The Bible presents to us many lives as examples, both positive and negative. Nothing good is exaggerated, nothing bad is glossed over. Today, I want to start a series on the fall and restoration of Peter. We don’t want to condemn him, but learn important lessons for our own lives. Often, we are more like Peter than we believe, and so we can look in a mirror and see what God shows us in his grace.
Peter’s Fall Step 1: Where everything begins
“But Peter responded to Him, “Even if they all fall away because of You, I will never fall away!” Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” All the disciples said the same thing.” (Matthew 26: 33–35)
Every sin has its origin in our hearts. Matthew 15:19 tells us that evil thoughts come out of the heart. So it is with Peter. He elevates himself above his brothers and thinks he is better than they are. If all…, I will never…! It’s always a danger to say never, because we are capable of anything. It shows us that Peter didn’t yet know his heart well enough.
He trusted in himself and his own strength, but he still had to find out that nothing good dwells in him (Rom 7:18). He certainly had good intentions and wanted to express his love for the Lord, but without realizing it, he was going in the wrong direction. He looked to himself rather than to the Lord. Peter had already had excellent experiences with the Lord, for instance, when he walked on the water. But this should instead have made him dependent on the Lord rather than led him to this unhealthy self-confidence.
Then the Lord even warns him. He tells him that he would fall even deeper than the other disciples. He tells him exactly what he would do and when it would happen – that very night. Isn’t that the extraordinary grace of our Lord, who cares so much about our (spiritual) well-being and warns us? But instead of listening to the Lord’s warning and being careful, Peter completely overestimated himself. Unstoppable under the action of the old nature, he says that even if he were to die with the Lord, he would not deny him.
These are important lessons for us: We should never compare ourselves to others and certainly not think we are better than others.And it is always good to be careful with the word ‘never’. – We are capable of anything! This is the reason why we have to keep our hearts more than anything that is guarded; for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).
Ultimately, we depend on the grace of our faithful Lord every day. Let us always pay attention to his words, including his warnings, and not think too highly of ourselves. This will keep us from sin, for our blessing and for God’s glory!
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