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Bible Will I Find: Wise Man - Foolish Man? By: Gary Colley
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Bible Will I Find: Wise Man - Foolish Man? By: Gary Colley
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Jesus the master teacher, pictured in words a wise man and a foolish man who both built houses for their use (Matt.7:21-29). No doubt they both had good intentions, made their plans, and both began to build. No only this, but they apparently both finished their houses. However, Jesus says that one dug down and built on the solid foundation of rock, while the other built on the smooth, inviting, “quick start” sand foundation. By and by both of these houses were tested by the elements, just as our lives will be tested and judged on the Judgment Day (II Cor.5:10-11). When “the rain descended, and the floods come, and the winds blew,” and beat upon those houses, one fell not, but the other fell, and great was the fall of it. Eternity is going to be disappointing for many, who have not listened and applied to their lives the teaching of our Lord. That is the point our Lord is making: One heard the Word and did what it said in obedience, the other heard the Word and did not do what it said in obedience. One obtained the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; I Jn.1:7), the other remained guilty and condemned in sin (Jn.3:19; Rom.1:18). One sought and gained all spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph.1:3), while the other stayed apart from God’s blessings (Eph.1:3). One obtained, by digging deep into God’s Word, the peace of God (Rom.5:1;8:1), but the other found himself to be an enemy of God (Jas.4:4). One had the right to pray and call God “Our Father” (I Pet.3:12; I Jn.5:14-15), but the one who built on the sand of false teaching and speculation had no right to pray (Jn.9:31; Prov.28:9). The builder on the rock had the assurance of Truth (Jn.8:31-32), while the sandy builder was deceived, confused, and skeptical (II Thess.2:10). What true and lasting joy the first builder enjoyed (Jas.1:25; Gal.5:22), but how superficial and temporary was the joy of the man who built on the sand (Heb.11:24-25; I Jn.2:17). Oh the great comfort the wise builder had in his trials (II Cor.1:3-4), but the sand builder had to bear his trials alone! (II Pet.3:12; Prov.1:22-31). The one who dug deep down to the rock of Jesus’ teaching was prepared for death (II Tim.4:6-8; Phil.1:21-24), but the man who thought the sand sufficient for his foundation was not ready to meet his Maker in death! (Lk.12:19-20; Psa.23:4). The “wise man,” “in Christ,” had studied the Lord’s teaching, believed the Truth, repented of his past sins, confessed the good confession that Jesus is the Christ, and was buried in baptism to wash away his sins, and his end was eternal life (I Jn.2:25; Rom.6:22), but the man outside of Christ and His church (Matt.16:18) only had the promise of eternal punishment (Matt.25:46; II Thess.1:7-9). Where are you today my friend? --Gary Colley