November 11, 1897

Peter's Fall

(Concluded.)

EGW

Peter needed a deeper, broader knowledge of Jesus Christ. He had listened to his words and enjoyed his lessons. He had acknowledged him to be the Son of God, and he believed him to be thus; but he had only touched the margin of faith in Christ. There were depths in the knowledge of his character which demanded his homage, his faith, his tribute of perfect trust and unshaken confidence. “Thou shalt see greater things than these,” is the promise that invites increased expectation.ST November 11, 1897, par. 1

Jesus stood ready to reveal himself to Peter. In his great love he told him of his denial. He sought to reveal the defects of his character, and his need of the help which Christ alone could give. He told Peter that he was mistaken in his ideas of himself, and that in not receiving and believing the words of Christ, he was doing the very evil of which Christ had declared he would be guilty. How earnest, then, should have been Peter's prayers, that the Lord would teach him how to resist the wiles of the devil, how to be watchful against his temptations! But Peter's boastful assertions, while refusing to see himself as Christ viewed him, were causing his light to grow dim.ST November 11, 1897, par. 2

Jesus did not try farther to make Peter believe that he knew the course he would pursue; but he knew that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” “Simon, Simon,” he said, “behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”ST November 11, 1897, par. 3

The object of conversion is twofold, personal and relative. It is to bless us, and to make us a blessing. This is an individual work; but those who profess to believe the Word of God have so long accustomed their minds to be content with little things that they have disqualified themselves to discern and appreciate the great things prepared for them. In the place of receiving into good and honest hearts the Word that God sends in messages to help them, to elevate, ennoble, and sanctify them, they cavil and gossip over it, because it cuts directly across their inclinations. In the place of seeing their need of conversion, they regard the means which the Lord has provided to change their characters as idle tales. To them their habits are stronger than truth. Individual conversion means a change of character. Man must place himself in personal relation to Christ, that, in the place of following his own hereditary and cultivated tendencies, he may have the mind of Christ, placing himself under the moulding influence of the Holy Spirit.ST November 11, 1897, par. 4

O, that Peter had better learned the lesson given in the fifteenth chapter of John, of the necessity of abiding in Christ! “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,” said Christ, “except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” Peter was listening to his words as, pointing to a vine on which was a withered branch, he said: “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth [pruneth] it, that it may bring forth more fruit.... As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.... If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”ST November 11, 1897, par. 5

Peter denied the Man of Sorrows in his acquaintance with grief, in the hour of his humiliation; but he was filled with shame and sorrow for his act. With blinding tears he made his way to the solitudes of the Garden of Gethsemane, and there prostrated himself where he had seen his Saviour's prostrate form. He remembered with remorse that he was asleep when Jesus prayed during those fearful hours. His proud heart broke, and penitential tears moistened the sod so recently stained with the bloody sweat-drops of God's dear Son. He left the garden a converted man.ST November 11, 1897, par. 6

Then how tender and charitable, how meek and forgiving, Peter revealed himself to be! While under the test, he had been but a very dim reflector of the character of his Lord. How much of infirmity, of unmortified sin, of carelessness of spirit, of unsanctified temper, of heedlessness in entering into temptation, he revealed, rather than giving up his own way and will! But now he was ready to pity the tempted. He was humbled, and could sympathize with the weak and erring. He could caution and warn the presumptuous, and was fully fitted to strengthen his brethren.ST November 11, 1897, par. 7

Peter's history has a lesson for us. We need an abiding Christ with us, as Enoch had when he walked with God three hundred years. We can have what Enoch had. We can have Christ as our constant companion. Enoch walked with God, and when assailed by the tempter, he could talk with God about it. He had no “It is written,” as we have, but he had a knowledge of his heavenly Companion. He made God his counselor, and was closely bound up with Jesus. And Enoch was honored in his course. He was translated to heaven without seeing death. And those who will be translated at the close of time will be those who commune with God on earth. Those who make manifest that their life is hid with Christ in God will ever be representing him in all their life practises.ST November 11, 1897, par. 8

The highest testimony that Peter could have borne for Christ under trial would have been to reveal his steadfast principles, and in revealing the pure, holy beauty of the character of Christ, show that Christ was abiding in him. The Lord would have his followers reveal in their life-practises his life of self-denial, lifting the cross at every step. We are to show our consecration in every act. And this will be the highest testimony that we can bear to the Redeemer's glory.ST November 11, 1897, par. 9

The Word must be studied, it must rule in the heart, that we may be prepared to bring from the treasure-house good things. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly; then when you are assailed, you will have the armor of God to wear. Having done all, you may stand. When the host of hell seek to destroy with temptations, you will be ready with sharp perception to discern their wiles, and meet them as Christ met his enemy in the wilderness,—with, “It is written.”ST November 11, 1897, par. 10

When men feel themselves strong, then it is that they need the words of inspiration brought to their minds, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” Had Peter taken heed, he would not have disgraced himself, and put Christ to open shame. Often the tempted one does not realize that he has unseen, heavenly agencies working in his behalf; but this is so. When we feel our personal weakness, when we depend on Christ, and not on self, we have done what we can. Then the heavenly intelligences are ready to lift up a standard for us against the enemy, saying to the Satanic agencies, “Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther.” At such times if words were to pass from Christ to us, they would be, spoken gently and sympathisingly, “Abide in my love. Be of good cheer. Thou art in Christ's heart; thou art not alone.”ST November 11, 1897, par. 11

Mrs. E. G. White