The Word of God clearly reveals that there is only one true foundation on which a soul can build for eternity. That foundation is the Lord Jesus Christ. All other foundations are of necessity false. Speaking in another figure the Saviour declared: “All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: But the sheep did not hear them.” For, as the Word of God declares, “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3: 11. He is the chief corner stone, He is the sure Foundation. He is the Rock of ages which shall never be moved to all eternity.
Christ had to lay the foundation for the salvation of His people in His own sufferings and death on Calvary’s Tree. No foundation was ever laid like this one. In order that His people might have their hope grounded and settled in Him, He must die their death for them and bring in an everlasting righteousness. It was because He was the One whom He was — the eternal Son of God — that He was able to lay the foundation of His people’s salvation in Himself in His atoning work. Seeing it was the eternal Son of God who in our nature suffered and died, this gave infinite efficacy and worth to His atoning work. In Him the soul may find a sure resting place, knowing that none perish that Him trust. It is through faith in His Name that the soul comes to have a resting place in Him for eternity. It is by the Holy Spirit’s work in their soul that they are enabled to close in with Jesus Christ in the gospel of His grace. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to the soul as the one Foundation laid in Zion, and the renewed soul most willingly rests the weight of their soul’s salvation upon Jesus Christ. This foundation Stone is a tried stone, as surely as it is a chosen stone and a sure foundation. Never was any foundation so tried, and never did any foundation prove so secure as that which is laid in Jesus Christ.
Man left to himself will never build on this Foundation. Men will always seek some other foundation on which to rest for eternity. Christ is a despised stone. He was rejected of the builders at the first and is so still, yet He remains the only sure Foundation. The wisdom of man will never lead him to Jesus Christ to build on this one Foundation. The wisdom of man — natural wisdom — is wholly inadequate to lead men to place their hope and trust in the Saviour for eternity. Man will look to other sources for help, and will ground his hope for eternity upon saviours that will never prove a true foundation. The deceitfulness of man’s heart is such that he thinks all is well when, in reality, things are far from well. What folly is in the natural heart of man, what self-deception to think that he can build for eternity on a foundation of His own righteousness and good works. The Bible makes clear that our own righteousnesses are as filthy rags and our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked beyond what we can know. How then can we rest upon such a false foundation as our own righteousnesses, our own good works, our own religious duties? All these are marred by sin so will never prove adequate to our need.
What need we have to consider on what foundation we are building for eternity. We are told to examine ourselves to see if we be in the faith. Building on wood, hay or stubble will prove fatal at last. We need a well grounded hope in Jesus Christ who is the only true Foundation. Let us earnestly seek to be found in Him not having our own righteousness but the righteousness which is of Him by faith. All who have built upon this one Foundation are secure for eternity, for none perish that Him trust. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.