Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” John 18:25
When we think of Peter and his denials of the Lord we usually think of them as a spur of the moment event. The sin of a believer seldom is seldom spontaneous. There is usually a period of dryness, or leaving
one’s first love that precedes the temptation that comes into one’s life. We argue with the Lord, we don’t think His way is the right way. We sit with sinners rather than saints and then we forget the words of the Lord. Then Satan makes it easy for us to sin. It seems so right. The young maid makes an observation that Peter is one of Jesus’ followers and all he has to do is deny that is true.
After his first denial we see something very dangerous happen in
Peter’s life. Nothing! Nothing changes in Peter’s situation. He does
not realize that he just did what the Lord said he would do. He does
not realize the sin he committed. He does not leave from sitting with
sinners around their fire. And most, importantly, he does not pray or confess his sin. In Peter’s lack of action we see why we need the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Abiding in Christ and being led by the Holy Spirit gives discernment to recognize danger and to seek God’s will.
Meanwhile This is occurring while Jesus is on trial. John shows us that Peter is on trial as well – he is on trial over his allegiance to the Lord – who does he really love?
Simon Peter was still standing there Simon (his fleshly name) has not moved. He wants to be near Jesus but he still stands at the world’s fire – “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
Warming himself Peter depends on the world to take care of his needs. He receives some comfort by standing with them. We were told earlier it was cold. The Lord wants us to see this is the state of Peter’s heart, not just the weather.
So they asked him Another challenge to his allegiance to the Lord arises. This time several people are involved – the accusation is a little more dangerous with more accusers and it is more threatening.
“You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” There is some doubt expressed. The accusers are not sure but they think this is right. But their accusation is worded as a question. Satan makes it easy to deny the Lord while the Lord gives the opportunity to stand alone. Which will it be? Tell the truth and stand with the Lord or lie and protect himself?
He denied it, saying, “I am not.” Peter, the leader of the disciples, sins against the Lord once again. Putting his own needs ahead of being faithful to the Lord, he implements his own will – not God’s. The Greek word for deny is the same word Luke used – Peter disowned any relationship with Jesus. Think of the implications of that .
What can we learn? Without repentance, sin grows. Now his sin does not seem to bad to Peter – later the stark horror of what he has done will flood his soul. For now he has forgotten Jesus and his sin does not seem too bad.He feels he can justify it to others, he is is just saving his own skin. After all Jesus is nowhere around, is he?
We stop and ponder the many times God in His word exhorts us to remember. Remember who God is, what he has done for us, whose we are. Over the last few weeks Peter has been physically near the Lord but has forgotten his first love. This is where forgetting leads.