Swept Away by Grace—A Study in I Peter-part 3: Broken for Joy
I think for us to understand Peter’s letter, we need to remember for a moment who Peter was and is. Here was a man who was a self-reliant, strong, rugged fisherman who knew how to work hard, get things done through the storms, and who had a loyal heart. He was amazed by the truth that Christ called him to be a disciple. He had left everything that he knew and trusted in to follow after Christ without a moment’s hesitation. For three years he had followed Christ and he had grown to love Christ; although, there were moments he didn’t fully understand what was happening. Many times along that part of his journey his faith had been tested and at times he had failed. Christ had confided to his apostles the plan was that he would die and would rise again to new life so that all might be saved; yet, Peter didn’t want to hear that. All Peter could see was the moment before him and did not understand the reality of eternity until later—but at that moment in the garden Peter rose up to defend Christ and Christ had said no.
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Peter so believed that he was strong, courageous and would die defending His best friend and master; but, then the most painful thing that could ever happen did. He, Peter, denied Christ three times. Christ had even warned him that it would be so; but, the horror of coming face to face with his own failure was almost more than he could bear. Peter suddenly knew he was not worthy of God’s Grace.
He was not worthy to be called as a child of God. Christ was beaten, tortured, ridiculed and hung on a cross to die. Christ was then buried and rose from the grave on the third day. Now for a moment imagine the agony of Peter’s heart those three days. Even then, he
could not imagine that Christ still could love him or use him. Peter could only see his failure and his unworthiness before the perfect glory and righteousness of Christ. Suddenly he was awed by Christ. Christ came and spoke with him, Peter was relieved; but, still seeing himself naked and unworthy he went back to being a fisherman. Then Christ came again to him, extending His mercy and His grace. He returned to the seashore where he first called Peter and there He called Peter again, to feed the sheep. Now a humble Peter was ready to serve his Master. No longer did Peter rely on his own strength or goodness. Now he knew he needed a Savior and he was swept away by grace. Now go back and read verses 1- 5 once more. Now we can move on to verses 6-9 with a better understanding of what Peter wanted to convey.
I Peter 1: 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Peter had come to learn that there was no tribulation or trial on this earth that could break his heart more than failing Christ and having to face his own poverty of love toward Christ. Peter could face any other loss—food, money, family or any other pain-physical pain, scars, suffering; but, he could not bear to see how his own pride had caused him to betray Christ. So, let’s examine these six lessons presented here.
1. The greatest pain we will ever know is when we truly recognize the depth of our own depravity and inability to see Christ’s magnificent righteousness or to love Him as we should. The pain of our day to day failures as a Christian would seem unbearable—more than any other trials or disappoints we face—that is what Peter knew so well.
2. We are useless to Christ until we are broken from pride’s grip on us.
3. Salvation is 100% grace and there is nothing this self-exalting heart can do to gain God’s favor
4. When we know that, we rejoice with all the trials of our faith come. We know that every painful sifting away of chaff from these hearts, opens us to be able to see the magnificent beauty of his grace.
5. We know that the Holy Spirit is always working out our sanctification unto obedience. Little by little chipping away at the last shred of sin in our lives that we cling to.
6. The greatest of mystery then happens as we hate the battle against sin, loathe our own failures, and become covered with scars; we become aware that our joy is in Christ. Everything else begins to fade away and we stand amazed by His glory and His beauty. There we become strong inspite of our own weakness, beautiful though covered with scars, loved though thoroughly unlovely, and joyous in the midst of grave trials. What a wondrous, amazing God our Creator and King is!!
Let me end with these three quotes from Jonathan Edwards for you to ponder as you ask yourself—Do you know Christ as your Savior? If so, are you able to rejoice as each layer of pride gets stripped away so that the Glory of Christ might shine through your brokenness?
“A truly Christian love, either to God or men, is a humble broken-hearted love. The desires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires. Their hope is a humble hope; and their joy, even when it is unspeakable and full of glory, is a humble broken-hearted joy, and leaves the Christian more poor in spirit, and more like a little child, and more disposed to a universal lowliness of behaviour.”
― Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections
“The deceitfulness of the heart of man appears in no one thing so much as this of spiritual pride and self-righteousness. The subtlety of Satan appears in its height, in his managing persons with respect to this sin. ― Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections
“Grace is the seed of glory, the dawning of glory in the heart, and therefore grace is the earnest of the future inheritance.”
― Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections
Listen to this song, Fall Apart
© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba
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