The Apostle Peter also spoke of those individuals whom Paul described in Romans 9:22 as vessels of God’s wrath, “prepared for
destruction”. Peter described them as those who were appointed or destined to the doom which comes to those who are disobedient to the word. Peter wrote:
This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve
“The Stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone
And “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.
But you are chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:7-9, emphasis added)
Peter referred to those who stumble because they are disobedient to the word, saying that they were “appointed” to this doom. As we consider Peter’s teaching about those who were appointed to disobedience, let us also call to mind Acts 13:48 and the fact that others have been appointed to eternal life.
God has chosen these individuals who have been appointed to eternal life as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for His own possession. In contrast, those who were appointed to disobey the word are those whom God has hardened against Himself and His word, and He has willed not to show them mercy (Romans 9:18). So we see that God’s chosen people were predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), and they are all “called…out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9), whereas all of the others did not receive God’s mercy, but were destined to disobey the word, and as Peter said, “to this doom they were also appointed”.