EVERYONE WILL STUMBLE
It is a hard fact to accept, but scripture clearly tells us that God has established this system of difficult, hard to understand symbols that lead to stumbling so that we will be disobedient and stumble.
1 Peter 2:4-8: And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
COMMENTARY:***
COMMENTARY: The picture of the stone becomes a little clearer here. But not too clear because the stone that causes stumbling is Jesus. Thus we wonder how something that is good for us can also be a cause for stumbling.
STUDY TIP: See Jesus is a Stumbling Stone
We also read here that the stone (Jesus) will make all men stumble because of disobedience to the “word,” and that those who stumble are destined to do so because of disobedience. Since this scripture appears in a letter to Christians, we now know that the warnings in Isaiah 8:11-18 are not exclusively for Jews. This strongly suggests that it is important to know what the “word” is so that we can avoid that destiny for ourselves. The “word” of course is God’s spoken word.
COMMENTARY:
Romans 11:30-32: Just as you were once disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all men to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all.
COMMENTARY: God’s idea of disobedience is failure to obey his many commands to listen to his voice. Jews and Christians do not take these commands seriously. They think that if they read the Bible, go to church/synagogue, and listen to the teachings of their religious leaders (i.e. Pastors, Priests, Rabbis, Apostles, Bishops, Elders, Deacons, Overseers, Rabbis, Popes, Missionaries and Evangelists, they have satisfied God’s expectations. They could not be more wrong!
What God expects is that people listen to his spoke voice, whether spoken by himself directly or by one of his anointed messengers (i.e. true prophets, angels, messiahs, high priests, witnesses, warriors and apostles.) To satisfy God’s expectations, people need to do several things:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Learn how to identify false prophets.
- Learn how to identify true prophets, angels, messiahs, high priests, witnesses, warriors and apostles.
- Learn how to discern between good and evil.
- Respond to God’s call to come out of religion.
- Voluntarily submit to a baptism of repentance for practicing the sin of religion.
- Learn how to listen to God’s voice.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When people do these things, they will receive mercy (i.e. they will hear God’s voice.) This is the process that all religious people must go through before they hear God’s voice.
Verse 32 says that God has consigned all men to disobedience. Because he was religious for most of his life, even Jesus went through this process before he was anointed as a messiah. Thus, when God says that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, he also applies that truth to Jesus before he was anointed.
Religious people are obedient to religious laws but are disobedient is with respect to God’s spiritual laws. While they are religious they don’t receive mercy (i.e. they don’t hear God’s voice. But, after they become New Covenant disciples, they do receive mercy (i.e. they hear God’s voice.)
Romans 12:1-2: I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
COMMENTARY: The reason people stumble is that their minds have not been transformed. What they see is the literal law — not the spiritual meaning behind the written law. Transformation comes when the mind is renewed so that people can read, understand and apply the spirit meaning.
People who are still in an Old/First Covenant relationship with God have not had their minds transformed. They are still children who see through a glass darkly and know God in part. They are satisfied with knowing only the good and acceptable parts of God’s will.
On the other hand, people who are in a New Covenant relationship with God see the spiritual meaning of scripture clearly and perfectly. They know God’s will perfectly because God reveals it to them directly by his spirit — not through a human teacher.
The mystery in this scripture is in knowing how to offer the body as a living sacrifice. Obviously, God does not want his people to give up their physical lives on an altar. So what it means to be a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God is important to know.
Several well known scriptures warn about stumbling into sin. There are also several scriptures that directly discuss or allude to The Law as a stumbling block that God places before people that are not so well known. It is this second group of scriptures that we will discuss in this page. However, before we explore them in depth, we will introduce three scriptures that give context to the topic:
Isaiah 8:11-18 For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying:
COMMENTARY: When God said “do not walk in the way of this people” he is warning Isaiah not to join the Jewish religion.***
12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people call conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread.
COMMENTARY: Religion is an unholy alliance that should not be joined. What religious people fear is going to hell. ***
13 But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he will become a sanctuary, and a stone of offense, and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many shall stumble thereon; they shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
COMMENTARY: It is surprising to read that the Lord of Hosts (i.e. God or the Messiah) will be a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling, a snare and trap. That he would do that seems to contradict the concept of a loving God — until we remember that God disciplines those he loves. Christians who think this prophecy does not apply to them because it is addressed to Jerusalem should not pridefully dismiss it. If the Lord of Hosts is considered to be the Messiah, it definitely affects Christians.
Romans 9:30-33 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued the righteousness which is based on law did not succeed in fulfilling that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it through faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
COMMENTARY: At first, Christians might take pride in their righteousness that comes through faith while condemning Jews who pursue righteousness through legalistic adherence to The Law. Reading further, however, we see that God laid a stone in Zion (i.e. Jerusalem or the church) a stone that will potentially make all men stumble. Thus Christians and the Jews are warned about whatever it is that God has placed before them that will make them stumble and fall.
We get a hint here that the stone has something to do with pursuit of righteousness through either faith or works. That suggests that it is important to know the difference between faith and works.