Building on the Foundation

In a previous post , we saw that the number 3 represents man's relationship with God, because man's destiny is to become one with the Father and the Son (John 17:21-23). Three in one, one in three. Therefore, it shouldn't come as any surprise when we find the number 3 throughout the Apostle Paul's life, for Paul was close to God and God worked mightily through him. Although Paul, by his own admission, had been "a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man" (1 Tim. 1:13) who persecuted and murdered Christ's followers, God saw something else in him. When He called Paul, God said, “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake” (Acts 9:16). Indeed, from the time of his conversion onward, Paul strove to go above and beyond in his walk with God. In Acts 21:24, it was said of him, "You yourself also walk orderly and keep the law." Paul furthermore testified, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, no...

  When King Solomon wrote that “two are better than one” (Eccl. 4:9), he went on to add, “and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl. 4:12). We were just talking about two; where does this threefold cord come from? God created human beings with a need for each other, but above all He created us with a need for Him. No human relationship can be complete without God. It will never reach its true potential unless God is involved. Likewise, Jesus prayed to the Father for His followers, “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one” (John 17:21-23). That’s “three in one, one in three,” but it’s not the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s the Father, Son, and God’s people! We can see, then, that the number 3 represents man’s relati...