JESUS CHRIST: CHIEF CORNERSTONE

The Foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ

9 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.

--Ephesians 2:19-20

The Church of Jesus Christ in New Testament was built upon the foundation of Apostles and Prophets. If a church didn’t have this foundation, then the church was not the true church of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of the church. He is the one upon which the entire structure depends for its solid construction and edifice. The teachings and doctrines of Christ and those taught by Christ are paramount  to the establishment of the true church of Jesus Christ. Many churches exist, but they are not built upon Apostles and Prophets, but they are built upon the foundation of the philosophies of man, the teachings and ideas of man. Plus, they found churches for personal gain rather than for the salvation of one’s soul. Only through the name of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His true church can a person gain salvation and eventually exaltation in the hereafter.

JESUS CHRIST: LITTLE CHILDREN REDEEMED

Jesus Saves Little Children

God the Father said, “But behold, I say unto you, that little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine Only Begotten; Wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me.

--Doctrine and Covenants 29:46-47

Little children cannot sin because Satan doesn’t have power to tempt little children to do wrong. When they arrive at the age of accountability, then satan can tempt them to choose the right or wrong. Little children are automatically redeemed through Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father. It is a gift from God.

Jesus Christ: Reconciliation Made Sure

Romans 5:10

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

We are reconciled to God the Father through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Reconciliation means to restore to friendship, to feel a restoration of peace in God after we have separated ourselves from Him through our disobedience. We shall be saved in eternal exaltation through Christ if we accept Christ, follow Him, and obey all His commandments. We enjoy life through His atonement, at-one-ment. Jesus provided  the perfect atonement that opens up the way for us to reunite with Heavenly Father and His desired life for us. Christ’s atonement brought us together again, uniting us with God the Father.

Search, ponder, and pray several times throughout the day, and feel God and Christ’s love. They love unconditionally. They don’t like our evil ways, but they love us as sinners. We must build our lives on the foundation of Christ, a foundation that will never fail us, and one in which we will never fall if we are build upon it.

The Rock of Christ: The Sure Foundation

Helaman 5:12

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

JESUS CHRIST, the Son of God, is the Rock upon which we must build our life’s foundation. There is no other foundation we can build upon that will be 100% dependable and lasting. All other foundations will eventually falter and crumble-they will not endure. Some will last a while, others  longer, but as time diminishes in the sunset of existence, these foundations will also lessen and eventually abate and disappear and be replaced with another foundation. The Rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, is the only SURE upon which we can build that will be everlasting, never faltering, never wavering, never weakening, never losing ground. Christ will always be with us and guide us if but choose Him as our irreplaceable, personal life’s foundation.

Choosing the Rock of Christ as our life’s foundation is the starting point to our having a rock-solid mortal experience. This choice qualifies as the most important choice you will ever make because all other choices will be build upon your life’s foundation, and having Christ as your foundation, you will not falter and fall, you will never lose ground, but you will forever move forward and upward becoming more Christ-like and preparing yourself for eternal life in the highest heaven of the Celestial world, if you but endure to the end of mortal life. Enduring to the end is to continue living each day with Christ as your life’s foundation, never replacing Him with another foundation.

Start each day the perfect way, and the perfect way is to build each day on the Rock of Christ. This is done FIRST AND EARLY EACH DAY through mighty prayer, sincere and humble scripture study, deep meditation and pondering on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ until you feel the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. You start the day by putting Christ first. This makes Him your life’s foundation. If you put Him first, then you will have a successful day, then week, then month, then 12 months, then year, and then a lifetime Put Christ first, make Him your life’s foundation, and you will overcome temptation and experience peace and joy every day of your life.

Jesus Christ: The Great and the Last

Jacob 4:15

15 And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying; for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that by the stumbling of the Jews (The House of Israel) they will reject the stone upon which they might build and have safe foundation.

16 But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews (The House of Israel) can build.

Jesus is the ‘only sure foundation’ that a person can build their spiritual and mental and emotional lives upon and have a safe foundation. Those who reject Christ are rejecting the exclusive footing upon which they can establish their lives and be sure of its remaining in place and not wavering. People who dismiss Christ will stumble and will continue to fall lower and lower until they plummet to the point of no return UNLESS they speedily repent and make an about face. Jesus is the great and the last foundation for a person to establish as their life’s support, their never-ending friend and confidant. Life foundations other than Christ will slip and be removed causing people to lose the battle of life with Satan, who is the master of sin and evil, misery and despair. Despair cometh by choosing the wrong.

Look to Christ and Live, even that abundant life.

Jesus Christ: Our Spiritual Rock

1 Corinthians 10:4

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Jesus Christ is the spiritual Rock from which the living waters originate and flow. The children of Israel were fed spiritual and temporal food while in the wilderness, and they also drank spiritual and temporal drink. Christ follow them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. He provided them the spiritual guidance and nourishment needed to survive in the wilderness and throughout their journey to the Promised Land, Canaan. Jesus is the “Rock of Our Salvation.” (See hymn by Joseph Townsend)

Lyrics: Click for Music

• 1. O thou Rock of our salvation,
• Jesus, Savior of the world,
• In our poor and lowly station
• We thy banner have unfurled.
• (Chorus)
• Gather round the standard bearer;
• Gather round in strength of youth.
• Ev'ry day the prospect's fairer
• While we're battling for the truth.
• 2. We a war 'gainst sin are waging;
• We're contending for the right.
• Ev'ry day the battle's raging;
• Help us, Lord, to win the fight.
• 3. Onward, onward, we'll be singing
• As we're marching firm and true,
• Each succeeding battle ringing,
• Earnest of what we can do.
• 4. When for all that we've contended,
• When the fight of faith we've won,
• When the strife and battle's ended,
• And our labor here is done,
• (Chorus after fourth verse)
• Then, O Rock of our salvation,
• Jesus, Savior of the world,
• Take us from our lowly station;
• Let our flag with thee be furled.
• Text: Joseph L. Townsend, 1849-1942
• Music: William Clayson, 1840-1887

If we build our lives upon the Rock of Christ, the only sure and solid foundation, we will not fall, regardless of what we must pass through.

Helaman taught his sons Nephi and Lehi: And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

May we always seek to construct our lives upon the Rock of our Redeemer, who  is Christ, the Son of God. He is our Spiritual Rock from whence our spiritual thirst is quenched, for He is everlasting living water.

Jesus Christ: Our Friend

Acts 4:10-12

10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this (impotent) man stand here before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

JESUS is the head of the corner or the chief cornerstone of the temple and of our lives. He is the author and finisher of the temple and our lives. He is our salvation. The Apostle Paul said to the Ephesian saints following their conversion to Christ and Christ’s church:

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.

Jesus is the perfect leader and master of His church,  individual salvation, and eternal life. We always have a friend in Jesus. When we obey Him, he calls us His friends. We should seek to be His friend.

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” song on Vimeo

Text: Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

3. Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.

Jesus can make us whole spiritually, just like He made whole physically the impotent man. He is the Rock upon which we can build and have safe foundation. He alone is our Savior and Redeemer, our Advocate and Mediator with the Father. GO to Heavenly Father in prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ, for He is our Confidant in whom we can always depend and trust.

Jesus Christ: The Stone of Israel

Genesis 49:24

But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel.

Jesus is the Mighty God of Jacob, even the Stone of Israel. He is the foundation upon which Israel is built, a stone or rock upon which if they build and continue faithful to the stone, they cannot fall. (See Helaman 5:12). Faith is perseverance, enduring and persisting faithfully. Christ makes us strong and helps us to resist the temptations of satan, the adversary.  Christ lifts us up; whereas, satan tears us down. Satan attacks our thinking with the anticipation of making us choose the wrong and destroy our souls. He sets snares and traps, attempting to catch us constantly. We must be on our best guard at all times, and building our lives upon the foundation of Christ, our Rock, our Stone, is a sure safeguard against the fiery darts of that old serpent, the devil.

Trust in Christ and trust Christ; for He will not lead you astray. He will lead you to salvation and eternal life in the highest heaven of the Celestial world. Seek Him daily, hourly, and moment by moment. Always remember Him, and His Spirit will be with you.