 2:38-39
 b. They experience a washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy
 Spirit - Ti 3:5-7
 
2. Indeed
by God's grace they are "saved"...
 a. Saved from their past sins - cf. Mk 16:16
 b. With sins washed away by the blood of Jesus - Ac 22:16; Ep 1:7
 c. Becoming heirs according to hope of eternal life - Ti 3:7
 
3. Yet in another sense
they are still to be "saved"...
 a. They must make their call and election sure - 2 Pe 1:10
 b. They must be careful to save themselves - cf. 1 Ti 4:16
 c. They must remain faithful to receive the crown of life - Re 2:10
 
[What is one to do after conversion that will ensure remaining faithful
to the Lord? There are some...]
 
I. THINGS TO REMEMBER
 
 A. YOU ARE A NEW CREATURE...
 1. By virtue of being in Christ - 2 Co 5:17
 2. Having been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life - Ro
 6:3-4
 -- God has given you new potential for living!
 
 B. YOU ARE A BABE IN CHRIST...
 1. We begin our new life as "babes in Christ" - 1 Co 3:1
 2. We start with spiritual "milk" - 1 Co 3:2
 -- God allows you time to grow! - cf. He 5:12-14
 
 C. YOU ARE IN A CRITICAL PERIOD...
 1. As a babe
you can be easily "tossed about" - cf. Ep 4:14
 2. Satan often strikes hardest at the beginning of our service
 - e.g.
Mt 4:1-11
 -- Satan would love to see you fail! - cf. 1 Pe 5:8
 
 D. YOU FACE THE POSSIBILITY OF FALLING...
 1. If you allow yourself to hardened by the deceit of sin - He 3:
 12-14
 2. Especially when you think you are strong - 1 Co 10:12
 -- God can be trusted to help us through temptations - cf. 1 Co
 10:13; 1 Jn 2:1-2
 
 E. YOU ARE TO BE A GOOD EXAMPLE...
 1. An example of those who believe - 1 Ti 4:12
 2. An example in both deed and word - Ti 2:7
 -- Others should be able to look to you as to how to live for
 Christ - cf. Ph 3:17
 
[Remembering such things will certainly help keep one strong in the
faith. Also helpful are...]
 
II. THINGS TO DO
 
 A. PUT GOD FIRST...
 1. Love Him with all your being - Mt 22:37
 2. Seek first His kingdom and righteousness - Mt 6:33
 -- This will ensure that you do all that is necessary to remain
 faithful!
 
 B. STUDY THE WORD OF GOD...
 1. Long for the Word
like an infant longs for milk - 1 Pe 2:2
 2. Emulate the Bereans in their attitude - Ac 17:11
 -- Receive the Word with meekness
and it will save you! - cf. Ja
 1:21
 
 C. BE FERVENT IN PRAYER...
  1. Jesus has made it possible to approach God's throne - He 4:
 14-16
 2. Wonderful blessings come through prayer - Ph 4:6-7
 -- Be devoted to prayer
with an attitude of thanksgiving - cf. Co
 4:2
 
 D. BE DILIGENT IN ASSEMBLING...
 1. We are not to forsake our assembling together - He 10:24-25
 2. It is a time for fellowship
prayer
and on the first day of
 the week
the Lord's Supper - Ac 2:42; 20:7; 1 Co 11:23-26
 -- Neglecting the assemblies is a symptom of spiritual stagnation!
 
 E. HELP SAVE OTHERS...
 1. The Lord wants His disciples to make more disciples - Mt 28:
 19-20
 2. Those diligent in saving others are more likely to save
 themselves - cf. 1 Co 9:19-27
 -- Lose your enthusiasm for saving souls
and you may lose your
 own!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. While not meant to be exhaustive
these are just a few...
 a. Things to remember
 b. Things to do
 -- That may be helpful for someone recently converted
 
2. But not just for new Christians; for any Christian...
 a. Who has left their "first love" - Re 2:4
 b. For they should "repent and do the first works" - Re 2:5
 -- These are some of the "first works" that one needs to do
 
Are you in need of doing the "first works"...? Perhaps you even need to
obey the "first steps" of the gospel of Christ... - cf. Mk 16:16; Ac 2:
38; 22:16

－－《Executable Outlines》