Three Little Pigs
“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved — even though only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:10–15, New International Version)
In regards to the concept of “Faith Deconstruction,” I would comment on two passages from letters from the apostle Paul in the Bible “…For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ…” (excerpt from 1 Corinthians, above) and “If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.” (Galatians 2:18, New International Version)
Because the term is reflective of the Construction Industry, I will try to remain in that venue. First, the Bible concept of Faith is not always easy to explain. Second, the concept of this so-called Deconstruction, is nothing more than a self-help program. Biblical Faith is God-help. Persons are trying to find ways to improve themselves, their inner habitat, so to speak — physical, intellectual, spiritual, and so on. Nothing particularly wrong with that. It’s just that it is so limited, while God’s help is so limitless.
People, as time goes by, can find the neighborhoods they have been living in are quite unsatisfactory. We often want a change in our lives. We desire to improve our situation. Commonly we try remodeling, moving, even building a new home (the most radical and the most expensive). Self-improvement can be beneficial in many ways. It takes some introspection and analysis. Yet, there is a problem: It arises when we try to answer the question, “Will we be better off for our investments of time and expense?”
Deconstruction asks us to start tearing down our houses with only a loose idea of what we are planning to do after and how we will be paying for it.
Recently, I started cutting down all the landscaping around my house to prepare for a crew to put siding on my house. The trees and shrubs were entering their prime visually, being a few decades old. Long story short, I chose not to accept the financing being offered for the project.
It was too late for my landscaping that I had “deconstructed” and there is no way to glue them back up. A bit off the construction venue, but I think applicable, “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?” (Luke 14:31, NIV) Easily converted back to the “construction parable” saying in other words, I was “counting my chickens before they hatched.”
Yes, it is certainly important to try introspection with the motivation to improve oneself. But just to start tearing things apart is not wise, and if not becoming worse off, we can certainly become disappointed with the results. So, not being better off, anyone can give up and become discouraged.
Applied to Faith in God, Jesus. and the Bible: It seems to me that the result will be more cynicism, more leanings toward the religions of atheism and agnosticism and a groping about for a more profitable mindset, and perhaps less introspection and assessing of one’s “living situation.”
“Well, I guess I’m stuck living here. I’ll just make the best of it.”
With Jesus, He has His own foundation in an entirely new neighborhood that a person can build on. He even provides the materials for free if we choose to accept His help, His knowledge, experience, and wisdom in construction.
“But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (excerpt from 1 Corinthians, above)
Finally, I’ll leave with Jesus’ parable:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24–27, NIV)
Tearing things apart without a plan just because you don’t like them — without understanding how and why they are there — is foolish. Maybe it’s like putting your fist through a wall just because you’re pissed. Maybe, just maybe something else unresolved is making you unhappy about where you’re living. Maybe you should move into Jesus‘ house for a while before you start thinking about deconstructing your current one. Jesus says, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2, NIV)
