The Course of Peter’s Knowing “Jesus” In the course of Peter’s contact with Jesus, Peter saw in Jesus many lovely elements, many things worthy of his imitation, and many things from which he could receive supply, and he saw that in Jesus there was much of God’s being and much loveliness. Yet at the beginning he did not know Jesus. Peter began to follow Jesus at the age of twenty, and he followed him for six years. During the time he followed Jesus, he did not know Jesus. It was only because he admired Jesus that he was willing to follow him. At that time Jesus called him by the seashore of Galilee. He asked Peter, “Simon Bar-Jonah, are you willing to follow me?” Peter said, “The one sent by the heavenly Father I will surely follow, and the one appointed by the Holy Spirit I will surely acknowledge. I am willing to follow you.” At that time Peter heard from others that there was a man called Jesus, who was the greatest prophet and the beloved son of God, so he always wanted to find him and always wanted to find an opportunity to see him (because the Holy Spirit led that way at that time). Although Peter had never met Jesus and only heard some stories about him, he unconsciously began to thirst for and look up to Jesus in his heart and always expected to meet Jesus one day. How did Jesus call Peter? He also heard from someone that there was a Peter. It was not that the Holy Spirit instructed him, “Go to the seashore of Galilee. There is a man called Simon Bar-Jonah.” Jesus heard from someone that there was a man called Simon Bar-Jonah, and some people heard his preaching; he also preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, and when hearing it others all wept and shed tears and were greatly moved. After hearing that, Jesus followed this man to the seashore of Galilee. Peter accepted the calling and then followed Jesus. When he followed Jesus, he had many views about Jesus and always measured him according to his own sight. Although he had a little knowledge of the Spirit, he was not so clear. So he said such a word, “The one sent by the heavenly Father I will surely follow, and the one appointed by the Holy Spirit I will surely acknowledge.” He did not understand or clearly know what Jesus did. After he followed Jesus for some time, he became interested in what Jesus did and spoke and also in Jesus himself. He felt Jesus was amiable and respectable, and he liked to contact him and stay with him. By listening to Jesus’ words, he could receive supply and help. During the time he followed Jesus, Jesus’ doings, speaking, behavior, and expressions, as well as his entire living, Peter observed them all and bore them in his mind. He deeply knew that Jesus was different from an ordinary man. Although his human outer shell was very normal, he was full of love for people, full of mercy for people, and full of tolerance for people, and what he did and said were very helpful to people. In Jesus Peter saw things he had never seen, and from Jesus he gained things he had never had. He saw that although Jesus did not have a lofty appearance or an extraordinary humanity, he was full of an unusual and special flavor. Although Peter could not speak fully clearly, he knew that Jesus’ manifestations were different from those of any other man, because what he did was so different from what a normal person did. In the course of his contact with Jesus, he saw that Jesus’ character was also different from that of an ordinary man. He acted steadily and unhurriedly and never overstated or understated, and in his living he showed his normal but admirable character. In his speaking he was natural and graceful, cheerful and composed, yet in his working he did not lose his dignity. Peter saw that sometimes Jesus was silent and sometimes he talked without cease; sometimes he was very joyful, so joyful that he was agile and lively like a dove, and sometimes he was sorrowful without word, so sorrowful that he was like a weather-beaten mother; sometimes he was angry, and when in anger he was like a brave warrior going to strike the enemy or sometimes even like a roaring lion; sometimes he laughed heartily, and sometimes he prayed with weeping. No matter how Jesus lived, Peter had an infinite respect and love for him. He was happy because of Jesus’ mirth, sorrowful because of Jesus’ grief, and fearful and trembling because of Jesus’ anger. Because of Jesus’ mercy, because of his forgiveness, and because of his strict requirements for people, Peter had a true love for Jesus and had a true fear and true thirst for him. Of course, it was only after he lived with Jesus for several years that he gradually came to know these. Peter was a very sensible person. He was born clever and bright. Yet he also did many foolish things when he followed Jesus. At first, he had some notions about Jesus. He said, “People all say that you are a prophet. Did you know you are God when you began to understand things at the age of eight? Did you know you were conceived by the Holy Spirit?” Jesus said, “I did not know. Don’t you see that I am very normal? I am the same as a normal man. The one sent by the Father is a normal man, not a supernatural man. The work I do can represent my heavenly Father, yet my image, my person, and my flesh cannot fully represent my heavenly Father, but only partially. Although I am from the Spirit, I am still a normal man. The Father has sent me to earth as a normal man, not a supernatural man.” After Peter heard these words, he had some knowledge of Jesus. Later, through the very many works Jesus did and his teaching, shepherding, and sustaining of him, he had a deeper knowledge. When Jesus was thirty years old, he told Peter about the work of crucifixion, saying that he had come to do a work, doing the work of crucifixion, to redeem the whole mankind. And he told him that the Son of Man would be resurrected three days after his crucifixion and after his resurrection he would appear to people for forty days. On hearing these words, Peter became sorrowful, and he always had this matter in his heart. From then on, he became closer to Jesus. After experiencing for some time, he came to know that everything Jesus did was God’s being, and he felt that Jesus was very lovely. Only after he had such knowledge did the Holy Spirit inspire him within. So Jesus asked his disciples and the other people with him, “John, who do you say I am?” John said, “You are Moses.” Then he asked Luke, “Luke, who do you say I am?” Luke said, “You are the greatest prophet.” Then he asked a sister, “Who do you say I am?” The sister said, “You are the greatest prophet from everlasting to everlasting, who has spoken many words. No one has spoken higher prophecies than you, and no one knows more than you. You are a prophet.” Then he asked Peter, “Peter, who do you say I am?” He said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You are from heaven, and you are not of earth. You are different from created beings. We are on earth, and you are on earth with us, but you are of heaven. You are not of the world, and you are not of earth.” The Holy Spirit inspired him through his experience, so that he had such knowledge. After he had this inspiration, he admired everything Jesus did all the more, felt that he was more lovely, and was always attached to Jesus in his heart. So, when Jesus appeared to Peter for the first time after he was crucified and resurrected, Peter was extremely happy, saying, “O Lord! You have resurrected at last!” With tears he caught a biggest fish and cooked it for Jesus. Jesus smiled but did not say anything. Although Peter knew that Jesus was a man resurrected from the dead, he did not know the mystery in that. He served the fish to Jesus, and at that time Jesus did not refuse or speak or sit down to eat, but suddenly disappeared. Only then did Peter, greatly shocked, realize that the resurrected Jesus was different from the former Jesus. After he knew that, he felt very sad, but he was comforted at that time because the Lord had accomplished his work. He knew that as Jesus had accomplished the step of his work, his time with men came to an end and men would begin to walk the way by themselves. Jesus once told him, “The bitter cup I drank you must drink (Jesus said this after his resurrection), and the way I walked you will have to walk. You shall lay down your life for me.” At that time, God did not work as he speaks to man face to face today. In the Age of the Grace, the working of the Holy Spirit was very hidden. And Peter underwent a lot of sufferings. Sometimes he suffered to a degree, and he said, “God! I have nothing else, but only one life. Although my life is worthless in your hand, I am willing to offer it to you. Although man is unworthy to love you and man’s love and man’s heart are worthless, I believe that you understand man’s heart’s desire. Although man’s flesh cannot be accepted by you, I wish that my heart would be accepted by you.” He was encouraged every time he prayed such words, especially “I will offer my heart completely to God. Even if I cannot do anything for God, I will satisfy God faithfully and be for God wholeheartedly. I believe that God will search my heart.” He said, “I do not seek anything else in my life but only wish that my thoughts of loving God and my heart’s desire would be accepted by God. I was in contact with the Lord Jesus for so long, but I never loved him. This is my greatest indebtedness. Although I was with him, I did not know him, and I even said some irreverent words behind his back. Thinking of these, I feel even more indebted to the Lord Jesus.” He always prayed in this aspect. He said, “I am less than dust, and I can do nothing. I can only offer a faithful heart to God.” In Peter’s experience, there was a climax. At that time, his flesh almost collapsed, and Jesus still encouraged him within and appeared to him once. When he was extremely distressed and was heartbroken, Jesus instructed him, “You were once with me on earth, and I was once with you on earth. Although we were together in heaven before, that was in the spiritual realm after all. Now I am back to the spiritual realm and you are on earth, for I am not of earth, and you are not of earth either, but you have to perform your function on earth. Since you are a slave, you should fulfill your duty.” When Peter heard that he still could return to God, he was comforted by that. At that time, his flesh was in great agony and he was almost bedridden. He felt remorseful to a degree, saying, “I am too corrupt and cannot satisfy God.” Jesus appeared to him and said, “Peter, have you forgotten the resolution you made before me? Have you really forgotten the words I said? Have you forgotten the resolution you once made before me?” Seeing that it was Jesus, Peter rose from his bed. Jesus comforted him, “I am not of earth, I have already told you. You should understand this. But I have told you another word; have you forgotten it? ‘You are not of earth and not of the world either.’ Now you have the work you ought to do. Do not be so sad, and do not be so distressed. Although man and God cannot be in the same world, I have my work and you have your work, and one day when your work is finished, we will surely be in the same realm, and I will surely lead you to be with me forever.” After hearing that, Peter was comforted and set his heart at rest. He knew that he ought to undergo and experience such suffering. After that, he was inspired. At every crucial moment, Jesus specially appeared to him, inspired him, and led him, doing many works on him. For which matter did Peter feel most remorseful? Jesus once asked him a question (but it was not like what the Bible records). Not long after Peter said, “You are the Son of the living God,” Jesus asked him, “Peter! Have you ever loved me?” Peter knew what he meant by that, so he said, “Lord! I have loved the Father in heaven, but I admit that I have never loved you.” Then Jesus said, “If one does not love the Father in heaven, how can he love the Son on earth? If one does not love the Son sent by God the Father, how can he love the Father in heaven? Only if one truly loves the Son on earth does it mean that he truly loves the Father in heaven.” After hearing these words, Peter knew his deficiency. He always felt remorseful and wept bitterly because of the word he said at that time “I have loved the Father in heaven, but I have never loved you.” After Jesus resurrected and ascended to heaven, he felt more remorseful and sorrowful about that matter. Thinking about his former working and his present stature, he often came before Jesus to pray, and he always felt remorseful and indebted because he could not satisfy God’s heart’s desire and could not meet God’s standard. These things became his greatest burden. He said, “One day I will offer what I have and what I am to you. Whatever is most precious, I will offer it to you.” He said, “God! I have only one faith, and I have only one love. My life is worthless, and my flesh is worthless. I have only one faith and only one love, having faith in you in my mind and having love for you in my heart. I have nothing else but only these two to offer to you.” Peter was especially encouraged by those words of Jesus, because Jesus said such a word to him before his crucifixion, “I am not of the world, and you are not of the world either.” Later, when Peter was distressed to a degree, Jesus reminded him, “Peter, have you forgotten that? I am not of the world. Simply because of the work I left earlier. You are not of the world either. Have you really forgotten it? I have told you twice, and do you not remember it?” Hearing that, Peter said, “I have not forgotten it!” Jesus continued, “You once had a happy gathering with me in heaven, and we were together for some time. You miss me, and I miss you. Although created beings are not worth mentioning in my eyes, how can I not love an innocent and lovely man? Have you forgotten my promise? On earth you shall accept my commission, and you shall complete my commission to you. One day I will surely bring you to me.” After that, Peter was more encouraged and received a greater inspiration because of that, so he could say on the cross, “God! I cannot love you enough! Even though you let me die, I still cannot love you enough. No matter where you will take my soul, no matter whether you will fulfill according to what you have promised before, and no matter what you will do in the future, I will love you and believe in you.” What he held on to were faith and true love. One evening, several disciples, including Peter, were on a fishing boat, and they were with Jesus. Peter asked Jesus a most childish question, “Lord! I have a question, which exists for a long time, and I want to ask you.” Jesus said, “Go ahead!” He said, “Was the work done in the Age of the Law done by you?” Then Jesus smiled, and his smile seemed to say, “This child is so childish!” Jesus replied purposely, “It was not done by me. It was done by Jehovah and by Moses.” Hearing that, Peter said, “Ah! So it was not done by you.” After Peter said that, Jesus said no more. Peter thought to himself, “It was not done by you. No wonder you abolished the laws after you came. It was actually not done by you.” He then felt “assured.” After that matter, Jesus knew that Peter was too childish. As Peter had no knowledge then, Jesus said nothing else and did not refute him directly. Once Jesus preached in a synagogue, where there were many people, and Peter was also there at that time. Jesus gave a message. He said, “The One who is from everlasting to everlasting and who is to come will do the redemptive work in the Age of the Grace and will redeem the whole mankind from sin. But he will not be restricted by regulations in guiding man away from sin. He will come out of the law and enter into the Age of the Grace. He will redeem the whole mankind, and he will enter into the Age of the Grace from the Age of the Law. Yet no one knows him. He is from Jehovah. The work Moses did was given by Jehovah, and Moses set down the law because of the work Jehovah did.” After he said these words, he continued, “Woe to those who are in the Age of the Grace but abolish the commandments of the Age of the Grace. They will surely, standing in the temple, be destroyed by God, and there will surely be a day when fire comes upon them.” At that time, Peter came to some realization after he heard these words. In a period of his experience, Jesus did some works of shepherding and sustaining on him and talked with him heart to heart; then Peter had a little knowledge of Jesus. Recalling Jesus’ message that day and recalling the question he asked Jesus on the fishing boat, Jesus’ reply, and Jesus’ smile, he understood everything. Later, the Holy Spirit inspired him, and then he knew that Jesus was the Son of the living God. What Peter knew was from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but through a process. It was through his asking a question, through a message of Jesus, and later through Jesus’ fellowship and shepherding specially given to him, that he knew Jesus was the Son of the living God. He did not know it in one or two days but through a process. These became a help to him in his future experience. Why did Jesus not do the perfecting work on other people but on Peter? Because only he realized that Jesus was the Son of the living God and no one else knew it. Although many disciples also had much knowledge of him when following him, it was superficial after all. So Peter was chosen by Jesus to be a specimen for perfecting. The words Jesus spoke to Peter were the words spoken to people of today. Now all the knowledge and the life entering in people are to achieve have to reach the level of Peter’s. Everyone will be perfected according to this requirement and according to this way. Why are people now required to have a true faith and true love? What Peter experienced you have to experience. The results Peter achieved through his experience must be manifested in you. And the sufferings Peter experienced you will surely experience. The way you walk is the way Peter walked, and the sufferings you undergo are the sufferings Peter underwent. When you receive glory and live out a true human life, it will be the time you live out Peter’s image. The way is the same, and you will be perfected according to this. But these people’s qualities are a little poorer than Peter’s, because the age is different and accordingly the degree of men’s corruption is different, and because Judea was a nation with a long-standing ancient culture. So you should do your best to improve your qualities. Peter was very wise. He was very keen and very honest in doing things. He suffered quite a few blows. At the age of fourteen he began to contact society. He went to the church while he attended school, and he was very zealous and always liked to have meetings. At that time, Jesus had not formally worked, and the Age of the Grace had just begun. Peter began to contact the religious people at the age of fourteen and came into contact with the upper-class religious people at the age of eighteen. Later, he saw the truth of the chaos within the religion, so he came out. When he saw those people act crookedly and craftily and do some things of intriguing against each other, he extremely loathed it. (At that time the Holy Spirit worked that way, intending to perfect him. He particularly moved him and did some special works on him.) So he withdrew from the church at the age of eighteen. His parents persecuted him and did not allow him to believe. (His parents were devils and unbelieving ones.) At last, Peter ran away from home and fished and preached everywhere. He preached for two years and led many people. Now, you should see clearly what exactly the way Peter walked was. If you see clearly the way he walked, you will be certain about the work done today, and you will not make complaints or become passive or hope for anything. You should know how Peter felt at that time: He was extremely grieved and no longer sought any future or any blessings, and did not go after worldly fame and gain, fortune and pleasure, or wealth and honor, but only pursued to live out a most meaningful life, that is, requiting God’s love and offering to God what was most, most valuable to him, and he would be satisfied. He often prayed to Jesus, “Lord Jesus Christ, I once loved you but I did not love you genuinely. Although I say with the lips that I believe in you, I have never loved you genuinely. I only looked up to you, adored you, and longed for you, but have never loved you or truly believed in you.” He always prayed and made resolutions, and was always encouraged by those words and had them as his motivation. Later, after he experienced for some time, Jesus tried him, and it further stirred up his heart of thirsting for Jesus. He said, “Lord Jesus Christ! I miss you so much, and I long to see you. I lack too much and cannot repay your love. I beseech you to take me away sooner. When will be the time you need me? When will be the time you take me away? When can I see you again? I do not want to live in the flesh anymore. I do not want to be corrupt anymore. And I do not want to be disobedient anymore. I want to fully offer all I have to you and offer it to you soon. I do not want to grieve you anymore.” He prayed like this at that time, but he did not understand what Jesus would perfect in him. While he was tried and suffered greatly, Jesus appeared to him again and said, “Peter, I will perfect you to be a fruit, as the crystallization of my perfecting, for me to enjoy. Can you truly bear testimony for me? Have you achieved what I require you to achieve? Have you lived out the words I said? You once loved me. Though you love me, have you lived me out? What have you done for me? You have realized that you do not deserve to receive my love, but what have you done for me?” Seeing that he had not done anything for Jesus, and remembering his past oath to God that he was willing to lay down his life for God, Peter had no more complaints, and his later prayer was much better than this. He prayed, “Lord Jesus Christ! I was once away from you, and you were once away from me. There were times when we were apart, and there were times when we were together. But you love me more than everything else. I disobeyed you many times and grieved you many times. How can I forget these? The work you do on me and what you commit to me, I always have in my heart and have never forgotten. For the work you do on me, I have done all I can. What I can do you know, and what function I can perform you know even more. I am willing to let you manipulate me, and I am willing to offer my everything to you. Only you know what I can do for you. Although satan fools me like this and I have disobeyed you, I believe that you will not remember my transgressions because of these, and you will not treat me according to these. I am willing to dedicate my whole life to you. I do not seek anything else, and I do not have any other hope or plan. I only wish that I can act according to your thought and act according to your will. I am willing to drink your bitter cup and let you manipulate me.” You should be clear about the way you walk. You should be clear about what is the way you are to walk in the future, what God will accomplish, and what God commits to you. One day, maybe trials will come upon you. If at that time you can receive inspiration from what Peter experienced, it will prove that you have stepped onto the way of Peter. Peter was approved by God because of his true faith and love and because of his faithfulness to God. He was perfected by God because of his honesty and his thirst for God. If you really have a love and faith like Peter’s, you will certainly be perfected by Jesus too.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 10:40:48 +0000
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