“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, ‘“Who will descend into the abyss?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach),” Romans 10:6-8.
What is the apostle Paul saying in the words above? If you want to believe in Jesus Christ and have the righteousness that will enable you to stand in the presence of the holy and just God, do not tell yourself that you will have to do the impossible. Do not tell yourself that you will have to ascend into heaven and bring Jesus down to earth, or that you will have to descend into the abyss – the realm of the dead – and bring Jesus alive to earth. If you felt that you had to do things that are impossible for you to do, you would have no hope for time or eternity.
The apostle was dealing with people in his day – as we must deal with people in our day – who talk about going to heaven. and then express their personal opinions as to how anybody can get to heaven. People’s opinions have no value when we are talking about how we can get to heaven. We must have a faith that rests upon a sure foundation. That sure foundation is near at hand. It is revealed to us in God’s Word, the Bible.
In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote, “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 3:10-11.
In his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul wrote, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone,” Ephesians 2:19-20.
The holy Christian Church, which is all and only believers in Jesus as the Son of God and our Savior, is built upon the foundation of what the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles and evangelists taught as it is recorded in Holy Scripture. And that foundation rests on Christ, the Cornerstone. In his First Epistle, the apostle Peter wrote, “Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a Chief Cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious, but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone,’” 1 Peter 2:6-7.
Our faith does not rest on people’s opinions, but it rests firmly on the foundation recorded in God’s Word. With the hymn writers, we pray:
“I know my faith is founded On Jesus Christ, my God and Lord;
And this my faith confessing, Unmoved I stand upon His Word.
Man’s reason cannot fathom The truth of God profound;
Who trusts her subtle wisdom, Relies on shifting ground.
God’s Word is all-sufficient, It makes divinely sure;
And trusting in its wisdom, My faith shall rest secure.”
“Christ is our Cornerstone,
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints alone
The courts of heav’n are filled:
On His great love
Our hopes we place
Of present grace
And joys above.” Amen.