If Jesus didn't choose you and pray for you,
you won't learn this lesson.
This lesson is the true story of a man who had
made a deep personal commitment to follow
and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
This man was quite open about his personal relationship with Christ, just as the familiar song says: "I have decided to follow Jesus... though no one join me, still I will follow... no turning back..." For he trusted in his decision and in his commitment to stay with Jesus, no matter what.
His name is Simon Peter. For him, the reality of this lesson came to the fore on the night of the last supper, when Jesus was betrayed and arrested. Jesus had said that all of his disciples would be offended and would forsake Him that night. But, on the strength of Peter's own personal commitment, he assured Jesus that, even though all of the other disciples would forsake Him, yet he would not. But Jesus said to Peter, "Truly, I say unto you that this night, before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times."
But Peter insisted, saying, "though I should die with you, yet I would not deny you."
This was Jesus' actual reply to Peter's words: "Simon, Simon, Satan has obtained you by asking, in order to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you, that your faith might not fail. And, when you have turned back, strengthen your brethren."
That very night, after Jesus had been arrested, Peter did deny that he knew Jesus, three times! The last time, while he was denying Jesus with swearing and cursing, Peter heard a rooster crow. At that moment Jesus looked right at Peter. Then Peter went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:27).
Was this predestined? Was it irrevocable that Peter would do this terrible thing in spite of his personal resolve, his self-esteem, his vision of himself, his strong will and self-determination, even in spite of his faith in himself and in his own conscience and feelings? Obviously, it was preordained. What a humbling thing! What a lesson! What a deflation of the ego of man the true Gospel is! False evangelists tell us that--in order to feel good about ourselves--we are supposed to trust in--even to glory in--the very things that Jesus would not allow Peter to trust in. To glory in the abilities, the feelings, the emotions, the decisions, and the commitments of men is to please ourselves and not to serve God.
It was as if Peter had said that the Lord could count on him instead of Peter relying completely on the Lord. Peter had put his own love, purpose, and vision of himself ahead of Christ purpose. Now Peter had to learn not to trust in his own ability; he had to learn that God's purpose is not in the least dependent on man's "free will" and commitment. He had to learn that his soul's salvation and his Savior's love toward him did not depend on his own ability to choose and to make a commitment to the Lord. His faith in himself had to die, so that the faith that God gives might stand pure. Jesus will not tolerate any other doctrine: He said to his true disciples, "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you..." (John 15:16). The saving work is "all of God."
All who base their salvation on their own ability to choose Jesus, all who put their trust in their own commitment have a very defective faith. They have not believed and submitted to Christ's words and the will of God. They have not submitted to the grace of God. In fact, they have been obtained by Satan. These are all in for a most severe sifting. Only those whom the Lord has chosen, only those for whom Jesus has prayed, will be turned back and restored from this foolish and presumptuous sin.
What is this sin? Anyone who trusts that God is subject to his free-will choice or that God is dependent upon his commitment actually violates the First Commandment. This is because the one who believes this puts himself right up along side God, as if he were a co-determiner of the eternal destiny of his own soul. To believe such a thing is not only egoism, it is idolatry. God first does the choosing: then He alone ennobles the spirit by making his people willing in the day of His power (Psalm 110:3). All of the saving work is God's work. Furthermore, the Lord is the only One Who is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24). For a man to say that his salvation has anything to do with his own natural will or ability is for him to try to grab some of the glory that belongs to God only. God will not share His glory with another. "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy" (Romans 9:16).
Peter was only allowed to feed the Lord's sheep and to strengthen his brethren after he had been turned around from his presumptuous sin and vain self-confidence. Then he told his brethren that it is God Who does the choosing, not us, and that the ones who have been chosen are "kept by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:2 and 5). However, the lesson that the Lord taught Peter will only be learned by those for whom Jesus prayed (John 17). The rest will be left to go on deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13).
By Edward E. Crawford
