Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 20

 Christ is Precious to True Believers but He is an Offence to Unbelievers

1 Peter 2:7-8 Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

Imagine if I were to go around and go about declaring myself to be perfect and the only man 👨 that knew the truth about everything and that all other men who lived in the past, who are alive in the present, or who will live in the future are all sinful and wrong. Of course people who have known me would laugh 😂 at that bold statement of mine knowing many of my sinful ways as well as my utter ineptitude or unskillfulness in many things. However, there is a man 👨 (the God Man) our Lord Jesus Christ who declares this of Himself when He said and says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)(NKJV). In other words, Jesus Christ declares Himself equal with God and the only way to God and the only truth anywhere and that outside of Him all have no life (no physical life, no spiritual life, and no eternal life). Well, unlike the scenario of me or any other man 👨 or woman 👩 claiming such things above, our Lord Jesus Christ lived a completely sinless perfect life on the earth 🌎 and then went willingly to be executed taking on every human beings rotten sin and filth, but then He destroyed, decimated, and defeated death by rising or resurrecting from death three (3) days later and showing Himself alive from the dead to many people proving that He is the way, the truth, and the life because He is God. When we sinners come into union with Jesus Christ, He takes upon Himself all of our sins (our past sins, our present sins, and our future sins) immediately and He gives to us what we don't have nor could we ever have without Him and that being righteousness which means that we now have right standing with God, but it means even more than that while we remain alive in our bodies on the earth 🌎, for it is a new principle placed in our inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 giving us a desire to walk or live in newness of life (Romans 6:4) by virtue of God the Holy Spirit being with us but also in us, as it is written by these words spoken directly from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:15-18) (NKJV). These are some of the reasons why Christ Jesus is so precious to we true born again/begotten again sons and daughters of His. Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of the preciousness of Christ to true believers, "For the name of Christ was in many ways made a reproach; and only men of faith, like Moses and the heroes celebrated with him in Hebrews 11:1-40, could count that reproach greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Other and weaker hearts needed encouragement, needed to be pointed to the privileges and glories which are the inheritance of the followers of Jesus. And in this spirit he applies the prophetic words, 'For you therefore which believe is the preciousness.' Faith makes real all the offers of the Gospel. It opens heaven, as to the vision of St. Stephen, so that while they are still here believers behold the glory of God to which Christ has been exalted, are assured of the victory which has been won for them, and that in His strength they may conquer also. Thus they receive continually the earnest of those precious and exceeding great promises (2 Peter 1:4) whereby they become partakers of the Divine Nature."

So, we now have the Apostle Peter marking out for us the stark contrast between those early Jewish converts back then who came to Christ as the living stone, the chief cornerstone (just as we true believers today and of every era and generation after them) vs those Jews back then and all unbelieving people since them who remained or remain  unreformable, unrepentant, and unregenerate not wanting to yield themselves to Christ alone for salvation because they see many other ways to be spiritual or religious or simply not believing in God at all. The Apostle Peter makes known the contrast with these words, "Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed." (1 Peter 2:7-8) (KJV). To the remaining unbelieving men and women the Name Jesus Christ is nothing more than words or a name to be used in blasphemous 😤 frustration or 🤦‍♂️ exasperation and even more blasphemous as a word or name used in profanity. The unbelieving heart sees no beauty in Christ nor can he or she, for as it is written, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) (NKJV). The devil 😈 is going about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8) that he may keep sinners from hearing and obeying the Gospel of Christ, as it is written by the Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthian Church ⛪, "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age (the devil 👿) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:1-6) (NKJV). When the Apostle Peter uses the phrase 'a stone of stumbling', that little English word 'stumbling' is translated by the Greek word proskomma meaning a stub, that is, (figuratively) occasion of apostasy: - offence, stumbling block. Peter also uses this little phrase 'a rock of offence' and the little English word 'offence' is translated by the Greek word skandalon meaning a 'scandal'; a trap stick (bent sapling), that is, snare (figuratively cause of displeasure or sin): - occasion to fall, thing that offends, stumbling-block. The Lord Jesus Christ is a barrier or a brick wall or a building between the unbelieving sinner and their sin and the love 😍 of their sin, which makes Him an offence to them a displeasure to them because everything they still love 😍, Jesus hates and therefore, He is a stumbling block and a cause for the false, fraudulent, and fake believers apostasy, that is, the state of having rejected your affiliation, religious or political beliefs, or principles (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes).

An apostate was always a fake believer or better put make believer, he or she was never born again by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, for they never heard His voice they heard the voice of seducing spirits, that is, doctrines of demons as written for us with these words by the Apostle Paul to brother Timothy, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth." (1 Timothy 4:1-3) (NKJV). Here is what the Expositors Bible Commentary has to say of the disbelieving or unbelieving, "But all men have not faith. The Bible tells us this on every page. God knows what is in man, and in His revelation He has set forth not only invitations and blessings, but warnings and penalties. Life and good, death and evil-these have been continually proclaimed as linked together by God’s law, but ever with the exhortation, 'Choose life.' Of such warning messages St. Peter gives examples from prophecy and psalm: 'But for such as disbelieve, the stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner,' (Psalm 118:22) 'and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense'; (Isaiah 8:14) 'for they stumble at the word, being disobedient.' Here the Apostle touches the root of the evil. The test of faith is obedience. It was so in Eden; it must be ever so. But now, as then, the tempter comes with his insidious questionings, 'Hath God said?' and sowing doubts, he goes his way, leaving them to work; and work they do. Now it is the truth, now the wisdom, of the command, that men stumble at. But in each case they disobey. Those leave it unobserved; these despise and set it at naught. And the penalty is sure. For mark the twofold aspect of God’s dealing which is set forth in the passages chosen by St. Peter to enforce his lesson. Spite of man’s disobedience, God’s purpose is not thwarted. The stone which He laid in Zion has been made the head of the corner. Though rejected by some builders it has lost none of its preciousness, none of its strength. Those who draw near unto it find life thereby; are made fit for their places in the Divine building, in the kingdom of the Lord’s house which He will most surely establish as the latter days draw on. But they who disobey are overthrown. The despised stone, which is the sure word of God, rises up in men’s self-chosen path, and makes them fall, and at the last, if they persist in despising it, will appear for their condemnation. 'Whereunto also they were appointed.' The Apostle has in mind the words of Isaiah, how the Prophet, in that place from which he has just quoted, declares that many shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. This is the lot of the disobedient. These penalties dog that sin. It is the unvarying law of God. The Bible teaches this from first to last, by precepts as well as by examples. The disobedient must stumble. But the Bible does not teach that any were appointed unto disobedience. Such fatalist lessons are alien to God’s infinite love. The two ways are set before all men. God tries us thus because He has gifted us above the rest of creation, that we may render Him a willing service. But neither prophet nor Apostle teaches that to stumble is to be finally cast away. Both picture God’s mercy in as large terms as those in which St. Paul speaks of the Jews: 'Did God cast off His people? God forbid…They, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.' (Romans 11:1-36)"

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…