Chania Crete, Greece
The Importance of our Foundation
We are told in 1 Peter that newly born babies should crave the pure spiritual milk. We need to know what that pure milk is so that we can lay a solid foundation.
2 Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation, 3 Since you have [already] tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord.
1 Peter 2:2-3 AMPC
The book of Hebrews gives us a list of what the elementary teachings of Christ are. These are the basic teachings every believer should firmly know and should be able to disciple others in.
Elementary is relating to the most rudimentary aspects of a subject; easily dealt with; straightforward and uncomplicated.
Rudimentary means involving or limited to basic principles.
Principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.
1 Therefore let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God, 2 With teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.]
Hebrews 6:1-2 AMPC
1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Hebrews 6:1-2 NKJV
Hebrews 6 is listed above in two versions to help us clearly see what the Word is trying to tell us. We see from the author of Hebrews there is an elementary stage of teaching that should be laid in everyone’s life before one can go on to maturity.
The Elementary teachings are…
Foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God: Foundation of Repentance
Teachings about purifying ( This is referring to baptism, John states in Matthew 3:11 water, Holy Spirit and fire)
Baptism of Water: Foundation of Baptism of Water
Baptism of Holy Spirit: Foundation of Holy Spirit and Baptism
Baptism of Fire: Foundation of Baptism of Fire
While John makes a statement that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire we know from scripture that Jesus baptized with water also. While it seems like 3 different baptisms, Ephesians 4:5 tells us that it is ONE. Since it is ONE baptism, we must choose to take part in each of the parts of Jesus’ baptism. We must embrace Jesus’ baptism of water, Holy Spirit and Fire.
Laying on of hands: Elementary Teaching ~ Laying on of Hands
Resurrection from the dead, Eternal judgment and punishment: Foundation of Resurrection Life, Eternal Judgement and Punishment
If these foundational teachings have not been laid in your life, then it is very important to go back and build upon them. We must also lay out these foundational teachings when discipling others. We need to focus on these elementary teachings before moving on toward a completeness and perfection that belongs to spiritually mature people.
If we do not have the elementary teachings firmly in our foundation, then our foundation is not solid. This also applies to the people we are discipling. In 1 Corinthians Paul talks about how important our foundation is and what material should be used to build on that foundation. As you read the following scripture, consider if you have these teachings in your foundation. Are you equipped to disciple others in these teachings? Paul had already taught the Corinthians the elementary teachings, so he was more concerned about other building materials. I wonder if you were ever discipled in the foundational/elementary teachings. Like many believers I have met, I was not aware there even were foundational teachings. All I knew was God loved me and sent His son to die for me.
Let’s look at the importance of our building materials in 1 Corinthians 3.
1 However, brethren, I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as to nonspiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ [unable to talk yet!] 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it], 3 For you are still [unspiritual, having the nature] of the flesh [under the control of ordinary impulses]. For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy and wrangling and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men? 4 For when one says, I belong to Paul, and another, I belong to Apollos, are you not [proving yourselves] ordinary (unchanged) men? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Ministering servants [not heads of parties] through whom you believed, even as the Lord appointed to each his task: 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was making it grow and [He] gave the increase. 7 So neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but [only] God Who makes it grow and become greater. 8 He who plants and he who waters are equal (one in aim, of the same importance and esteem), yet each shall receive his own reward (wages), according to his own labor. 9 For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God’s garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God’s building. 10 According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it, 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 12 But if anyone builds upon the Foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. 14 If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward. 15 But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. 16 Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]? 17 If anyone does hurt to God’s temple or corrupts it [with false doctrines] or destroys it, God will do hurt to him and bring him to the corruption of death and destroy him. For the temple of God is holy (sacred to Him) and that [temple] you [the believing church and its individual believers] are. 18 Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise. 19 For this world’s wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their [own] craftiness; 20 And again, The Lord knows the thoughts and reasonings of the [humanly] wise and recognizes how futile they are. 21 So let no one exult proudly concerning men [boasting of having this or that man as a leader], for all things are yours, 22 Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter), or the universe or life or death, or the immediate and threatening present or the [subsequent and uncertain] future—all are yours, 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
1 Corinthians 3:1-23 AMPC
We see a lot in this section of scripture. However, there are two things I want to point out.
First, the Corinthians had not moved on to spiritual maturity. We see that because of the behavior Paul is addressing. Even though Paul had given them the foundations, they had not applied it to their lives. If they had applied the foundational teachings Paul had given them, they would be learning how to master sin by steadily advancing toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Second, we see Paul explain to them that it doesn’t matter who the person is that gives the building materials, what matters are the materials.
The questions you must answer yourself: Are you building God’s temple with His word or with man’s opinions? Does your lifestyle follow traditions or does it follow scripture? Are you examining scripture to learn God’s truth and applying it to your life or are you following others?