by Ester yusufu | 28 January 2024 08:46 pm01
Are you truly built on the Rock?
If you ask most Christians what “the Rock” refers to in the Bible, many will quickly respond, “Jesus.” And rightly so—Scripture affirms this truth:
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
— Matthew 21:42“…they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 10:4
Clearly, Jesus is the Rock—the unshakable foundation of our salvation and hope. This is a cornerstone of Christology (the doctrine of Christ): Jesus is both the rejected stone and the foundation of the new covenant people of God.
However, Jesus Himself tells us what it actually means to be built on Him—and it’s not just about knowing who He is.
Let’s look at His words in Matthew 7:24–27:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
— Matthew 7:24–27
This passage is the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), which lays out the ethics of the Kingdom of God. Jesus ends this sermon with a call not just to listen but to live His teachings.
Key Point: The foundation (the “rock”) is not merely Jesus’ identity—it is obedience to His Word.
This ties to the biblical doctrine of sanctification: the ongoing transformation of the believer’s life through the power of the Holy Spirit and obedience to Christ. James echoes this in his epistle:
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
— James 1:22
All of these can exist without obedience.
This is what builds a life that can withstand spiritual storms—temptation, suffering, persecution, or trials.
“Everyone who hears…and does them…”
This is the biblical picture of a true disciple (see Luke 6:46—“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”).
In today’s Church, many believers are built on teaching, but not on obedience.
We admire good sermons, feel blessed by Bible studies, and say things like, “That message was powerful”—but if we do not live it, it has no real power in our lives.
Theology without application becomes empty knowledge (see 1 Corinthians 8:1—“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up”).
If you live out even one word Jesus spoke, you are spiritually stronger than someone who knows the entire Bible but never obeys it.
Love righteousness. Pursue holiness. Practice purity of heart. Commit to spiritual growth. Do good.
This is how you build on the Rock.
May the Lord bless you, give you grace to walk in obedience, and keep you strong in every storm.
Shalom.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2024/01/28/what-does-it-really-mean-to-be-built-on-the-rock/
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