The Bible uses many different analogies or comparisons to teach spiritual truths. Jesus often used the imagery of a farmer sowing seed. Another one often used to teach spiritual truths is building a house or any other structure. It is helpful to learn the great truths presented in the building texts of the Bible. Because nearly everyone will be familiar with some kind of building and the process involved, writers used this picture already firmly established in the mind to teach lessons about life and eternity. Here are some of them.

"Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready, after that, build your house." (NIV)

At first, this proverb may seem strange. What is the point? It is clear that Solomon has an order in mind to do one’s work. First, we should do the fieldwork, then build the house. This at first may seem to be the opposite of what one would do. Someone establishing new property as a home place would need a house to live in first. Then, he would clear the property and plant his fields. But Solomon’s point goes beyond this. The wise man is saying that prosperity at home is conditioned upon fulfilling one’s duty in the fields actively and faithfully. This, of course, is a rural setting where people worked in the fields and on the farms. If you are going to be successful in establishing your home, you must tend to your work first of all. If this is neglected, your home cannot be maintained.

This is, therefore, a simple proverb filled with common wisdom. Many today are trying to have a prosperous lifestyle without working "in the fields." They have things in reverse. They are trying to have a home without tending to business first. It will not work.

"By wisdom a house is built and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."

As is often the case in Scripture, the spiritual aspects are taught in establishing a home. Our homes are not complete when we have built a house. There is a difference between a house and a home. Solomon often points to the role of wisdom in life. Through understanding and wisdom, the rooms of your home are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. Many people gather beautiful items over the years for display and use in their houses. But if they leave off wisdom and understanding, they have left off the most important items in decorating their homes. It would be better if their houses were simply and cheaply decorated if they live by faith and understanding, than to have rare and expensive items in a house where no wisdom of how to live exists. Earlier Solomon wrote, "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." (Proverbs 14:1.)

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise up early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat---for he grants sleep to those he loves. Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate."

Like the Proverbs, this psalm is "a home text" and a building text. This writer says plainly that unless the Lord builds the house, it is built in vain. "Vain" means that it is useless effort. You spent your time for nothing. It will not prosper; it will not stand. This does not mean that non-believers cannot have an expensive house with rare treasures inside. It means that they cannot have the spiritual treasures in their houses if they do not trust God. Their houses will deteriorate and come to an end. They will not stand the test of time and death and judgment. The household will perish. They did not learn the chief lessons of life, of how to live, and how to build a house. They failed. It includes the safety of a city as well in which the homes were often built. At night while the families sleep, God stands as watchmen if you will allow him to do so. There are things that as humans we cannot do. We cannot fully protect and provide everything that our families need. We must depend upon God. We actually provide so little; we are dependent upon God. Therefore, we should express that need and live by faith.

After the flood, man was told by the Lord, "Be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply therein." (Gen. 9:7.) Genesis 10 is a record of the growth of Noah’s family through his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. Chapter 11 records the disobedience of man to the command of God to multiply and replenish the earth. Man decided on another course of action. Noah’s descendants said, "Let us build a city and a tower whose top may reach into the heavens, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." (11:4.) At first, they were able to accomplish much because they were all of one language and of one speech. (11:1.)

A remarkable statement is made by the Lord concerning the ability of man to build and accomplish things. He said, "But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, If as one people speaking the same language they plan to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other. So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel---because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth." (11:6-9.)

Man has been given awesome ability to build, to discover, to invent, and to subdue his surroundings. Consider the pyramids, skyscrapers, space exploration, medical technology, tunnels and bridges of the world. But if that ability is squandered and misapplied, in the end, it will be in vain. The prophet, Habakkuk, wrote, "Woe to him that builds a town with blood and establishes a city with iniquity." (2:12.)

"Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope which we boast." (NIV)

There is a general truth stated which needs no proof; that is, that every house is built by someone. God built all things. Then, he returns to the theme of the superiority of Jesus over all, but here Moses is specifically named. Jesus is greater than Moses as a builder is greater than the thing built. Jesus (along with the Father and the Holy Spirit) is the builder of the Old Testament system as well as the house of God under the New Testament. We are Christ’s house if we hold fast to the confidence of faith.

Jesus is greater than Moses, the Levitical priesthood, and even angels because of his very nature---because of his divine nature. He also is greater because of what he has done. He created all things, build the Jewish system and established the New Testament church. He that built all things is God. How absurd to compare Jesus to any mortal man! Pluralism is wrong for this very reason. It makes all world religious leaders of equal stature and their teachings all equally wrong.

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." (NIV)

This statement in part is a warning to those at Corinth who are opposing Paul and causing strife. They should take heed how they build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Their work will be tested. Paul refers to himself as a "master builder" or "expert builder". The word means more than simply a builder or carpenter. It includes both the meaning of architect and chief engineer. Paul, as an apostle, inspired of God, knew how to build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. By implication, the false apostles at Corinth did not.

The coming Day of Judgment will test every man’s work. The analogy is simple enough to understand. Fire purges and purifies and punishes. Fire burns out the dross. Every teacher of religion should be properly warned about how he proceeds with his work. At Corinth, some sought after sophia, or human wisdom. There are many churches everywhere with every sort of teaching, philosophy and practice. Religious people are not careful about what they teach or what they believe. The religious scene in our present world is complex and difficult. Many despair of ever finding a solution to religious divisions and doctrines. What should I believe and practice?

Since the foundation is Jesus Christ, we should be careful to honor and worship Him. If we stay close to the foundation, we will always be safe. Do not allow any doctrine or concept to lead you away from Christ Jesus the Lord, and redemption provided in Him. Many doctrines actually deny the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 2:21.) We must learn the core of the Gospel and stay close to it. We must shun "an issue approach" to religion. We must stay near a "Person (Christ) approach." Jesus told about some who strained at gnats and swallowed camels. There is a tendency in religion to so emphasize little things that the bigger more important matters are ignored. Stay with important stuff. Christianity is not about gnats; it is about life and eternity. It is about caring for the downtrodden and lonely. It is about taking care of orphans and widows in their affliction, and not being polluted by the world. (James 1:27.)

"Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. The rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock. Everyone that hears these sayings of mine and does them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. The rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it."

This text directly applies the building analogy to our listening to the words of Jesus. If we do what he taught, we are building our lives upon a rock, a solid enduring foundation. If we do not, we are building upon the sand which will fail us in the time of storm. This teaching is simple to understand. The proof of it is even now evident in the destroyed lives of those who have rejected Jesus’ way. How much more so in the day of reckoning!

"And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Much debate has existed over the meaning of these words, especially as it relates to the role of Peter. The claim that Peter would have some special role above that of the other apostles is false. He never exercised any such role and was even rebuked by the apostle Paul for his behavior among the Gentiles. The church was built primarily upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11.) That foundation also included the work of the apostles and prophets. (Eph. 2:20.)

Jesus changed Simon’s name to Cephas, which means stone (Petros, Gr.). (John 1:42.) Jesus said, Upon this rock (Petra, Gr.), I will build my church. We have already shown that the church was built upon Jesus and the work of the apostles and prophets. It was not built upon Peter alone. There is no indication that Peter was being appointed to take Jesus’ place after he left. If so, the language is woefully inadequate for such an announcement as that! You would also be switching figures from the foundation (building analogy) to the head (human analogy). Perhaps, Jesus was using simply a play on words. As Peter’s name means rock, in like manner I will build my church upon a rock. Peter had just confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. This is the great truth upon which the church is built. Everyone entering the church must confess that Jesus is the Christ before being immersed into Christ. (Acts 8 and Romans 10.)