As Jesus was being questioned by the Sanhedrin, Peter was questioned concerning his part with Jesus and three times he denied knowing Him, finally saying “I do not know the Man!” (Matthew 26:69-75) Peter (first) denied Him before men and (Second) went on for the rest of his life to teach exactly what the Lord commanded him to teach. Today most are Peter antitypes. Unlike Peter when they are asked if they know Jesus (first) they are quick to answer yes then (second) they spend the rest of their lives denying His commands.
Today these Peter antitypes haven’t a clue what Jesus taught or commanded, yet with great “faith only” they proclaim His name before the world teaching the doctrines of men and not that of the Lord. Author Anne Lamott wrote: “The opposite of faith is not doubt, its certainty.” So many today zealously and obsessively without any doubt follow their own form of faith which is not derived from the words of the Lord but their own words, denying the word of the Lord they claim saves them. Men “…who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4) With certainty they worship the “word Jesus”, but not the words of Jesus. They deny Him by denying His Word. John wrote: “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.” (2John 9) The love of the “word Jesus” is powerless; the words of Jesus are the spirit that gives life (John 6:63) and all the written text of the New Testament are the commandments of the Lord. (1Cor 14:37) These words of the Lord are the words of life (John 6:68). Judas (not Iscariot) asked: “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” The answer Jesus gave was simple “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…” and “He who does not love Me does not keep My words…” (John 14:22-24) It was Jesus who said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) and Jesus asked, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)
Let’s compare the three: Jesus, Peter and Peter antitypes of today
- Jesus: “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved…” (Mark 16:16)
- Peter answering the question, “what must we do”: says, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Acts 2:38)
- Peter antitypes: “Ask Jesus into your heart” (Online Bible search result: Your search – “Ask Jesus into your heart” – did not match any documents. No pages were found containing “Ask Jesus into your heart”.)
- Peter antitypes: “Just say Lord, Lord come into my heart.” (Online Bible search result: Your search – “Just say Lord, Lord come into my heart” – did not match any documents. No pages were found containing “Just say Lord, Lord come into my heart”)
- Peter: “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the lesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1Peter 3:21)
- Jesus: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
Paul wrote of the spiritual circumcision which is in every way necessary for one to become a Christian as physical circumcision is for one to be a Jew. First Paul declares that Christ completes us and is the head over all which is in harmony with the Lord’s statement in (Matthew 28:18) “10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:10) Second he speaks of the Lord’s church, His body tells us of the spiritual circumcision which puts off the body of sins, (cf. Acts 22:16, Acts 2:38) “11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ.” (Colossians 2:11) Third Paul plainly tells us “how” this is accomplished, namely through being buried like Christ and risen like Christ. (cf. Rom 6:3-4) “12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12) What purpose does Paul attribute to this, the answer is plainly stated in the 13th verse. “13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” (Colossians 2:13)
The circumcision done without hands that is spiritually, is for the forgiveness of sins, and is called baptism.
There are many Peter antitypes in the world today. John called them by another name when he said, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that [the] Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” Truth is, anyone who denies the any part of the word of the Lord, is an antichrist.
I hope you can be like those in Thessalonica who when they received the word of God which was from the apostles, welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively worked in them who believed. (1Thessalonians 2:13)
Ambiguous “faith only” proponents do not believe the words of God even though it is crystal clear that without the word we could not have faith (Romans 10:17) much less be saved. Yes it is the words of the Bible that produce faith, and salvation (Romans 1:17) and without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) Jesus prayed for unity among all saying, “20 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20-21)
Paul said, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) Putting Christ on by being obedient to His commands is like putting on new clothes that have been washed in the blood of the Lamb of God. I hope you will.
And as always, “To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. ” (Jude 1:25)
Bottom Line
There are many “like figures of religious leaders” in the world but, “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.” (Hosea 14:9)
His word says this is what we MUST do to be saved.
We must hear the gospel words (Ro 10:17, Acts 11:14) We must believe the gospel words (Jo 3:16, Heb 11:6) We must repent (Luke 13:5, Acts 3:19) We must Confess Christ (Matt 16:16, Ro 10:9&10) We must be baptized (Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16, Acts 2:38) We must remain faithful as in the gospel words (Rev 2:10)
God Bless you
In Love
Dave Scarpino