You Can Do Well (Part 2)

“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?’ Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, ‘Do you [really] love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’”

John 21.17 (AMP)

You can do well! But if you have not done well, there’s hope in Jesus Christ for redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. 2 Corinthians 5.17 states, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” Your old life – your past mistakes, bad choices, guilt, and regrets – is gone. Your identity is not rooted in your old life and past mistakes, your identity is hidden in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3.3). You are a new person in Christ and you have a new life.

Peter, one of Jesus’s 12 disciples, did not do well. Peter denied knowing Jesus and disowned Him three times because he was afraid. Mark 14.71-72 states, “Then he commenced invoking a curse on himself [should he not be telling the truth] and swearing, I do not know the Man about Whom you are talking! And at once for the second time, a cock crowed. And Peter remembered how Jesus said to him, Before a cock crows twice, you will utterly deny Me [disclaiming all connection with Me] three times. And having put his thought upon it [and remembering], he broke down and wept aloud and lamented.”

Despite Peter’s momentous mistake, Jesus forgave him and restored him. Peter was justified in Christ Jesus – just as if it never happened. Romans 5.1 states, “Therefore, since we have been justified [that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God] by faith, [let us grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).”

What needed to be addressed in Peter for him to be restored and to move forward in a victorious life with Christ? Here’s a deeper look at similar elements addressed in my former blog post, You Can Do Well (Part 1).

1.      Humility and Godly Sorrow

When Peter denied Jesus three times, he “wept bitterly [that is, with painfully moving grief]” over his sin (Luke 22.62). Peter’s grief was marked by godly sorrow because it led to his salvation in Christ Jesus. In contrast, Judas, who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, experienced worldly sorrow and only repented to man, not God for sinning against innocent blood and hanged himself (Matthew 27.3-5). 2 Corinthians 7.10 states, “For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.”  When you humble yourself and repent of your sins, you receive God’s salvation because you have hope and faith in Him. There is never any hopelessness with God.

1 John 1.9 states, “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].” God is faithful and true to His nature. When you come to Him with "a broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent],” He will accept you and redeem you because He is merciful and gives grace to the humble (Psalm 51.17, James 4.6). He will forgive your sins and restore you to right standing with Him.

2.      Love the Lord and Obey His Commandments

When Jesus restored Peter, Jesus asked Peter three times about the sincerity of his love, and then following Peter’s affirmation gave a commandment for Peter to follow. The first and greatest commandment is “to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” but the sincerity of your love for God is proven by your obedience (Matthew 22.37).

John 14.21 states, “The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].” Your love for God is the access point to your obedience, and your obedience to God’s commandments is the defining factor in your relationship with God and signifies if you know Him.

You cannot say you love God, and then take actions that contradict His Word or instruction concerning your life. 1 John 3.18 states, “Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words].” True love goes beyond words or speech. Love must be exemplified in our actions and sincerely put into practice out of what we believe in our hearts.

1 John 2.5 also states, “But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him.” Your obedience to God shows that His love has been perfected in you and you are united with Him. Love and obedience were vital to Peter’s restoration because they established his relationship and unity with Jesus Christ.

A true relationship with God cannot be absent of love for God or obedience to His Word and direction for your life. When you love God with all your heart, your love is put into action by faith and obedience to God’s commandments.

3.      Follow Jesus

Jesus told Peter to follow Him twice – the first time, He told Peter he must be willing to follow Him unto death, and, the second time, He told Peter to follow Him and not be distracted by comparing God's direction for Peter's life with other people.  John 21.21-22 states, “So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, ‘Lord, and what about this man [what is in his future]?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!’”

You are called to follow Jesus. You cannot look to your left or your right. You cannot compare what God has called you to do with what God has called others to do. You cannot shrink back in fear concerning anything you may endure. You must trust Him with all your heart and follow Him. Matthew 16.24-25 states, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity].’”

To follow Jesus, you must be willing to endure whatever may come, deny yourself, and keep your eyes fixed on Him. Hebrews 12.2 says, “Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” You must be an imitator of Christ. Jesus endured the cross and willingly laid down His life out of love for you and obedience to the Father (Ephesians 5.1-2).  You must be willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus because you love Him, trust Him, and are obedient to His Word. When you purpose in your heart to follow God above all else, you will not go astray, but you will desire to live following what God wills because you have the mind of Christ (1 Peter 4.1-2).

You can do well! God forgives, God restores, God redeems. There is never any hopelessness in Him. Have faith in God and believe He can turn your situation around when you come to Him. Humble yourself, love the Lord, obey His commandments, and follow Jesus – you will do well when you live your life wholly submitted unto Him.