From the desk of Pastor Ben
Lessons From Peter’s Rebuke And Christ’s Reply

“You are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
                                (Matthew 16:23b)

With this statement Jesus gives the reason Peter became an agent of Satan: he was reasoning from his sinful, finite mind, trusting in his own perspective rather than God’s. When believers focus solely on themselves and their worries, they become easy victims for Satan’s traps and can also ensnare others. Thus, James writes in (1:2-4, 12), “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

From Peter’s rebuke and the Lord’s reply, we can learn two vital lessons. First, God’s plan of redemption doesn’t correspond to humanity’s. People insist on their own kind of Messiah and on coming to God on their own terms. But human’s propensity to sin never leads to saving faith. To reject the cross is to reject Christ, no matter how much people might profess Him and praise Him.

Second, there is pain in the divine refining process. Christ calls His disciples to share His suffering and cross. He encourages them to deny themselves and take up their crosses as they follow Him (Matthew 16:24). To produce spiritual gold from believers, God must first burn off their sinful dross. Through the prophet He declares, “I will . . .refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them” (Zechariah 13:9a).

Ask Yourself:
Where in your own life do you have the hardest time determining the difference between God’s interests and your own? When you’re really not sure whether you’re thinking clearly about a matter, how do you go about determining the truth of a situation, decision, or action?