Why Peter Failed
Why Peter Failed
By: Dr. Paul Chappell
Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Matthew 26:33-35
If Peter had been taken off guard by the temptation to deny that he knew or followed Jesus, we would find it more understandable. But the disciple had been personally warned by the Lord that Satan was out to get him, and that he would be challenged on the very issue of whether he would stand with and identify with Jesus. Peter did exactly what Jesus said he would do, because in his pride he assumed that he would never fail such a test. Peter knew Jesus and loved Him, but even after three years with the Lord, he was still relying on his own strength and confident that he could handle any challenge alone. Peter's pride told him that he was more devoted to Jesus than those around him. He was not.
Years later, when the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write his first letter to believers scattered across the Roman Empire, he include a warning about pride and an emphasis on the importance of depending on God. I'm sure Peter remembered the events of that night. He wrote, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). If Peter had heeded Jesus' warning, if he had stayed awake and prayed with the Lord in Gethsemane, if he had recognized his complete dependence on God, he would no doubt have reacted differently when the challenge came. Any time we indulge in pride, comparing ourselves to others, or feeling like we have everything together, we are headed for a fall. Instead, we need to humbly flee to God, begging for His help to be faithful to Him.
Today's Growth Principle:
Pride in our strength or devotion to God makes us more susceptible to any kind of temptation.
By: Dr. Paul Chappell
Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Matthew 26:33-35
If Peter had been taken off guard by the temptation to deny that he knew or followed Jesus, we would find it more understandable. But the disciple had been personally warned by the Lord that Satan was out to get him, and that he would be challenged on the very issue of whether he would stand with and identify with Jesus. Peter did exactly what Jesus said he would do, because in his pride he assumed that he would never fail such a test. Peter knew Jesus and loved Him, but even after three years with the Lord, he was still relying on his own strength and confident that he could handle any challenge alone. Peter's pride told him that he was more devoted to Jesus than those around him. He was not.
Years later, when the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write his first letter to believers scattered across the Roman Empire, he include a warning about pride and an emphasis on the importance of depending on God. I'm sure Peter remembered the events of that night. He wrote, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). If Peter had heeded Jesus' warning, if he had stayed awake and prayed with the Lord in Gethsemane, if he had recognized his complete dependence on God, he would no doubt have reacted differently when the challenge came. Any time we indulge in pride, comparing ourselves to others, or feeling like we have everything together, we are headed for a fall. Instead, we need to humbly flee to God, begging for His help to be faithful to Him.
Today's Growth Principle:
Pride in our strength or devotion to God makes us more susceptible to any kind of temptation.
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