1 Peter 2:7-8

1 Pet. 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 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,

8 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.

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

When Jesus died on this cross, this is what He accomplished:

Eph. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

By Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, it gave us the same right to God as the Jew. Now the Jews who were there during Jesus' ministry who did not believe He was the Messiah, it was because God had blinded their eyes and dulled their ears, lest they would see and hear, and believe, and He would save them!! Well, that sounds a little like reformed theology there, doesn't it??? WRONG!! If the "higher up" Jews who were responsible for His crucifixion had really known who He was, do you honestly think for one second they who have crucified their Saviour?? This is why they couldn't hear or see who He was. This is why they were "appointed" to stumble at the word, being disobedient, Brother Psalm 109:31 Without this "blindness of sight", and "dullness of hearing", Jesus would not have been crucified.

They truly didn't know what they did:

Luke 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

This is how quick the veil was removed from the eyes of those who were involved in Jesus' death:

Matt. 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Mark 15:39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.

God, through His Son's death, made a way possible and passible for us(Gentiles) to have a right to the tree of Life....which we didn't have prior to His death.

Rev. 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Now, there were some Gentiles, Rahab, Ruth, and Gomer come to mind...or I think Gomer was a Gentile. They had access to the Old Law through faith in God. But as a whole, the Gentile nations were cut off/out. When Jesus died, it made a path for us to get to the Tree of Life, which I truly believe to be Jesus. They that eat of this Tree shall live. Here is a passage to chew on:

John 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

48 I am that bread of life.

49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

By Jesus' death, and moreover, His resurrection, we can partake of His body, and drink of His blood. This is what gives us our new life in Him. Jesus' blood cleanses our soul, and the water which proceeded out of His side, which we drink when we are born anew, gives us eternal life!! We had no hope prior to this, being Gentiles. Sorry about the "novel", fellas!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

I think it is another illustration of God's sovereignty. We are called to trust in God not to judge him in what our fickle minds think he ought to do.

He is glorified in what he has done.

It disturbs me when people suggest that God is or "would be" less than good if he were truely sovereign.

Isaiah 55:8-11 ESV
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

The bible is clear that God is sovereign. It is also clear that we don't know which end is up. We are called to trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding.