³³ As it is written,

Look, I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over
and a rock to trip over,
and the one who believes on him
will not be put to shame. (Romans 9:3 CSB)

Consider today the fact that much of what conflicts the world’s views with our Christian views is simply Christ. He is the stumbling stone God put in place to confound the world.

We really do not consider this enough. And when Christ is seen through us we too are a stone God has put before people to trip over. We become a contradiction to the world in general if we are living a faithful life.

Our job is simply to stay the course, it is not our place to put others to shame as the scripture states. If we try we become the contradiction to the scripture. We are no longer living our life through Christ but trying to be a substitute for Him. This we cannot do.

Ours is to simply live and love others. Leave the confounding and conviction of others up to God. Only how we live should show others a different, better way. Then the conviction of God comes upon them and Christ becomes once again the stumbling stone.

Christ is a contradiction and a stumbling stone because His was is so vastly different from the worlds way.