Bible Matters 198: Peter

Peter was the first apostle chosen by Jesus.  He was a fisherman and not a scholar.  He saw every miracle Jesus performed.  He walked on water. He witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus with Moses and Elias.  Peter told Jesus that he would die for him and yet denied him three times.  He took the apostles fishing after Jesus rose from the dead.  Jesus prayed for Peter.

Luke 22:31-34 – And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.  And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Peter was no different than you or I.  Mostly in the flesh and occasionally in the spirit.  Using the power of the Holy Ghost, he defended the gospel of Jesus Christ.    Jesus said you must be converted and born again to see the kingdom of God. 

John 3:3 – Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Three times you are told that you must be born again in the New Testament.    Twice by Jesus and once by Peter.   The Gospel is the word of God.  Peter knew the Gospel that Jesus brought to the world!  You are redeemed by the blood of Christ and your soul purified by obeying the truth through the Spirit.  Born again only by the word of God. 

1 Peter 1:18-23,25 –  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Three times Peter tells you that you must receive the Holy Ghost by knowledge of the word of God, sent by God to those that believe in Jesus and obey the Word of God

1 Peter 1:3,5,12 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;

Acts 5:29-32 – Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Peter’s message from God told him to go to Joppa.  The Holy Ghost fell on them as a result of the words that he teaches them.   A gift available only to those that believe on Jesus.   A gift available to the Gentiles with a repentant heart unto God for life…Everlasting life. 

Acts 11:7,13-18 – And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.  And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;  Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.  And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.  Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.  Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Peter testified to the Pharisees, apostles and elders that salvation is only by belief and faith in Jesus Christ.  A pure heart through repentance of your sins.  With a pure heart the Holy Ghost is sent to the Gentiles that hear and obey the word of God.  Not by works of religion, like circumcision!  

Acts 15:1,5,7-11 – And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Peter knew that Jesus is the rock, the head of the corner.   The head of his church.   Don’t stumble on God’s word.  Beware of false teachers. 

1 Peter 2:7-8 – Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

2 Peter 2:1 – But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Water baptism does not put away the sins of the flesh or give you the gift of the Holy Ghost.  It is only a sign of good conscience toward God.  Salvation is only by belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:20-22 – Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:  Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Peter loved Paul.   He tells you to understand the wisdom given by Paul’s messages.   He did not want the gospel message of salvation to get distorted by man!   And yet, man complicates everything he touches and then tries to blame it on Peter!  Don’t be misled by the false doctrine of man, but grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

2 Peter 3:15-18 – And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Peter tells you to live unto righteousness and share the gospel!

1 Peter 2:15-17,21,24 – For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:  As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.  Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 5:2, 6,10-11 – Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.