The one not being with me, is against me and the one not gathering with me scatters.5 This word for gathering is sunagó from sun "with" and ago "lead", with, close together, guide or lead away. Many people were offended at Jesus, he responded to this by saying, a prophet was without honor in his own hometown and household. But Jesus clearly spoke his authority was from God and they were either with him or against God. He reinforced principles of God to the people, this is who God is. The greatest was to love God. When Jesus spoke of a commandment like the greatest He referred to loving our neighbor. This love of widows and orphans is God in His Holy House, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater condemnation."5 Jesus equated knowing him to loving the least of these, these hypocrites professed doing the principles of God, but they built the house of God on sand.
A foolish man who built his house on the sand and down came the rain and down came the floods and the winds blew and beat upon the home until it fell and the fall of it was great.6 It is interesting that Jesus repeated this for emphasis; And the wise man built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock."7
One who hears and does His words is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. When Jesus finished these sayings. or words, or commandments the crowd was astonished because He spoke with authority. Jesus is the cornerstone or foundation stone. When we believe in Jesus we become a member of the household of God.8 This home is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets with Jesus being the cornerstone.9 This whole building is being fitted together, increasing into a temple holy into the Lord.10 "In whom you also being fitted together, for a habitation of God through the Spirit."11 This word for being fitted together is sunarmologeó (from sun and a derivative of a compound of harmos and lego (in its original sense of laying); to render close-jointed together, i.e. Organize compactly) -- be fitly framed (joined) together. The essence here is of a household being framed together or a house, fitted together on the teachings, words of Jesus.
The plan of God was that Jesus would become the foundation stone, the cornerstone of Zion, of a new temple. being fitted together for His habitation.12 This is important as the Church is built upon a new covenant, not the old. To many of the Jews, Jesus is a stumbling stone, and a rock that makes them fall. They stumble because they are disobedient to the words of Jesus.15 But for those who believe in Him, they will never be put to shame.14 We come to Jesus, a living stone, choice and precious in the sight of God, "you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."16 Israel, the builders, rejected Jesus, and as prophesied the stones of the old came down. He became the chief stone of a new house, His Church, in which the Spirit of God rests in His people, and each is being built up into a living temple into His glory.
A house divided will not stand. A house built upon sand will not stand. a house fitted together with teachings that are not of Jesus, will not stand. Jesus commands us to teach all things that he had commanded. This house of God is the people, which is to be built up into Him. We can add to the cornerstone His greater commandments of loving God and the one like it to love our neighbor. We can add the new commandment, to love each other as He loves us. I would say these are foundation stones, principles, as Jesus said they were the greatest commandments that sum up the law and prophets. By our love for one another, others will know we are His disciples. And that by our Unity others will know that He is from the Father. If what we do is not of faith or love, it is nothing. If we fit together our house on other principles without this foundation we lay on sand.
There are other principles we fit our house together with. We are to be light and salt; poor in spirit, mournful, meek, justice seekers, merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers.17 "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."18 We are to love as to endure hatred and persecution. Our identity should be so strong in Christ that we turn the other cheek when slapped or falsely accused. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."19 If I lust, hate, do not forgive, speak evil against my brother, hate my enemies, if I follow all the law and do these things then I am not perfect like my Father in heaven.20 The great commission, the golden rule, other commandments we lay. There are principles we can teach; like the laws of the spirit, the law of sin, law of faith, law of liberty, and the law of giving.
We are commanded not to add to nor subtract from. Paul's guiding principle to the Corinthians, "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Paul adds some additional principles, that build on the foundation teachings of Christ. However, he is clear to state this is his teaching, inspired of the Holy Spirit, nevertheless Christ didn't say this. We too should be clear in our teaching and that any principles we operate to should build on this foundation of Christ. We are God's temple, if we build this on sand it will not stand firm, it will surely be destroyed. Let us not be deceived to think we are wise, "For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”17 To the Corinthians Paul spoke as they were still spiritual children desiring milk, he wants them to be fed on meat. It seems to be a message of the lack of maturity in leadership "you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers."18
There was no equilibrium in the teachings of this church at Corinth; to some grace was a license to sin, others went back to the law for righteousness bringing legalistic doctrines into the church. Many did not follow God's greater commandments of love. The church at Corinth judged the world while glorying in their sin. "Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?"20 This sexual sin of one man in this church was no ordinary sin but incestuous, under Mosaic law this would have resulted in casting out of the person away from the people, away from Jewish society. Paul, once a Pharisee and strict follower of the law, gave him more grace than a Pharisee would have, cast him from the church, give him over to Satan to save his soul. There was no failure on Paul's part to correct this sin in the church. The world should look at the church as a light on a hill. They should and can, with a foundation of Jesus and the greater commandments of love, we can add a few other principles of Jesus to fit together the house of God. The purpose being to build up, not tear down.
Some believe like the man in the church at Corinth, the church should give "sinners" over to Satan. Sin leavens the whole lump, therefore I am not to hang out with sinners. Whole doctrines have been built around such. Sin in the church is a serious matter and should be dealt with in respect to building up. But to add to this that I am not to hang out with sinners, such seems subtle and true but it is deceptive as it reinforces this idea that I should not allow sinners in my church, I should cast them out, give them over to Satan. I should not minister to the homeless, prostitutes, alcoholics... this teaching also says that sinners need to clean up before coming to God. Under the new, we come boldly before His throne of grace and receive grace and mercy as needed. His light shines into the world through us, we influence the world, not the other way around. We are to be salt, sinners should find me tasteful, a light, a guide in darkness. Of course any principles we adopt should be built on the foundation, teachings of Jesus, and this is a principle of Jesus; He desires mercy.
They asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”21
Why is a house being fitted together so important? "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."22 Paul writes that these are not just doctrines of men but of demons, they intentionally target teachings of Jesus but instead of building up, the intentions are to tear down, to divide. A house divided will not stand. The man in sexual incest at the church at Corinth was to be cast out for the saving of his soul, to the building up. Everything leading up to the casting out should have been done, principles in scripture; approach in private, then with witnesses, and then bring before the church.19 Teachings to be adhered to, in place so we build up and not tear down. To punish without instruction is a failure in leadership.
The leadership at Corinth failed at adhering to the teachings of Jesus, primarily to adhere to the greater commandments of loving one another. "I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers.but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?"23 If my reaction to offense in the church is not of love and faith then I do not build up but tear down. Here they were suing each other, probably over money owed, instead of loving even to the point of forgiving a debt, they chose to bring judgement against each other. It brought shame to the church. They were not loving as Jesus loves. This is hard, you say. These greater commandments of love defeat legalism, as it takes God's Spirit to produce such fruit. He also gave it as a commandment and if we say we love Him we will follow His commandments.
These doctrines that we use to fit together our house must be of truth. Some doctrines are very deceptive, like the one some Jews wanted to bring into the Church regarding the doctrine of circumcision. They wanted this to be applied to new believers, but this was an old covenant doctrine and unlike the old, in the new we are circumcised of the heart. Jesus is our righteousness, our freedom. There is a principle that this freedom in Christ frees us from the elemental principles of do not touch, taste, handle... but I can tear down the faith of others. What is lawful is not always helpful in building up into this spiritual house. All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable (bring together), not all build up. To build up in faith, Paul adds other principles about marriage, eating of certain foods, rights of a disciple, worshiping, spiritual gifts, he warns of following the disobedience of Israel, and of course writes about this greatest principle of love... Build a house fitted together, on the teachings of Jesus, with himself being the foundation stone.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
His love is eternal.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love is eternal.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His love is eternal....
Give thanks to the God of heaven!