The Lessons of Lent: Peter's Denial

The Lessons of Lent: Peter's Denial
Luke 22:31-34, 54-62

One if the highlights of the passion of the Christ is Peter's denial of knowing Christ. As usual we quickly judge him; how could someone so close to Jesus do such a thing!

We are always quick to judge Bible characters as their errors were displayed to all, while our own errors are quietly tucked away between us and heaven, away from the judgmental queries of even the closest of men, to maintain our usual facade of infallibility as we secretly plead for forgiveness with the blood.

Peter too, just as we are, lacked the knowledge of the cup and the baptism he was to go through. Jesus had prayed for him, since Satan had planned to sift him like wheat. To sift means to beat until the substance within is removed and the shaft left. Jesus had prayed that his faith wouldn't fail and and had instructed him to strengthen his brethren when he gets converted or restored.

Sincerely in his heart he loved Jesus to the point of being ready to suffer and die with him but he had underestimated his own weaknesses; he didn't know himself as God had known him. He didn't know he could ever get to the point of denying his knowledge of his beloved friend and Master.

Apostle Paul had this to say about being known and our own knowledge.
[My Offline Bible] 1 Corinthians 13
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Peter needed some knowledge of himself to be able to carry the burden of strengthening others without judging them mercilessly. So he had to go through a process of self discovery.

And this happens to all of us except that we may not have gotten the humility to accept that knowledge and to seek for grace for a change.

We need to understand that God knows us through and through. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. There's nothing about each of us that He doesn't know to perfect details; He knows every thought and motive and He needs not use anything to test us to know.
[My Offline Bible] Psalms 139
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

If you are going through any test, the test would be for you to know something about yourself and not for God to know you. The sins we fall into is a revelation of the areas of lack where we need to pay attention and ask for grace.

Peter couldn't believe such fear was still lurking somewhere within him after all his being with Christ and even walking on water with Him.

And what repentance and remorse he showed when he discovered! This too must be our right response at such discoveries.

The truth is that we have been covered and protected by grace and that should call for humility and not pride. Attributing our holiness and righteousness to our own knowledge and abilities is being ungrateful and being proud.
Judging others as if we aren't subject to like passions is a height of ignorance: ignorance of our own fallibility!

The take away
We don't know who we are as we should.
God knows us and doesn't need to test us before knowing us...our motives are clear to him.
When we are being tested it is for us to know what's still in there to deal with.
We should be grateful in humility for the covering of grace we have in Christ working out holiness in us through the gift of righteousness He has given us in spite of our weaknesses and fallibility!

Good morning!

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Thursday 26th March, 2015

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I pray God keeps revealing to you who you are in Christ aside what we are in the flesh so that our transformation can be sure and that we may reflect Christ in all we do in Jesus name!