Q: Matthew 10:33 says that whoever denies Jesus before men, Jesus will deny before his Father. Well, what about Peter? All four Gospels say that Peter denied Jesus before men three times. Doesnt this mean that Peter will be denied by Jesus before God?
A: If that had been /all/ that Jesus had said, yes indeed. Similarly, if one /only/ focuses on what Jesus said about the penalties of sin, and overlooks what He said about forgiveness and repentance, we all would have no hope of salvation. But such a focus is, in effect, a partial blindness to the other things that Jesus taught and other things that the Gospels relate. Remove the blinders, and the full picture becomes clear: observe that that Jesus taught that Gods forgiveness is available to everyone who repents, and observe that Peter repented, and it becomes clear that Peter will not be denied by Jesus. The reconciliation between Jesus and Peter is related in John 21. And Peter proceeded to testify boldly for Jesus in the temple, expressing his repentance through his proclamation and exemplification of the forgiveness and reconciliation which Christ made available.
To put it another way: what Jesus says elsewhere about the effects of repentance applies to the sin of public denial of Jesus. That doesnt make it any less sinful. But, since Peter repented of his sin, and proceeded to publicly testify that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that he (Peter) was a follower of Jesus, this explains why Peter will not be rejected by Jesus before the Father.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: If that had been /all/ that Jesus had said, yes indeed. Similarly, if one /only/ focuses on what Jesus said about the penalties of sin, and overlooks what He said about forgiveness and repentance, we all would have no hope of salvation. But such a focus is, in effect, a partial blindness to the other things that Jesus taught and other things that the Gospels relate. Remove the blinders, and the full picture becomes clear: observe that that Jesus taught that Gods forgiveness is available to everyone who repents, and observe that Peter repented, and it becomes clear that Peter will not be denied by Jesus. The reconciliation between Jesus and Peter is related in John 21. And Peter proceeded to testify boldly for Jesus in the temple, expressing his repentance through his proclamation and exemplification of the forgiveness and reconciliation which Christ made available.
To put it another way: what Jesus says elsewhere about the effects of repentance applies to the sin of public denial of Jesus. That doesnt make it any less sinful. But, since Peter repented of his sin, and proceeded to publicly testify that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that he (Peter) was a follower of Jesus, this explains why Peter will not be rejected by Jesus before the Father.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
