likewise build on solid ground

Why do we need the rock of Christ? Building on a strong foundation is for our protection against Satan's temptations and angels.

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yeah, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the guild of misery and endless wo,because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fail." Helaman 5:12


"Verily, verily, I say unto you that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gate of hell shall not prevail against them. And whoso shall declare more or less than cometh fo evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them. Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth." 3 Nephi 11:39-41

Jesus and his prophets warn us that Satan's goal is to pull us down to hell. He wants us to fail so makes the sandy foundation look mighty tempting. If we are tempted to build ourselves without Christ, we will fall and fail under temptation, stress, and opposition. Satan's temptations are designed personally, to make each human die spiritually. He can only succeed, when we choose not to build on solid ground. As Jesus told Peter, the only way to be assured that we are building our lives on the rock is to have a witness from Father in Heaven that Jesus is the Christ.

After this personal revelation, we must join in the true fellowship of Chirst, because there is strength in numbers. This will further strengthen and support our foundations, as we assist and are assisted by others.

"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." Ephesians 2:19-20

Christ is the cornerstone. Prophets are the foundation. Members, who join in fellowship, receive personal revelation, and bear one another's burdens, are the body or structure. We should not be strangers but fellow citizens with other saints. Since none is perfect on the earth, we need each other until we all are perfected in Christ.I'm thinking about the book written by C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity. He talks at length about the imperfections of those at church. It is so easy to notice little and large shortcomings in others, when we ought to take the beam out of our own eye and look at our own. So when I'm tempted to disrespect the body of Christ by pointing out the overweight, the overbearing, the proud, or the sinful, I open my eyes and look in the mirror. Then I remember how much I need the support of the other imperfect saints.

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we hence forth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" Ephesians 4:11-14

As we build upon the Rock of Christ, we should help those around us to likewise build. Until we are unified in faith and have a perfect knowledge of Jesus, we are far from the point we are trying to achieve.