Many who live in San Antonio are familiar with home foundation problems. An unstable foundation can lead to near catastrophic damage and destroy the value of a residence. It is easy to recognize the importance of a solid and dependable foundation for a home. Our Lord uses this same analogy in the closing of the greatest sermon ever given. He has stated with incredible words, phrases, and pictures what it means to have a true and blessed relationship with God. Then in closing He says, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt. 7:24). This is then contrasted to a foolish man who hears the same words but goes ahead and builds his house on sand. When storms arise, only the house on the rock remains. The obvious references are: “these Words of Mine” are a reference to the Bible. The phrase, “acts on them” means takes His Words by faith seriously into their heart and obeys them. The “wise man” is the saved man who believes the Words so significantly that he acts on them. He is identified by what he does. The Rock is Christ who is the only sure foundation for any life. The storms depict the trials, problems, and stresses of life which come providentially to all. Only those truly and firmly built on Christ will weather such difficulties and continue in the faith. Bible theologians call this perseverance. 

Both of these houses, which are a reference to lives, appear to be equal by casual observation. Each seems to be a good place to reside, but they are not according to Christ Jesus. The difference is the foundation. Our Lord was addressing a religious crowd. Many of the same crowd would later promote His crucifixion. Christ had just stated, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). To do God’s will is to take His Words seriously and obey them. Building on the Rock is equivalent to obeying Christ. Building requires planning, commitment, effort, energy, and work. Yet only those expending their effort built on the Rock will have eternal value.

The validation for right relations with the Lord is faith shown by obedience. Why? Because only those who truly believe in Him will build their life upon Him.  Make no mistake, this is not teaching a works salvation, but a salvation by grace shown as real by a faith that produces obedience. James 1:22 puts the same idea this way, “But prove yourselves to be doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” In our text in Matthew the Lord states, “everyone who hears these Words of Mine and acts on them.” It is this defined group alone who are stated to be founded on Christ. They must not only hear, but they must do or as the text states, “act.” This taken in its whole accounting is defining a true relationship of saving faith in the Lord.

Why would Christ spend so much of His teaching warning people of the dangers of a religion not founded on Him? It is this founding that is the essence of true salvation. This brings us to the major issue of this powerful passage. What does it mean to be founded “on the Rock” (Christ) as described in Matthew 7:25? The word in the Greek means, to be established on. In Colossians 1:23 it is translated, firmly established. The idea is to be so absolutely situated upon Christ, and only on Christ, that in order to be moved, Christ would also have to be moved. Or put another way. If the storms of life can move Christ, which they cannot, then they who are fixed on Him can be moved. I hope from this we can see the radical difference between profession and possession. Possession is fixed on and permanently attached to Christ.

Not only is there depicted here the necessity of being established wholly on the Lord, the Rock, but also, He describes “built his house.” This phrase, “built his house” is obviously a reference to where a person places their greatest energy and affections for living. House is a word meaning, abode, residence, or home. It speaks of the person’s natural residence where their greatest affections reside. The idea of “built” is construct and the emphasis is, “his house” or his abode. It is personal to the individual. If we belong to Christ, we are establishing our everything square on Him. All the construction of our life is fixed on Him. It defines who we are as those having all confidence in Him alone. It is not resting on Him along with some other things, but He is our sole Foundation. We have not only built our house on Him, but we continue to reside in the same place regardless of the trials. Our “personal house,” not our foundation, is subject to minor repairs, construction, and improvements according to our growth in His Word. But our foundation never needs improvement or repair. Christ our Foundation is the stability of our life. And our delight is to rejoice in Him, because by faith we are joyfully established on and living for Him.  The house of our life stands firm upon Him who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.