The conversation between Jesus and Peter had nothing to do with God knowing the future. Humans are not pre-programmed machines without a choice, and throughout the Bible God reminds us of what we should be choosing in life. People either live their own sinful way or they turn to God for training.
- Psalm 37:23 “THE LORD DIRECTS THE STEPS OF THE GODLY. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
- Proverbs 3:12 “For THE LORD CORRECTS THOSE HE LOVES, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.”
Clearly, Peter was being trained by God. Jesus Christ wanted Peter to understand the responsibility he was given. Fulfilling that responsibility meant PROVING LOVE FOR CHRIST, and not fulfilling it would have meant Peter didn’t love Him. That’s what it was about; asking it three times put an emphasis on how important this was for Peter (meaning “rock”), but also for all who are called to part of God’s Spiritual Temple.
1 Peter 2:5 “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”
Yes, God knows the future, but Peter didn’t, and so he needed to prove his faith; we all are required to prove our faith because true faith takes action, not just words. Christ is the Teacher and He selects His students carefully and then trains them. Students need to know their assignments and the risks.
- True shepherds do it because they LOVE GOD.
- False shepherds do it because they LOVE MONEY.
- Jude 10–13 “But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction.What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, THEY DECEIVE PEOPLE FOR MONEY. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like SHAMELESS SHEPHARDS who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.”
John 10:11–13
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. THE HIRED HAND RUNS AWAY BECAUSE HE’S WORKING ONLY FOR THE MONEY AND DOESN’T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE SHEEP.”
Luke 6:40
“Students are not greater than their teacher. But THE STUDENT WHO IS FULLY TRAINED WILL BECOME LIKE THE TEACHER.”
John 21:15–19
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“THEN FEED MY LAMBS,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, DO YOU LOVE ME?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“THEN TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, DO YOU LOVE ME?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “THEN FEED MY SHEEP. I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “FOLLOW ME.”
Each time Peter replied with words, Jesus told him to PROVE IT BY ACTION. “Follow me” means imitate God’s ACTIONS.
This is something most Christians don’t understand; FAITH WITHOUT ACTION IS DEAD. Acting on your FAITH is NOT “faith by works.” Faith by works is someone who relies on their own righteousness to be saved; thinking they are “good enough” or feeling entitled. People can hear it or read it 10 times and still not understand it.
James 2:19-24
“You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God BY HIS ACTIONS when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.”
Luke 3:7-9
“When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
Ephesians 5:1-9
Living in the Light
“IMITATE GOD, therefore, in everything you DO, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.”
Love is shown by ACTION, not empty words.
John 14:23-24 “Jesus replied, “ALL WHO LOVE ME WILL DO WHAT I SAY. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.”
No one can say “I love God” if they disobey His commandments!
1 John 5:1-5 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children IF WE LOVE GOD AND OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”
“Keeping commandments” does not mean “following the law,” it means “fulfilling it.”
Learn more: The Law of Moses
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