Solid Rock or Stumbling Stone?

by Scott Price

"As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."  Romans 9:33

        There are many people today seeking to remove the "offense of the cross" or the "Rock of offense". What is really sad is when those who claim the believe the same gospel we do go to trimming off the offensive edges of the gospel until the gospel is made void. We should NEVER seek to remove the offense of the cross.

        In various verses in the bible Christ is spoken of as a rock; the solid rock, chief corner stone, stone of stumbling, rock of offense, etc. When this sovereign Christ of the bible is presented in the gospel of grace, He is arrayed in His mediatorial glory as a successful, complete, Savior who effectually saves His people. Any attempt to remove something from His Person or work that is an offense to the natural man is an attempt to remove the offense of the cross. It is an attempt to protect self righteousness and religious pride in some way.

        God the Father sent this unchanging Stone/Rock, Christ to do the work agreed upon in the eternal covenant of grace. The self righteous will always stumble of Him and His work because it leaves no room for boasting in the sinner at all. He will not share His glory with another because He is a Jealous God. He is unchangeably faithful to Himself. God causes the same Christ who is a Stumbling Stone to the self righteous to be the Solid Rock of salvation to His people. He causes His people to be humble and submissive, clinging to Christ and the merit of His blessed work for their acceptance before a Holy God. The self righteous continue to stumble.

        Those that believe on Him will not be ashamed or confounded but those that refuse Him will continue to build their own house of salvation on sinking sand. They despise the Chief Corner Stone, the Solid Rock and stumble over Him. In short, they hate Him and have no reverence or fear of Him before their eyes. They will not submit to His righteousness but are quite satisfied with their own. Thank God for His grace or else we would still be in that state ourselves.