From Matthew 26:69-75 / Peter on Trial

While Jesus stood confronted with false charges by the religious hierarchy of the day, Peter was confronted with an accusation of mere association, and that, by only an anonymous servant girl. By law, she could not even give testimony in court. But Peter is wilted before her and the others. O how cowardice can grip the soul of even the most stalwart at times. I have felt this wicked tendency in myself more times than I wish to admit.

Note first: How even very great men may commit the gravest of sins.

Few in Church history will be able to match Peter’s boldness in the days to come – before any and all. He proves in time to be a lion for The Faith. But here, he denies his Lord in the most profane way. Still, in days to come, he will suffer any loss gladly for the name of Christ. In Acts 5, he will stand before the very ones who condemned Jesus to death, refuse to back down from preaching the Gospel irrespective of their threats, and will leave rejoicing that he was counted worthy to suffer dishonor “for the name.”

What a restoring God we serve.

Note second: Sins do not die. We die to them, but they do not die to us.

Scripture enjoins us to “put to death the deeds of the flesh” (Rom. 8:13), but that does not imply that sins or sinful tendencies themselves actually die. We will have to take up our cross daily in this regard. So it is Peter will have to face this weakness in himself again. Paul records his confrontation with Peter in Galatians 2 when he buckled under the gaze of “certain men from James” and eating with the Gentiles.

Who knows how many unrecorded seasons of wrestling with this tendency Peter went through before his martyrdom? But history would tell us he proved faithful to the end.

Beloved, do not imagine that any sin – though it lay dormant for many years – may not at the slightest provocation rise up again in an instant. As The Father warned Cain: “sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” (Gen. 4:7)

Many a sincere man or woman of God has despaired because they find some sin rising up over and over to tempt them. But do not despair. Sin WILL NOT have dominion over you. (Rom. 6:14) Fight the good fight of faith. Keep looking to Jesus. He will sustain you. And the day WILL come when sin will be no more. Take heart as you see our brother Peter continue to prosecute his battle.

Note third: The nature of true repentance.

While Peter fails so miserably here, it will be but a very short time before he stands at Pentecost with a boldness in proclaiming Christ which shook the world.

It is grieving in our day to see so many in Church leadership falling into disqualifying sin. But what sets Peter apart is the measure of repentance. We never read of his attempt to mitigate his sin. He never points the finger at any other(s). He does not water it down any place. We read of no attempts to explain his sin in any way so as to make it less heinous. Nor does he try to thrust himself into the limelight. He doesn’t try to reinstate himself, to recover his “ministry.” Even after Jesus appears to Peter and the others in John 20 – what is Peter’s next move? “Peter said to them, I am going fishing.” ‘“ He is bereft of any notion of establishing a ministry or anything of the sort. How unlike those today.

No, when he hears the cock crow, when it dawns upon him what he’s done, he goes out, and weeps bitterly; the word there implying even violently. This is not some tepid, weepy tear over getting caught, for no one accused him of anything – this is his own heart violently rending itself at the reality of his wickedness.

He models what Paul will later unpack as “godly repentance” in 2 Cor. 7. Godly repentance produces true, deep grief, and the expending of every effort to clear oneself of such things going forward. It fills the heart with indignation at self, fear over how wicked the sin is, a longing to show oneself better for Christ, zealous for what is good and fully receiving all due punishment. And how does this show itself? Above all things – in owning and proclaiming Christ publicly and under any threat by any group whatsoever. A total reversal from his former course.

True repentance always requires a reversal of one’s former course. No matter what the besetting sin itself was.

Note lastly: How in due time, Jesus restores His erring son.

Oh blessed Redeemer! How your mercy and your grace transcend all of our guilt and our shame.

What a Savior!