Christ's Fearful Sheep

How often we believe that our works, our obedience, our righteousness can somehow help out with our salvation! Surely, all these good things must be of some value!

This idea lies behind many of the false teachings of the Roman Catholic system with regard to salvation. It imposes a constant, futile labor to be right before God, because salvation is never assured, and God's righteousness imputed to believers is never certain. Nothing is ever finished, because so much depends upon us.

Poor Peter illustrates this mindset in his actions on the night the Lord Jesus was betrayed.

Peter sought a political Messiah, and he wanted to play a part in bringing Christ's kingdom in. He never seemed to grasp that Christ came to save His people from THEIR sins - by sacrificing Himself in their place, and not by mortal combat or political victory.

Peter's misunderstanding of Christ's work lay behind his notion how he could play a key part. Being a "man of action," Peter's part could not be merely to pray and wait and trust in Jesus, but rather to take powerful direct action at the critical moment.

But Jesus told His disciples they would forsake Him. They would flee when their Shepherd was smitten by God, as the prophet Zechariah had foretold.

Peter denied that he would ever fail Jesus in that way, asserting that he would stand and, if need be, die at Jesus' side. Jesus told Peter that he would deny the Savior three times before the sun came up.

When the rulers and their mob came to take Jesus to be crucified, Peter realized that his moment of action had come. He started swinging his sword, but Jesus told him to put it away.

Sure enough, they all forsook Him and fled.