…and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
What does it mean for a Christian to “obey” the message? The message is the offer of salvation through belief in Jesus Christ. But what does it mean to obey?
Each of us comes to the Lord from a different place. By that, I mean that you and I are very different. We have grown up in different ways, and have different opinions and experiences. Even in my own family my three brothers all experienced growing up from a different point of view.
When we realize that heaven and hell are real, and we look to Jesus for salvation, I believe Jesus honors his word in John 3: 14-15 —
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
And then what?
Here Peter’s words become challenging. Each of us has a different path to walk. the Bible talks about obedience, like Peter does here, and there are many admonitions to act a certain way in the New Testament. Yet these admonitions are not “laws” in the same sense as the Old Testament laws were applied.
We are called to obey, but we are not given a way to judge how much is enough. Each of us is accountable to our Lord. Each of us hears the God of Creativity who made us as unique as our fingerprints. How we respond is equally unique.
In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus tells a parable about this. The landowner hires many people to do many different types of work. Some have it hard, some have it easy. In the end, they all receive the same reward.
It is not our place to stand in the tall grass and judge our own progress, let alone anyone else’s. God is the Judge. We need to be content with that. At the same time, we need to be diligent. Because walking among us are those who would lead us astray. (Jude 1:4) God’s Word guides us in these situations if we are attentive and discerning.
Application: In this life there is only one safe place, and that is in the arms of Jesus. Talk with him and walk with him every day.
Food for Thought: Why does Peter add, ”…which is also what they were destined for”?
The word for destined is not used much according to Strongs concordance. It can also mean to set, fix or establish. Those who disobey the gospel message about Jesus are destined or set to stumble. Jesus is the only way to salvation (2 Thessalonians 1: 5 – 10 – a verse telling us that we need to obey the gospel message; John 3: 36; John 14: 6; Acts 4: 12).
Amen! Well said!
Why does Peter add, ”…which is also what they were destined for”?
God is Omniscience, All-knowing, and is revealing this attribute to us in His word. He is not surprised by any thought or act on our part. He has known what each of us would do before creation. He knew every event that would occur as He created this world. We are all predestined, destined, by the foreknowledge go God to do all we do.
Prophets of the Old Testament wrote of mens choices regarding God’s provision for men through Christ.
Isaiah 8:14, And He will be a sanctuary–but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare.
Isaiah 28:16,Therefore the Lord God says this, “Listen carefully, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a tested Stone, A precious Cornerstone for the secure foundation. He who trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone will not be disturbed or give way in sudden panic.
Psalm 2:1-12, Psalm 69:22, Deuteronomy 18:15-19
1 Timothy 2:4, God WANTS ALL PEOPLE TO BE SAVED and TO COME TO A KNOWLEDGE OF FAITH.
Ezekiel 33:11, As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, BUT RATHER THAT THEY TURN FROM THEIR WAYS AND LIVE.
From these Scriptures we know God, has not predestined people to hell. Peter’s words in verse 8 explain that those who reject Jesus in unbelief HAVE BEEN KNOWN BY GOD, WHO KNEW JESUS WOULD BE A STUMBLING STONE AND NOT A CORNERSTONE for them. Unbelievers set their course for eternity by their rejection of Jesus.
Ron,
Thank you for this thoughtful response to today’s question. I feel like we are being tested each time we are confronted by a passage like this. The temptation is to imagine that I stand apart and look down on humanity. I “see” God on one hand and humanity on the other. I imagine that I “see” God’s view of creation and I fantasize that I am sitting next to God looking down on a divided creation.
The danger is that I start wanting to help God judge. While there are some areas we are to make judgments in, salvation is not one of them. Humility in this case is simply accepting that God knows what he is doing.
Thank you Ron. Well stated.
👍🏻
My talks with him every day are the most important conversation I have.