Yesterday we covered the living stones that are rejected by men. We called them the obedient (The Obedient: The Quest: Day 37.0). If you read that post and were confused by the title, and the emphasis on obedience, I think today you will understand why I chose that title. It was because of today’s topic. Today’s topic is the disobedient. So far in our studies we continue to encounter passages of scripture in which two categories are compared and contrasted. In James we had the wise and the proud, as well as a multitude of exhortations to righteousness, obedience, hope, etc., and the other guy. Similarly, I wanted to cover the verses below from two perspectives, that of the living stones, and that of the, what? Dead stones? You see? But, Peter does not actually call unbelievers dead stones. Instead he says they disobey. So, that was the impetus for the dichotomy of the obedient and the disobedient.
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 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.”7 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,”8 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 2:4-8
Dead stones are disobedient
Of course, now that I’ve written out dead stones, it does seem pretty straightforward. Anyway, what does Peter say about these disobedient dead stones? First, he says the honor of the gospel is for those who believe. By inference, we can deduce that unbelief is dishonor to the disobedient. Peter explicitly writes that the dead stones do not believe. In fact, in quoting David in Psalm 118, Peter says that the disobedient have rejected Christ, the cornerstone laid down by God as the foundation of the Christian faith. (For a brief discussion of this metaphor of the cornerstone, please see Cornerstone: The Quest: Day 36.0.)
The disobedient reject the gospel
Yesterday we talked about how unbelievers reject the living stones. They may do so via persecution and even death at times. But, they also reject the believers more commonly by dismissal and mockery. And why not? As we read yesterday in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, the gospel is foolishness to disobedient dead stones. Peter also quotes Isaiah. The implication here is that the gospel is offensive to the disobedient. It causes them to stumble. Peter continues, writing that the dead stones are offended by, and stumble over, Christ our cornerstone because they disobey. And, finally, Peter says these dead stones are disobedient because they were destined to be so.
Sovereignty of God, the most offensive concept
Oh, no. Here we are again. Together we must look into the most offensive of all scriptural concepts, the sovereignty of God. I contend that, at least for modern Western culture, the sovereignty of God is the most dismissed, neglected, and despised concept. It is especially so in the church. No one trying to grow a megachurch is keen to preach that God established a kingdom for those He chose at the dawn of Creation. In a first, I suppose, I will quote myself here as regards salvation. Not because I feel these are particularly excellent words, but because I need to hurry, and the following paragraph is filled with all the verses I wish to reference right now.
We have discussed many times on this site that salvation comes via justification. Justification comes from faith alone in Christ alone. (Romans 5:1-2) The faith we have to believe in Christ was not ginned up out of a secret well of goodness lurking in the basement of our souls, but a gift. (Ephesians 2:8-9) We do not choose Christ, he chose us. (John 15:16) It comes, as mentioned above, not by seeing Jesus face to face, but from hearing the gospel. (Romans 10:17) It is all from the will of a merciful God, who will secure our salvation. (1 Peter 1:3-5, Romans 8:28-32, John 10:27-30, Psalms 97:10-12, Hebrews 7:23-25 – not exhaustive)
MC Mahan, Believe: The Quest: Day 23.0
To the disobedient, the gospel is offensive
So, getting back to Peter, David, and Isaiah, and the sovereignty of God. Peter says that the disobedient were destined to be disobedient. Is that difficult to grasp? Is it difficult to handle? Maybe. Let’s look further into Isaiah 8 which Peter quotes above.
11 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: 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor 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 on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
Isaiah 8:11-15
It’s a trap!
Isaiah is even more explicit in his declaration of the sovereignty of God. He writes that Christ, the sanctuary, stone of offense, and rock of stumbling mentioned above, will become a trap and snare! Now, that doesn’t seem like the pretend vegetarian and trans-friendly Jesus everyone is okay with these days. It sounds like the real Jesus. It sounds like the real gospel story. And, it all sounds like foolishness to the disobedient.
Do you fear God?
What can it mean for God to make Christ into a trap for the unbeliever? What can it mean for the disobedient to be destined for disobedience? It can only mean that God is in control, and those who fail to recognize His control are doomed. Isaiah has the antidote right there in the verses above. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
Do you fear the Lord? Do you honor him as holy? If not, you are a dead stone. You are disobedient. I am sorry, because I used to believe the same, but you are not the “good person” you call yourself. You are an idolator who has set yourself up as your own God. Or, perhaps worse because it is so servile, you have set up others – the government, or celebrities, or leaders of movements, or (Lord help me!) even your pets, as your god. Romans 1 has much to say to you, and to warn you of. Will you listen? Will you fear and obey?
The disobedient are scoffers
But, if this is all silly nonsense to you, you will not. You will remain a dead stone, disobedient and defiant. But, if you are still here, perhaps you are interested in learning more about this God who is sovereign over all. At least you might be curious to know what this foolish Christian writer thinks. It might make a great joke later!
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers,
Isaiah 28:14-19
who rule this people in Jerusalem!
15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
and with Sheol we have an agreement,
when the overwhelming whip passes through
it will not come to us,
for we have made lies our refuge,
and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;
16 therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
17 And I will make justice the line,
and righteousness the plumb line;
and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,
and waters will overwhelm the shelter.”
18 Then your covenant with death will be annulled,
and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through,
you will be beaten down by it.
19 As often as it passes through it will take you;
for morning by morning it will pass through,
by day and by night;
and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.
A mental exercise
Are you a scoffer? Do you mock the gospel? What if you were a scoffer and a mocker not because you are a smart, sophisticated scientist or social-justice warrior, etc.? Imagine for a moment that it was because God destined you to be a scoffer and a mocker. What if you have been put here as a cautionary tale? Where would that leave your high-minded purposes? What if your writing, your art, your activism, your support of this or that cause did not spawn from your inner genius, care, or creativity? Just imagine for a moment it was all by design. Imagine you are playing a role written for you before you were born. What if you are a vessel made for destruction?
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory
Romans 9:14-23
The despair of dead stones
Well, if that is the case, what’s the point? Right? Why even bother with trying? Well, that is a great place to start! Why? Because, there’s no good trying to be right with God. If you have even begun to think any of these thoughts, then perhaps the fear of the God is beginning to grow within you. That is a better place to be than you were previously!
The answer is right there in Isaiah: Do not walk in the way of this people…and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
That’s the first step. But, if you will not receive the gospel, then this first step will torment you. Again from Isaiah: when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it. 19 As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you
Dear reader, do not remain a dead stone. You are not sovereign any more than a lifeless rock is sovereign. You are not your own creator. If even a hint of the fear of God, who is the Creator and is sovereign, has shone into your heart and mind, then I would ask you to pray. Pray that God will give you a heart of flesh instead of a disobedient dead stone. What will it cost you to pray? I am not telling you that some magic will save you by praying. But, I am sure of this: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and understanding. (Proverbs 1:7) And, I know this:
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
James 4:8-10
The gospel can turn a dead stone into a heart of flesh
It is a first step. Discover what the gospel says: Jesus, through whom the cosmos was created, took on human flesh. He lived among us, healing the sick, confounding the religious, and raising the dead. While we were yet sinners, he endured crucifixion and death for our sake. On the third day he rose again from the dead. His scattered followers he gathered together. They watched him ascend into heaven. They became the first members of the Church. Christ stands now in the presence of God and intercedes on our behalf. He will come again. We will all be judged.
A plea to the disobedient
This is long, but I want to close with a verse from Ezekiel. I hope, if you are an unbeliever, if you are a dead stone, disobedient and unrepentant, that you will at least carry this image with you. You can have a new heart. Honestly, what good is the dead stone you have now? The trouble is, you cannot self-help your way into a new heart. God must give it to you, and He will only give it to those who humble themselves before Him, who fear Him.
17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ 18 And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord God.”
Ezekiel 11:17-21
