Welcome to the web site of the young adults class at Concord Baptist Church. We want to be a class that upholds God’s Word, and applies the gospel in our relationships with each other and the world. We believe what 1st Timothy 3:15 tells us about the Church of the living God. It is the,
“pillar and buttress of the truth”
We pray that this web site displays the truth of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and aids you in your Spiritual growth.
“Foundation” and “Cornerstone”
As everyone can see, this is our web site name. This name is derived from two passages of Scripture. One passage is from Paul’s letters to the church at Ephesus. In Ephesians 2:11-22 Paul writes,
“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands — remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
The second passage is from the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 28:16 it reads,
“thus says the Lord God,
‘Behold, I am the one who has laid
as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’”
This verse is quoted by Peter in his first general epistle, 1 Peter 2:1-12 says,
“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation — if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
Today, most of us who name the name of Jesus are those who were once far off and those who have no physical descent from the Jewish people. But now, as the Apostle Paul says, through faith in Jesus we are members of God’s household and co-heirs with Jesus, the true Israelite and true man. Because of God’s work in Jesus, we who were once far off have been brought near to God by His grace!
And through faith in Jesus, the Messiah, we have been guaranteed an inheritance that will one day be revealed to us when Jesus returns to reveal a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells forever!
Think on these things and remember that your work is the work of new creation and that your calling is the highest and most beloved calling from God!
