Cornerstones and Stumbling Blocks - Pt 3

For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. (1 Peter 2:6-8 ESV). Some of the “quiet walkways” (I can no longer do the longer, more strenuous hikes) have somewhat of a climb to them. They are often built with “stepping stones” like those of our picture today. I have often found that to be both beautiful and much more easily navigated.

Yesterday I raised the question as to why Peter mentions the negative effect of unbelief. I believe it was to stress that it simply cannot win. It can't frustrate God's ultimate purposes. Peter goes on to say (quoting Isaiah 8:14) that Christ, became a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this [doom] they were also appointed. Peter's words at the end of this verse are intended to sever the last strand of self-reliance: "to this [this stumbling, this disobedience] they were appointed." In other words if any proud unbeliever should boast and say, "I have chosen my own destiny, my own disobedience and my own stumbling, to show God that I have the final and ultimate say in my life; I have the power of ultimate self-determination; and I can frustrate the purposes of God with my own self-determining will", Peter responds with the awesome words: No, you can't; you only think you can. But you will discover sooner or later that whatever you choose, and mark this, your choice is real and crucial, whatever you choose, "unto this you were appointed." God and not man will have the last say. No mere human can thwart the ultimate purposes of God—not by belief or unbelief. The reason Peter does this is for our encouragement. What he means is that human choices cannot destroy the temple of God. They are not ultimate. A person can reject the chosen and precious Stone of Jesus Christ. But if they do, two things are still true: the stone will not be rejected by God, but will still be put in the place of honor and glory forever and ever as the chief corner stone; and the one who rejects the stone will never be able to boast over God that he frustrated God's ultimate design for his temple. Even unbelievers fulfill God's appointments. He cannot be defeated. He triumphs even in his own rejection. God's great purposes for the building of his church often come through seasons of rejection, but in the end he remains triumphant and none of us can bring his purpose to ruin. If we reject his way, we cannot destroy his plan. C.S. Lewis said once: "We all serve God inevitably, but it makes a great difference whether you serve like Judas or serve like John." In the end God is triumphant in our belief and our unbelief. He is triumphant in our obedience and our disobedience. Human beings, whether good or evil, rejecting or accepting, believing or unbelieving, cannot thwart the ultimate purposes of God.