How can we ensure we are not "appointed" to stumble as in 1 Peter 2:8? Seeing the Bigger Picture “and, ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.” (1 Peter 2:8) • Peter is contrasting two responses to Jesus, the Living Stone (vv. 4-7): – Those who believe find Him precious and secure. – Those who reject Him trip over the very Cornerstone meant to save them. • The “appointment” is not an arbitrary doom for certain people; it is the inevitable outcome God has decreed for everyone who persists in unbelief. Disobedience to the revealed Word is what places a person on the path of stumbling. Recognizing Why People Stumble • Disobedience to the Word (1 Peter 2:8) • Unbelief in the Cornerstone (Romans 9:32-33) • Love of darkness over light (John 3:19-20) • Pride that refuses humble submission (James 4:6) Truths That Guard Us from Stumbling 1. Embrace Christ by faith. – “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11) 2. Obey the written Word. – “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28) 3. Grow in grace and knowledge. – “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18) 4. Walk in the Spirit. – “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16) 5. Stay connected to the body of believers. – “Encourage one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13) The Balance of Sovereignty and Responsibility • God sovereignly ordains that unbelief leads to ruin. • We are fully responsible to repent and believe (Acts 17:30). • Assurance: “God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9) Practical Ways to Keep from Stumbling • Daily Scripture intake—read, meditate, memorize. • Active involvement in a sound local church. • Confession and repentance whenever sin is exposed. • Cultivating humility through worship and service. • Watching for subtle compromises that dull spiritual alertness. Promise of Preservation “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence with great joy…” (Jude 24) When we cling to Christ, submit to His Word, and rely on His keeping power, we will not be among those appointed to stumble but among those chosen to stand firm forever. |
    |