Tear It Down and Build Again: Christ as the Only Foundation

What You Build Your Life On Will Be Tested

“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.” – I Corinthians 3:11–13

There is only one foundation that will stand: Jesus Christ.
Everything else—gold, success, admiration, titles, even security—will not hold. Paul makes it painfully clear: we can build a life with all kinds of materials, but only what is anchored in Christ will last. The rest will be tested and exposed by fire.

And I know what it’s like to build on the wrong things.

Growing up, I saw people around me who had significantly more—more money, more access, more status. And deep down, I felt shame. Like I was behind before the race even started. That carnal voice inside me kept saying, “If you just had what they had, then you’d be enough.”

So I chased it.
In my twenties, I convinced myself that material wealth was the solution to the void I felt. More money, better things, louder status—that would fix it.

But all it did was deepen the ache. Because I was building on everything but Christ.

1. Christ Must Be the Master Builder, or the Structure Will Fall

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” – Psalm 127:1

Eventually, I had to humble myself and admit the truth: I was building a life on sand. The money, the approval, the self-made image—it couldn’t hold me.

So, I began to let Christ do the rebuilding. That meant tearing it all down, brick by brick. Pride. Comparison. Greed. It meant letting the Spirit reshape my values, goals, and identity.

And that takes humility—daily, deliberate humility. I have to choose to say, “Lord, I can’t build this without You.”

2. You Can’t Take Earth With You—So Don’t Build Life on It

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” – I Timothy 6:7

Everything we work for—houses, titles, wealth—stays here. It doesn’t follow us. And when you realize that you begin to ask: “Then what’s worth living for?”

I had to admit that my definition of success was built on temporary things. That was my pride speaking—thinking I had to catch up to the world’s standards. But the more I humbled myself before God, the more I realized: He never asked me to be rich. He asked me to be faithful. This could be a book in its own. This is not just a one-time thing but an ongoing practice to truly remember to build my life on eternal things.

3. A Life Built on Christ Is Marked by Obedience, Generosity, and Humility

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation…” – I Timothy 6:18–19

If you want to build on Christ, start now. You don’t have to be wealthy, wise, or perfect. You just have to be willing. Obedience. Generosity. Humility. These are the tools we use to build on Jesus.

And humility is the thread that holds them all together. When is the last time you prayed that God help show you a way to share with others. When our will is aligned with His will we start to prayer different and see the world in different ways.

When I humble myself—when I let go of the need to prove myself, impress others, or compare—I make room for Christ to take His rightful place as the foundation. That’s how I live free. That’s how the Holy Spirit rebuilds me.

Every day, I need Him in every layer of my life. Every prayer, every choice, every motive must rest on Him.

Prayer

Father, thank You for being the only foundation that will never crack. Forgive me for the times I’ve built my life on things that won’t last—for chasing money, recognition, and security apart from You. I humble myself today, admitting that I can’t build anything of eternal value without You. Tear down what doesn’t belong in me. Brick by brick, rebuild my life on Your Word, Your love, and Your purpose. Give me courage to be generous, strength to obey, and a heart that remains humble before You. May everything, I do be done in Christ, through Christ, and for Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Don’t wait.
Start now.
Tear it down, brick by brick.
Let Jesus be the Builder.
And let humility be the cement that holds every piece in place.
Because only what’s built on Him will remain.