August 6, 2023
The rock of offence, Jesus the King of the Jews, is rejected by the Jews because
they claimed justification by, “The works of the law”. To the Jews, it seemed as
though Abraham, Moses, and the law equaled salvation, but they were mistaken. It
is not ancestry, acquaintance, or adherence to rules that saves, but the love of God
and relationship to Christ. Salvation by grace because of faith is still the stumbling
stone and the rock of offense. Jews want to be saved because Abraham was faithful,
not because of their own personal faith. Religious people suppose that placing their
faith in rules will guarantee hope; only to discover self-hate and animosity towards
others. Those who conclude that they are ‘good people’ because they keep most of
the moral code (when it is convenient) frustrate themselves with their own
arrogance and aggravate everyone else. Only those who graciously acknowledge
their inability to ‘lift themselves by their own boot straps’ and accept the gift of
Christ will be lifted up. They will be exalted who humble themselves. Yet, sorrow
comes over our hearts when we think of those who seemingly cannot cope with
having to depend upon someone else for righteousness. It should not be so difficult
for us to admit our lack of divinity, neither to acknowledge our family ties to dirt.
We came from the earth and so we are earthly. We are flesh and inclined to prefer
darkness instead of light. Someone said, “Man cannot direct his own steps”, and
Cain proved that point. We are motivated by jealousy and greed unless Christ
controls our thoughts, at which time we yield to grace and truth. Even the worst of
us declares grace and truth to be the better way of life. However, we reject the
stumbling stone, which is truth, as an offensive rock and cling to what we know
from our own ‘research’ (life experiences). Rather than admit His superiority, we
assert I AM able when we know that we are not. How ridiculous to choose rules
over grace, religion over the love of God (John 3:17), and self-condemnation over
forgiveness. Maybe we should look again at the stumbling stone and discover that it
is the foundation of rest!
Kenneth E. Morrison