Appointed To Doom

I Peter 2: 8

"A Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense;" for they stumble because they are disobedient to the Word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

This Stone of stumbling and Rock of offense is none other than Christ Jesus, the Rock of Ages, the living Stone which the builders rejected. Those who disbelieve (v. 7) are the ones who are disobedient to what God tells us is right, so they were appointed to doom. The doom is put forth to them.

Those who come to God, believe that Jesus took their death for them, and receive His life in His Holy Spirit, are also appointed, to a Kingdom, to inherit with King Jesus (Luke 22:29); and also appointed to suffer as Christians, to be set up for afflictions (I Thessalonians 3:3). 

Also Mankind is appointed to die once, then face judgment; this death is reserved for each of us (Hebrews 9:27). 

These are all different but related Greek words to bring out the nuances of meaning, so we can understand what God is saying to us. 

So have some people been appointed to doom while others are appointed to rule a kingdom? Is God playing favorites here? Picking out some for good, and picking on others to punish them? 

I have thought and prayed on this, and wrestled with this concept. 

Now I think that God may choose individual people, but I think He chooses to put individual people into which camp, according to the individual's willingness to come to God or reject Him. He will not force Himself on anyone. But God is sovereign, and is not dependent on our will. 

He chose before He created to have some become His own children through believing Him and trusting His Son, and some who refuse Him to be accountable for their sins and suffering doom. Whether He places individual people into these camps or whether He allows us to choose for ourselves which camp to be in, is His prerogative. 

He has given us choice. We are free to choose to do whatever we want, but we are not free to choose the consequences of our choices. Therefore, it is to our advantage to consider the consequences before we make our choices. 

O my Father God, Your ways are so far above my ways, I seem to have no comprehension of what You are doing sometimes. I can only trust You, because I know that You are good, and everything You do is righteous. 

Father, give me Your eyes to see Your ways. Give me Your understanding to comprehend Your great Plan of the Ages. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!