Witness for the Truth

When the Lord Jesus is spoken of in Sacred Scripture as being both a “stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall” it is a wonderous thing that this same ’stone’ holds the promise from God that “the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame”. Peter tells us that “this stone” serves two purposes. The one being salvation for them that believe. The other being destruction for those who reject it and do not believe.

I think that we can discover some things about this ’stone’ that seems to take on two different natures depending on either the belief or the unbelief of the individual who encounters it. Does the stone somehow change, or does it sometimes cease to be? Or are there two seperate stones? It doesn’t appear that any of these are the case. The stone is the same always; but what a radically different outcome there is for those who believe in it and those who do not! Let us move quickly ahead to consider what the implications are of this metaphor, and consider what this illuminates in understanding how the individual relates to Jesus Christ.

Now I want us look at this within the church, because I believe this is where this thought is most pertinant. For Paul speaks of this ’stone’ as being that which the Jews stumbled over. Paul also shows that this ’stone’ is the faith that they (Jews) failed to recognize as the way to God. And this seems to be occuring within the Church at the present time, because Paul says that they (Jews) pursued righteousness as if they were to attain it by works. And we often hear of the theological debate concerning works and faith.

Perhaps this is when a religious seeker encounters Christ ,the offence, on his journey toward everlasting union with God.

At this point he is struck with doubt. Not knowing if this ‘rock’(Christ) is what it(He) appeares(claims) to be. Since he is faced with this choice, a decision is necessary. Will he believe or will he not?

One says to himself: “It is possible that this stone(Christ) is what it(He) appears(claims) to be. But I cannot be certain in any immediate way. But it is far more reasonable to think that if I should choose to believe I will be found to have made a fool out of myself; and the best thing to do would be to ignore(reject) it’s(His) apparent obtructiveness to the journey and venture forward on my way.” And so he stumbles over it and falls.

Another one says to himself: “It is possible that this stone(Christ) is what it(He) appears(claims) to be. But I cannot be certain in any immediate way. If it(He) is what it appears(claims) to be and I venture forward, it is nearly certain that I shall fall because of it. But if I do trust in it(Him), and it(He) is not what it(He) appears(claims) to be I will be the biggest fool for not having continued on past it. On the otherhand, if it(He) is what it(He) appears(claims) to be and I believe it(Him), it(He) promises that I shall never be put to shame for having trusted in it(Him)”. And so he chooses to believe and trust, and finds that he is on solid ground and that this stone(Jesus) is the very way to reach that place that he had set out to find.

My main point is to show that doubt is the very thing that causes many to stumble; but is also what gives occasion for one to put their trust in God and what He has promised.