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WHAT ST. PETER REALLY BELIEVED
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We admit on the card above that this title is a play on words, with the words "really believed" bearing both meanings. St. Peter "really believed" these things as opposed to what is often fathered upon him, and he "really believed" them in the sense of owning them with all his heart and soul and mind.
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1) St. Peter believed in the authority of the Bible: "But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel hath been preached unto you." (1 Peter 1:25) Peter had the words of Christ ringing in his ears about the way that tradition could make void the true word of God (Mark 7:1-13) Although, by necessity, he was going to introduce the words and works of Christ in his sermons and writings, yet Peter did not depart from what was written in the Bible. On one occasion when he refused to sit down with Gentile Believers because of the presence of Traditionalists from Jerusalem, he was correctly rebuked by the Apostle Paul for his departure (Galatians 2:11ff) At the Reformation in the 16th Century, there was a return to the simple word of God and many false teachings which were based purely on church traditions were rightly jettisoned. Remember, if a teaching cannot be found in the written word of God, then it has no claim upon your soul. You can reject it and still be right with God. All that we need to know is found written in the word of God. This has always been the position of the orthodox people of God: "The Holy and Inspired Scriptures are sufficient of themselves for the preaching of the truth." (Athanasius: Cont. Gentiles 1.1) Again: "You have an exact standard and rule of all things. I beseech you, do not regard what this man or that man thinks, but enquire all things of the Scriptures." (Chrysostom: Homily 13 on 2 Corinthians 6) |
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2) St. Peter believed that redemption was by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ alone: "Knowing
that you were not redeemed with corruptible things...but with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled." (1
Peter 1:18-19) This is the terrible price which must be paid for sin: "Without shedding of blood there is no remission." (Hebrews 9:14)
Peter did not believe that man could either redeem himself or even
contribute towards his salvation in some way. Salvation is entirely of
the Lord (Jonah 2:9) 100% without human contribution of any kind. There
is no merit in any religious or pious act that we perform. We are saved
by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and that excludes human merit
of any kind.
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3) St. Peter believed that Christ's sacrifice for sins was a never to be repeated event: "Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust that he might offer us to God." (1 Peter 3:18) There
is no sacrifice for sins now. The debt has been paid once and for all.
The Lord's table is a simple remembrance feast where the bread and wine
speak figuratively of the
Lord's body and blood. There is only one sacrificing priest and that is
Christ who "offered himself without spot unto God." (Hebrews 9:22) We
need no other priest! We have no other priest! Those who make the
FINISHED work of Christ their sole grounds of salvation are saved
eternally. On the Cross, Jesus cried: "It is consummated!" (John 19:30) and we ought to let that suffice us. |
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4) St. Peter believed that salvation is by grace alone: "But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ..." (Acts 15:11) Flee to Christ alone for salvation. Not to a church or a sacrament with the hope of obtaining grace, but to Christ alone who freely imparts it. |