The house that Christ built

Some people may not be aware that Christ is a specialist builder, the great Creator.  I am here referring to the same and one and only Jesus of Nazareth who came, saw and conquered.  An inspired apostle Paul wrote about Him in Col. 1 verses 15 and 16 thus,
'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.  All things were created through Him and for Him.'



It may interest you to know that all those who ever built got that attribute from Christ.  We can all think of or recall great creations, great buildings and great works of art that were made or created all through history.  One can mention a few like the hanging gardens of Babylon, the pyramids of Egypt and the Sistine Chapel.

A brief look at the creation of man shows that man was specifically built as a house to carry God wherever he goes.  He is meant to be a habitation for God.  This was why the Bible states in Gen. 2 verse 7,
'And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.'



We must remember that the breath of God is God.
This simply means that man was built to house God.  It means that humans were made to carry and show forth God's image, God's presence and God's glory.  After creation, therefore, it was hardly surprising that man was able to do astounding things.  For instance, God tasked Adam to name all other living things.



Gen. 2 verse 19 states, 'Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them.  And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.'  The man was able to pull off this spectacular feat because he was carrying God.  The greatness, power and abilities of God flowed through him.



Man thus became the greatest building or creation that God ever made or built.  Even king David found this fact irresistible.  Hear the sweet psalmist of Israel in Psalm 139 verses 13-14,
''For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,
Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.''



Sadly, the fall of man brought an abrupt end to a full expression of man's incredible potentials.  The human race thus became a sorry sight.  In all honesty, the fall of man meant that other forces took up residence in man.  This is what has often been referred to as nature's night.  Man thus became a house of shame rather than being a house of God.  The result is what we have seen of man for the over six thousand years of his existence on this planet.  Man failed to fulfill his potential because he was longer housing God.

The truth however, believe it or not, is that God has always looked for a way to take up full residence in man once again.  It was for this very reason that God came in Christ to reconcile humans back to Himself.
2 Cor. 5 verse 19 states,
'......that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.'



However, for him to be reconciled to God, man has to forsake his old ways.  This is called repentance.  Acts 17 verse 30 states, ''Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.''  After repentance, man has to formally invite Christ to take up residence in his heart.  This is the new birth.  The new birth is the foundation laying of the new house.



After the new birth, one's life then needs to be continually ordered by the Word of God.  Thus commences the building of the house.  The Spirit of Christ in the born-again person uses God's Word, if he or she allows Him, to build the house.



It is by building on the foundation of the new birth using the Word of God and with the help of the Holy Spirit that the new house of God is being built in the heart of the Christian believer.  The Lord Jesus says in Matthew 7 verses 24 - 25,
''Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.''  It is not until the Almighty, once again, takes up residence in man that man can fulfill his incredible potentials.  Hebrews 3 verse 6 states, ''.......but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.''