There’s a dividing line that splits humanity into two groups. The line is not based on ethnicity, nationality, gender, economic status, education, or political persuasion.
Peter says,
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.” (1 Pet 2:7-8)
Some believe; others don’t believe. As Paul says, “not everyone has faith” (2 Thess 3:2). It’s as simple as that. For those who believe the gospel, the stone or Christ is precious. For those who don’t believe, the stone is something to be discarded—like an obstacle on their path. Perhaps unbelievers can respect Jesus as an important moral figure in history, but they cannot worship him or even talk to him.
Of course, we know from experience that people can move from one side to the other side. In fact, Peter even mentions that believing wives can win over their unbelieving husbands without words by the behavior (1 Pet 3:1-2).
I have known this to be the case for many years, but for some reason, as I was reading 1 Peter today, it hit me in a new way. Peter and Paul were realistic about the world. There are believers and there are unbelievers.
After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a Bible and theology teacher in Asia and the U.S. My new book explores the amazing doctrine of the Trinity.
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