6:48Luke 6:48

The wise builder is the one who hears Christ's words and obeys them, digging deep to lay his house on rock so that when floodwaters rise and beat violently against it, it cannot be shaken.Ms 59, 1902, par. 24–25+2 The rock is Christ Jesus Himself, the eternal Rock and God's only appointed foundation for salvation.Lt 78, 1907, par. 3+2 Digging deep is the thorough inward work of prayerfully studying Scripture, searching the heart to put away hidden sin, and consecrating the whole life to God rather than trusting in self, profession, or religious activity.6T 132.3+4 The house so built is character for time and for eternity, laid beneath the surface through daily obedience, discipline, and experience.TBC1872 27.1+2 A life thus founded on the Rock stands unshaken through temptation, trial, and flood, while assent without conversion, self-confidence, and outward profession prove to be sand and fall when tested.CT 63.3+4

The builder is the one who comes, hears the sayings and does them, digging deep and laying the foundation of the house on a rock, building for time and for eternity.Ms 59, 1902, par. 24–25+1 The parable brings to view two classes of persons found in every place and in every church, representing the condition and fate of each class and pointing out the fate of those who fail to realize the evil of what they are doing, which all are to read and understand.Ms 59, 1902, par. 24–25 Jesus ended His teaching on the mount with a call to put into practice the words He had spoken, and the house on the rock pictures obedience that stands when testing comes.

The hearers could understand it from what they saw around the Sea of Galilee, sitting on the hillside looking at valleys and ravines where mountain streams run to the sea. In summer those streams disappear leaving only a dry and dusty channel, but when wintry storms burst on the hills they become fierce raging torrents that overspread the valleys and carry everything away on a resistless flood. Hovels reared on the grassy plain, apparently beyond danger, are swept away, while houses high on the hills built upon the rock, some wholly of rock, have withstood the tempests of a thousand years. Building there takes toil and difficulty, is not easy of access, and looks less inviting than the grassy plain, but wind and flood and tempest beat upon it in vain because it is founded upon the rock.

The house represents character built for eternity.CT 63.3 The rock is Christ Jesus, the eternal Rock and the one plan of salvation God has provided, and no other foundation can be laid.Lt 78, 1907, par. 3+4 Undertaking to build a new faith and establish new principles apart from the Rock does not stand, but soon falls because it is not founded upon the Rock.DTCP 7.4

The foundation is laid beneath the surface, through discipline and experience in everyday duties, for education and the sciences alone do not supply the practical exercise needed to endure the hardships of life.TBC1872 27.1 Digging deep means living in the attitude of listening for the Saviour's voice and being yoked to duty, with nothing turning aside from the path of obedience.Lt 25, 1894, par. 15–16 It means humbly, diligently and prayerfully studying God's word and Scripture to gain a clear, well-grounded knowledge of truth, depending on God rather than self-confidence, and living by its principles and practicing the words of truth.6T 132.3+2 Doing so safeguards in trials and temptations and makes a person secure and able to bear witness and bear God's light to the world.6T 132.3+2

Building on the Rock means digging deep, removing what obstructs the work, and relying on Him alone for salvation.STE 77.2 Applied to the heart, this means prayerfully and thoroughly searching it so that no sin remains hidden, seeking God thoroughly, allowing the heart to be renewed, refusing to cover or excuse sin, and growing in knowledge of truth and experience in God's work.Lt 23, 1875, par. 11+1 Religious zeal driven by impulse and goodness prompted only by others' example are not a lasting foundation, for without thorough conversion a person returns to old ways, so the verse warns against self-deception and calls for daily vigilance against sin.Lt 23, 1875, par. 11 Digging deep and laying the foundation firmly means consecrating the whole heart to God and living in a way that shows conversion and true godliness, with daily actions showing what the higher life means.Lt 78, 1907, par. 3+1 It requires more than outward profession or assent to truth, trusting less in self and living to honor God while probation lasts, which gives a firm hold on immortal life and leads to happiness.Lt 78, 1907, par. 3+2

Digging deep means turning away from self and building on Christ Himself rather than on profession, reputation, or religious activity, having the life hid with Christ in God, living with a sense of the Saviour's presence, looking away from self to Christ, being faithful stewards over self, and having Christ woven into all that is said and done in the love of Jesus.Lt 48, 1903, par. 15–17 To dig deep and lay the foundation sure is to do diligent, earnest labor upon the self with candid thought and sanctified power, taking time to plead with heaven for grace to conquer lusts, practicing the self-denial and self-sacrifice of prayer, sacrifice and sanctified labor, living only as a steward of time, property, speech and social influence owned by God who alone has right to direct their use, and remaining connected with God and drawing water daily from the wells of salvation.TEPD 44.1 This sure foundation gives full proof of ministry, makes example agree with teaching, makes a successful warrior over self into a winner of souls, and makes the life a spring of water to refresh others.TEPD 44.1 Digging deep means keeping the renewed heart renewed by a constant supply of divine grace through constant watchfulness, humbling the soul before God, putting trust in God in humility of mind, holding fast to God while God holds fast, keeping the heart with all diligence, keeping resolution braced against temptation, watching old habits, and guarding the unruly tongue, lest self-confidence ensnare.Lt 27, 1906, par. 6–9

Digging deep and laying a sure foundation is the day-by-day work of preparing for the better country, the heavenly home.Lt 22a, 1902, par. 16 Spiritually, laying a secure foundation by digging deep means obeying all God's requirements and doing His Word, which prepares a person for the higher school.Lt 252, 1908, par. 6–7 It means teaching temperance in all things by precept and example, holding time as sacred so that wasting hours is regarded as sin, and improving every hour of probation as God's gift as He directs in order to return all His gifts to Him with additions.Lt 60, 1897, par. 7–8 A sound foundation must be dug down to and built on for oneself, understanding principles and acting from personal conviction and examined motives rather than merely copying another person's example.2T 366.3–367.1+1 Applied to health reform and diet, copying without learning the principles beneath leaves one unstable like a house without a secure foundation.2T 366.3–367.1+1

Building on the rock means being determined that though heaven and earth pass away not one jot or tittle of the Word of God will be marred, dishonored, made void, or shorn of its authority.Lt 45, 1899, par. 8 The law of the Lord perfect in converting the soul is the wisdom of those on the rock, giving love for the law, meditation all the day, and understanding through the commandments greater than enemies, teachers, and ancients.Lt 45, 1899, par. 8 Building must be done now without delay for time and for eternity, while many have built on a sandy foundation.Lt 45, 1899, par. 8 The character-house is built for eternity through firm, persistent effort joined with gentleness, meekness, and love.CT 63.3

The flood does arise and the stream does beat vehemently upon the house, yet it cannot shake it and cannot make it fall, because it was founded upon a rock.Ms 59, 1902, par. 24–25+1 The builder is one who comes and hears the sayings and does them, digging deep and laying the foundation on the rock and building for time and for eternity.Ms 59, 1902, par. 24–25 The parable sets forth two classes found in every place and in every church, representing the condition and fate of each, and warning those who fail to realize the evil of what they are doing.Ms 59, 1902, par. 24–25 Digging deep and laying the foundation firmly is consecrating the whole heart to God and living so as to show conversion, for Christ is the Rock that will not give way.Ms 29, 1909, par. 29

A life built on a sure foundation remains unshaken.CT 63.3+2 Its foundation is tried by temptation and by the overwhelming flood, yet it stands because it is securely founded.CT 63.3 It has a deep and firm foundation that withstands testing when it is built on Christ the Rock.Lt 78, 1907, par. 3+1 That depth is more than professing a higher life, for daily actions must show what the higher life means, with what obstructs the work removed and with reliance on Him alone for salvation.Lt 78, 1907, par. 3+1 The house is character built for eternity through firm, persistent effort joined with gentleness, meekness, and love.CT 63.3

When test and trial comes to every soul, those who have not made their foundation sure by being riveted to the eternal Rock turn away from the truth and make shipwreck of the faith.1MR 102.1+2 Those who have not dug deep become traitors, heady, high-minded and self-sufficient men.Ms 68, 1897, par. 23+1 When the words of the Lord come to them through His chosen messengers they murmur and think the way is made too strait.Ms 68, 1897, par. 23+1 Like those who were thought to be disciples of Christ but were displeased by His words and walked no more with Him, they turn away from Christ.Ms 68, 1897, par. 23+1 Those who do not make this foundation sure may in the same way turn away from Christ when plain truth challenges them, while digging deep by studying God's word and living by its principles safeguards in trials and temptations.6T 132.3

Assent to truth without a changed heart is like a house built on sand and will fail when storms come.4T 321.1 Religious zeal driven by impulse and goodness prompted only by others' example are not a lasting foundation, for without thorough conversion a person returns to old ways.Lt 23, 1875, par. 11 The foundation is laid by seeking God thoroughly, allowing the heart to be renewed, and refusing to cover or excuse sin, with daily vigilance against sin and against self-deception.Lt 23, 1875, par. 11 A life built on genuine conversion and practical godliness can withstand testing.4T 321.1

A profession without daily conversion and true godliness is not a secure foundation, for unconverted habits and self-exalting words and actions undermine character and harm others.Lt 78, 1907, par. 3 Even excellent work and a full round of religious activity done for self-glory and to maintain a name as evangelist, preacher, man of prayer, faith, or devotion is worthless and a mockery of religion.Lt 48, 1903, par. 15–17 Such building is on profession, reputation, or religious activity rather than turning away from self and building on Christ Himself, with the life hid with Christ in God, lived with a sense of the Saviour's presence, looking away from self to Christ, faithful stewardship over self, and Christ woven into all that is said and done in the love of Jesus.Lt 48, 1903, par. 15–17 It will make shipwreck when tried by the little tests that beat against the house.Lt 48, 1903, par. 15–17 Building on the rock protects from being deceived by false philosophy and science falsely so-called, holding fast that though heaven and earth pass away not one jot or tittle of the Word of God will be marred, dishonored, made void, or shorn of its authority, with the law of the Lord perfect in converting the soul as wisdom, loved and meditated on all the day, giving understanding through the commandments greater than enemies, teachers, and ancients.Lt 45, 1899, par. 8 No one is qualified to teach until this work of conversion and deep founding is done.FE 459.3–461.1