For if you do these things, you will never stumble…
Summary: Peter uses a common word for a common experience to remind us of the consequences of common (worldly) behavior.
Stumble is a word that means we almost fall, but do not. We catch ourselves and keep walking. If we say someone falls when walking, we get an entirely different picture in our minds.
Walking is what we plan on doing when we want to go somewhere. We want something from the kitchen, so we walk to the kitchen to get it. If I want to mow the backyard, I walk to the toolshed and get the mower. When I mow the yard, I push the mower and walk behind it.
If a person stumbles, they recover quickly. Maybe on the way to the kitchen, I am distracted by something and catch my toe on the throw rug. Perhaps my flip flop flops, and I almost flip. (It has happened!) Sometimes I am just tired, and I forget to pick up my feet.
Stumbling is a reminder to pay attention. It may be a little thing or a big one. Stumbling on the stairs can be very scary. Stumbling while pushing a power mower can be dangerous. What makes stumbling a tiny bit terrifying is the possibility of falling.
When we fall, bad things happen.
As kids, falling is not such a big deal. We are smaller and closer to the ground. Our bones and joints are less brittle and we recover better. But as we get older, falling becomes dangerous. Sometimes even life-threatening.
Do you want to avoid falling? Then try not to stumble. It is as simple as that.
When it comes to believing in Jesus, we can stumble, but we do not want to fall away. People who fall spiritually can die, just like a physical fall. Unlike a physical death, though, falling away from Jesus means eternal death.
Maybe we should look at Peter’s list again. What do you think? If doing what he says keeps us from stumbling, it would be worth it.
“… add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)
Goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. Is that so much to ask?
Application: Memorize 1 Peter 1:5-7, then apply it every day.
Food for Thought: What is the difference between spiritual stumbling and falling?
Everyone stumbles over Jesus at some point. He is the Rock that makes us stumble. Some stumble and yet trust. Others stumble and fall and are crushed. If we stumble spiritually and yet trust we do not fall. If we do not trust it is a crushing blow to our spiritual condition. Isaiah 8: 14; 28: 16; Psalm 118: 22; Luke 20: 17 – 18; Romans 9: 32 – 33.
Rich,
I like your answer to today’s question. Falling spiritually, is definitely a “crushing blow” as you point out. Thank you!
Spiritual stumbling is like getting tripped up over what I believe to be true in the Bible and what Christ has done for me at the cross,..falling to me would be,..with everything I have learned and after accepting Christ as my savior I not only stumble over HIs words but fall down over His words in disbelief and never pick up to read His word and apply to my life ever again,..
Peter stumbled often in His walk with Jesus,..Judas Iscariot fell,. literally. It can be pretty easy getting tripped up over what’s been written over two thousand years ago,..it’s by belief and assurance in His word that will keep us upright in His word even if a stumble occasionally occurs,..
John,
Thank you for the clarification. Well said! Excellent illustrations.
09-26-2021, 2 Peter 1:10b, What is the difference between spiritual stumbling and falling?
Stumbling can lead to a fall, and a fall can be the result of stumbling.
Both Rich and John are totally correct.
Any honest look at the life of Abraham would clearly show that he was a flawed man. it is also important to point out that although Abraham deviated occasionally from the straight and narrow, he always came back.
Romans 4:3, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
One of the worst things that we can do as a Christian, is to think that God will stop loving us when we disappoint Him and seek to avoid Him. We are all His work in progress. We all make mistakes which break fellowship with God ( He is Holy, cannot be associated with sin ) It’s how we recover from them, that counts. Do we even acknowledge them? Do we pray about them? Do we learn from them? Do we turn from them?
True believers will be miserable in their sin and will eventually beat a quick path back to the cross.
1 John 1:9, If we admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness.
Nonbelievers will stumble on Christ and fall.
1 John 2:19 says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”
Ron,
Thank you! What you wrote is a beautiful truth: “One of the worst things that we can do as a Christian, is to think that God will stop loving us when we disappoint Him…”
Our God is INCREDIBLY loving and faithful. Thank you for that reminder.