HARRY MARTINEZ: Be on guard

Jun. 21—It is normal to enjoy success and have regrets in failure. How those successes and failures are handled become a test of one's stamina and determination. The Christian life is often mixed with times of spiritual successes and failures. Times of claiming the promises of God by faith and seeing His hand graciously at work on behalf of an individual who has placed their faith in Christ, brings a sense of gratitude and joy. All seems to be going well until that faith is tested and surely it will be.

Scripture reveals examples of believers rising to great heights only to fail as the Adversary seeks to derail their faith. The Apostle Peter comes to mind with his monumental response to Jesus' inquiry ... "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt 16:15b-16 NIV). Jesus commended him ... "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven" (Matt 16:17 NIV). Within the space of a few moments, Peter had an equally monumental failure. Matthew records in his gospel ... "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men" (Matt 16:21-23 NIV). Peter, voicing his love for the Lord, had reacted emotionally.

The Cross of Christ was a necessity if mankind was to have relationship with God. Knowing all things before they occurred, even before the creation of man, the Godhead in Divine Council purposed to redeem mankind from sin in order to provide eternal life with God. Christ would come into the world for that very purpose. He would bear the judgment and penalty of sin for His disciples and every human being. Any individual could then have eternal life merely on the basis of faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross. Human effort, personal success or failure were discounted. Only faith in Christ would bring salvation through His meritorious work on the Cross.

Another occasion would mark disappointment in the life of the Apostle Peter. Though ardent and vociferous in his support of the Savior, Peter's faith would once again be tested. "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. and when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me" (Lk 22:31-34 NIV). Though Peter had failed again, he would recover fellowship with the Lord. He had learned to acknowledge his sins and failings and keep moving forward.

John wrote ... "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9 NIV). God the Holy Spirit had Peter write two epistles encouraging persecuted and oppressed Christians living in Asia Minor. He challenged believers to ... "be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:17b-18a NIV).

Peter had experienced the grace of God in his life and he became the leading apostle to the Jews. He had learned that only a gracious God can take one's failures and turn them into trophies of His grace.

Harry Martinez, a resident of Albany, is a retired minister who served a nondenominational congregation in Florida. His weekly column appears in several South Georgia newspapers.