PERSPECTIVE: That You Might Not Stumble
These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.
John 16:1 NASB
It should be of no surprise that the world hates true believers. The systems of the world are against everything that God has established. The three major systems of the world that resist God’s plans and purposes are:
- Government, which is driven by ego and pride to control people.
- Economic, which is driven by greed and separates classes of people.
- Religion, which seeks to oppress the masses through fear and domination.
God the Father has His plan called The Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is ruled by a benevolent Father through both His Son who is full of grace and truth, and the Holy Spirit from whom flows righteousness, peace, and joy: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NKJV) and “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 NKJV).
What a contrast between the Kingdom of God, full of grace and truth, and the world’s systems dominated by the kingdom of darkness controlled by the devil (also called Satan, Lucifer, and the enemy). Jesus defeated those systems through His overcoming life. He sent His Holy Spirit to overcome those systems through us as “Spirit-filled” and “Spirit-led” believers. The world will persecute us just as they persecuted Jesus and the early church. Jesus warned His disciples about persecution concerning the times in which they lived. The disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, squared off against the powers of hell manifested through the systems of men and overcame even unto death. His Word of truth rings true in our day as well: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” (Revelation 1:18 NKJV).
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:17–18 NKJV).
Christ Jesus told Peter about the authority he would receive: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18–19 NKJV).
The Rock which Jesus Christ spoke of was Himself. He is the “the Chief Cornerstone” of the house which God had promised David that He would build for him. The apostles that the Father had given to Jesus and everything that the prophets spoke in the Old Testament concerning the Christ would become part of the foundation of that house. The foundation is made up of the apostles and prophets: “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,” (Ephesians 2:20 NKJV).