Foundation
In Scripture, foundation is a figure for what is basic, supporting, and essential. It can refer literally to a building base, or spiritually to God’s truth, Christ Himself, and the apostolic witness on which faith and the church rest.
At a Glance
In Scripture, foundation is a figure for what is basic, supporting, and essential. It can refer literally to a building base, or spiritually to God’s truth, Christ Himself, and the apostolic witness on which faith and the church rest.
Description
Foundation in the Bible refers first to the base on which a structure stands, but it is also an important spiritual image for stability, truth, and God’s saving work. Scripture speaks of Christ as the only foundation in the decisive sense for the believer’s salvation and the church’s life (especially in Paul’s teaching), while also speaking of the church as built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets in a derived sense, with Christ Himself as the cornerstone. The term may further describe God’s established order, the grounding of wisdom and obedience, or the contrast between a life built securely on God’s word and one built on what fails. Because Scripture uses the image in several related ways, the safest conclusion is that foundation names the God-given basis on which faith, doctrine, and spiritual life are meant to stand, with Jesus Christ holding the central and ultimate place.
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