Isaiah Roman

The Church’s One Foundation

“The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ Her Lord;
She is His new Creation by water and the Word;
From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride;
With his own blood He bought her and for her life He died.”1

The Pope said to St. Thomas A’Becket while showing him the church treasures in Rome, “you see Thomas, no longer can we say “of gold and silver have I none.” To which Thomas replied, “that is true; but, no longer can we say either, take up thy bed and walk.” Is it any wonder?

“Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (Acts 3: 1-6).

“Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus [See excerpt from Psalm 2 below; David (being both prophet and king) spoke prophetically of Messiah, Jesus]. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms [See Psalm 2 below], Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take” (Acts 16-20).

“The mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause. For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places. Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favor his fatherless children. Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth. Because that he remembered not to show mercy” (Psalm 109: 2-16).2

“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4: 10-12).

“Lord, thou art God, [The Creator]3 which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, “Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ” (Psalm 2: 1-3). For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of “thy holy child” [Son of God] Jesus.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4: 24b-31).

The church has lost its power because it no longer knows what that means, “not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord” (Zechariah 4: 6).

Substitute “arm of flesh” for might and “human will” for power and one may begin to understand that verse. Zerubbabal could not rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple without the power that created the universe.

The church is failing because it no longer believes in the tremendous God and His omnipotence who created the universe, holds it together and moves every star and galaxy in the heavens. Christians need to humble themselves, stop attempting to push the church by human force and allow the Spirit of God to do His work, draw men through the word to exalt Christ on the cross. He is equipped for it and human beings are not.

1. Ancient Hymn by Samuel S. Wesley; “Favorite Hymns of Praise,” pg. 336
2. Now this man [Judas Iscariot] purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out” (Acts 1:18).
3. God is truth and can not bless a lie. Jesus said profession of Him as God and Christ is the foundation of the church (Matthew 16:8). If this is not true, Peter is perpetrating a lie and the church is founded on lie not truth! Further, this would make Satan a god and scripture calls him “father” of lies [When he (Satan) speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8: 44b).]! If it is of Satan, his house will be destroyed; Jesus said, “a house divided against itself is brought to desolation” (Luke 11: 17).