The Apostolic Grace, part two
In part one I discussed the need for every community of believers to maintain connection to an apostolic grace, specifically relating to the authority and function of tearing down imaginations and strongholds of thought that can become entrenched in our thinking. In this post I want to look at the detrimental effect on the Body when the apostolic grace is not allowed to function: mainly, lack of forward movement toward the finish and inaccurate internal structure.
Let’s begin by considering the following passages and a few key words in each.
According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 1 Cor. 3:10 NASB (emphasis mine)
Grace
I believe Paul’s use of the word “grace” is a direct reference to his apostolic grace, according to which he “laid a foundation” having the wisdom of a “master builder.” It is by an outworking of his respective grace that he accomplishes the task set before him. Therefore we should look deeper into the words “master builder” and “laid a foundation.”
Master Builder
The word here is architekton, from which we get the modern word architect and it’s many derivatives. Dr. Renate Fruchter, professor of Civil and Environmental engineering at Stanford University says this regarding the role of a master builder.
“The Greek root of the word architect is architekton, meaning master builder. Historically, master builders understood the architecture or aesthetics, the structural engineering or mathematics, and the construction materials and technology necessary to design and build edifices. They had ateliers in which apprentices worked as a team and contributed to the execution of work bearing the master’s signature.”
This is instructive as it points to what was in Paul’s mind when he chose to use this word to describe the outworking of his grace. He could faithfully lay an accurate foundation because he was an architekton. He had divine understanding into the spiritual structure God was building in the earth and how to properly lay an accurate foundation upon which that structure could be built.
Laid a Foundation
The foundation can be described as the framework upon which a building is constructed and in this case the only legitimate foundation is Christ. The Body of Christ as the habitation of God cannot be built upon a man or a vision, it must be built exclusively upon Christ. So then we see that a key signiture of the apostolic grace is the wisdom to found and build. In the case of the Corinthians, Paul remarks that others are building upon the foundation he laid and that they should build “carefully,” a word that denotes discernment, insight and understanding (see the Greek word ‘blepo’).
The Apostolic Grace
So then we see that the apostolic grace is uniquely wired to lay an accurate foundation, carries the blueprint for accurate building, and will not attempt to build upon charisma, gifting, vision or anything other than Christ. Therefore, the suppression of this grace causes innaccurate building upon improper foundation – a tragedy we see throughout the Body of Christ. So often we see “churches” built upon personality or doctrinal cohesion or vision, because there is a lack of true apostolic grace. Simply put, the evangelistic, teaching or shepherding (or pastoral) grace is not wired to see the blueprint or build the structure, which is why so many communities of believers lack proper foundation and structure.
Let me emphasize. This is not about control this is about grace. We must learn to allow the various grace giftings to function complimentarily or the structure will be flawed. And in the case of the apostolic grace, the flaw is foundational – therefore the structure, no matter how accurate, is destined to fall. Indeed, there is much to say about individuals who carry a legitimate apostolic grace but fail to submit to their counterparts, but that will have to wait for another post. Suffice it to say, apsotles are not the end-all, be-all. However, the continued suppression of that grace causes churches to be stuck in religious ruts due to poor foundations and lack of spiritual impulse.
I want to further ellucidate this point through a careful consideration of Paul’s charge to both Timothy and Titus but that will have to wait. Indeed, this topic is so important and expansive there will certainly be several posts to follow.
Your thoughts & comments are welcome and encouraged.
I think it is important to remember the following verse. Verse 11 says in the NASB “For no man can lay a foundation other than the ONE which IS laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Emphasis mine on the words “ONE” & “IS.” There is only ONE foundation and it IS laid!! And verse 12 so beautifully says “Now if any man builds on THE foundation…” There is only one foundation to do building upon. This one foundation has already been laid. Another will NOT be laid. Matt. 16:18. It is of extreme importance to realize that the foundation is unique, but the building may differ. Different builders & different materials, etc. The emphasis that Paul is trying to bear out is not the foundation (in his mind, this is already established), but it is the building. We need to be careful to recognize this truth. Anyone today with an apostolic grace is only building upon the one foundation already laid. As a builder I can attest to this truth: I can build over 1,000 different types of buildings on the SAME foundation. I will just change the layout, or the exterior, or the roofline, or I can make it a 2-story if I so choose. But the foundation will always remain the same. There is no digging up the foundation once it is poured, sealed, and buried. Jesus poured Himself out, sealed everything in His blood, and was buried. One foundation ~ many buildings. If there are any improper foundations, it is only because we are trying to lay “another” foundation. Other translations say “other foundations CANNOT be laid…” Now individually we may have a weak foundation within. We see this truth outwardly and inwardly. But the foundation of the Church corporate is an established fact that cannot be added to or taken away from. I am not saying there are not many builders (apostolic graces) but I am saying that the ONE foundation has been (past-tense) laid. I would submit that prayerful meditation of Ephesians 2:20, Isaiah 28:16 would establish this point. Again I emphasize that it is not a matter of improper or even poor foundations (the foundation is perfect and flawless) but it is the many concepts, ideas, blueprints, and buildings that are flawed and wrong.
Well put brother! I love your statement, “One Foundation ~ Many Buildings.” How unfortunate it is that many have laid a surrogate foundation upon which to build. It’s as though some have laid a different foundation on top of the one true foundation, which is Christ, and then set about to build. But as we have seen, if the structures we build are not anchored solely to the true foundation then not only are they worthless and unfit to dwell in, they will not remain since they are not directly grounded to Him. What I have seen is that so many of these false foundations have been built that many believers’ are built upon something other than the direct foundation of Christ. Now then we must break up what they have percieved as their foundation to expose the true foundation so that they can begin to build again.
For instance, there are some who hold that tithing is foundational to salvation. This of course is error, but it has become so ingrained in the fabric of thier theology that the removal of this error nearly shipwrecks their faith. It is like this with so many errors. Oh how this is a day of Nehemiah’s and Ezra’s, and how faithful we must be to rebuild upon the one true foundation whichch as you have said so well, is Christ!