BIble Truth #17 - 1 Peter 2:6-8

1 Peter 2:6-8

6  For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

7  Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,”

8  and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame, and the one who trusts, does so only because God saved him. Why? Because the lost hate God and hate Jesus and hate the Light so they can never, and will never, trust in God. This fact is supported in verses 7 & 8 - to those who believe (that’s us, the Elect), this Stone (Christ) is precious. But to those who DON'T believe (that’s the LOST), this Stone the builders rejected has become the capstone and a Stone that causes men to stumble and a Rock that MAKES them fall (Isaiah 8:14). Now even though the passage in Isaiah is specifically referring to Jews, the principle can easily be applied to Gentiles - i.e. the lost all over the world. They stumble because they disobey the message...

Now, here’s the icing on the cake (that Arminians ignore) - ...WHICH IS ALSO WHAT THEY WERE DESTINED FOR.

Man can’t destine or appoint himself, so who destined, or appointed him? God did. God destined him to stumble, God destined him for the Lake of Fire. From the same lump of clay He made some vessels for honorable use and He made some for dishonorable use (Romans 9:21). What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience vessels of wrath PREPARED for destruction? (Romans 9:22) He has prepared EVERYTHING for His own purpose, even the wicked for a day of disaster (Proverbs 16:4). Pharaoh comes to mind (Exodus 9:16). Read that verse in Exodus again and consider the situation. God raised up Pharaoh. Pharaoh thought he was in control of his life but nope, God raised him up, or directed his life (Proverbs 16:9, 19:21, 20:24, Jeremiah 10:23) for the express purpose of squashing him and his army like you would step on a bug.

God chose a bride for His Son, put the bride IN HIM before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). THOSE people are known as the Elect, and THOSE people are the only ones for whom Christ shed His Blood (Mark 14:24), and at some point in their lives God quickens their dead spirit through faith, the faith that God gives them (Romans 12:3; Ephesians 2:8) as a gift. God simultaneously gives them belief (John 6:29; Philippians 1:29), repentance (2 Timothy 2:25), and understanding (Luke 24:45, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Timothy 2:7). AS A RESULT, they WILL come to Christ. (John 6:37) Hallelujah!!!

We become children of God NOT by the will of the flesh, THAT’S Bible. (John 1:13)