Resources/Articles
End of Construction
...But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon...
1 Corinthians 3.10
One time, after going through a construction zone, a lady saw a sign: “End of Construction - Thank you for your patience.” She told the people in the car with her she wanted those words on her gravestone. Those words truly describe every Christian. We are all building our lives on the foundation which has been laid - Jesus Christ.
Something you cannot believe is the life of a Christian can be constructed without Christ as the foundation. The Corinthian Christians had trouble with carnal-mindedness (1 Corinthians 3.1-3). Growing in Christ is impossible to do with that kind of mind. A Christian has to believe the foundation of his life in Christ is stable, secure, and lasting. If so, he will anchor his soul into the promises Christ has made, and fasten himself to the instructions He gives to build our lives (John 6.68).
How long will it take to build our lives in Christ? All our lives! It is not like a highway or house where we know the construction will end at some point and the project is complete. The life of a Christian is an ongoing building project. “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). Christians never reach the point of reading the sign “End of Construction.” Therefore, patience is needed as we build our lives upon the things Colossians 3.12-15 says must be placed into constructing a life which pleases God.
Every physical building should be constructed on a solid foundation, but the features in each building vary. The colors, lighting, and flooring are not the same. Some have carpet, others have tile. Some are blue, others are yellow. In building a Christian as described in Colossians 3.12-15, all the qualities are the same. The holiness, love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness are all alike. Every Christian is “built” the same way. This is what goes into constructing every Christian. These qualities are not optional. They are not left out of some and put into others. All these are to be placed in the design of every child of God.
What makes the project of building a Christian successfully is the heart: A heart submissive to the blueprint God has put together. If this heart loves God with his all, the constructing of a Christian will be much easier. When this heart focuses on allowing God to manage the “project” of transforming (Romans 12.2), it will prove God’s good and perfect will. If this heart will think upon good, honest, pure, just, true, and noble things (Philippians 4.8), this “construction project” will be a success. It will take patience to complete, but the desire of each Christian should be to end this project with these words: “Enter thou into the joy of the Lord” (Matthew 25.21).
