sand_stone

Built on Sand or Stone?, by Randall D. Kittle

Years ago, we used to sing the famous hymn My Hope Is Built. The first line of this hymn begins, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” Truly, our only hope is Jesus Christ: His finished work on the Cross, His inexhaustible mercy, His unfailing grace. As this song goes on to proclaim, Jesus is our righteousness, our solid Rock, and our sure Anchor. The familiar chorus declares:
"On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.”

The only safe place for us to stand is upon Jesus Christ — the Rock of our salvation. As King David sung, “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, the Rock of my salvation!” (2 Samuel 22:47). If we build our lives upon Jesus Christ, they will not only stand the storms of life, but also the test of eternity. If they are built on any less, they will surely fail.

Unfortunately, many believers have no idea how to be sure their lives are built upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ. It isn’t by knowing whom Jesus is, believing what He says, nor even trusting in Him. The Lord tells us exactly how to make certain our lives are built upon Him and not sinking sand in Matthew 7:24–27: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.” Jesus tells us that we build our lives on Him as our solid Rock when we obey Him — when we act upon His words and do what He has told us to do.

Many in our day believe Jesus is the Savior of the world and put their trust in Him, but they do not obey His instruction in the Word of God. To not obey the Lord’s clear teaching is to build your house on sand. It may appear to be solidly built, others may even commend you on your beautiful house, but it is all a deception — no more eternal than a sandcastle. Jesus told us that a Christian life without obedience is like a lovely house without a foundation. Regardless of how nice it may look, it will fall. Therefore, let us make certain that we not only entrust Jesus with all of our hope, but also obey Him in all that we do. If we will, our spiritual house will stand anything that comes against it, for it will be founded upon Jesus Christ the only sure foundation.