Be encouraged by the certain prospect of restoration for fallen believers who repent
Previous issues of Grace have considered Peter's self-confidence, his fall and his initial repentance. Finally, we look at the most encouraging part of his story, his restoration. Here is a message of comfort and hope for all true believers.
The Promise of Restoration
It is important to see, firstly, that restoration is a realistic prospect for all true believers. Thomas Watson says rightly somewhere that failure is not falling down but failing to get up. From his very first warning to Peter, Jesus left open a door of hope. Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, he says. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back strengthen your brothers (Luke 22:31, 32).
Remember
Christ prays for all true believers not just for Peter (the you is plural). We can be sure his prayers will be answered. No true believer is irretrievably lost. There is apostasy, yes, but no true believer is lost. The saints are always preserved.
The faith of such believers may falter but it will not fail. The saints are not simply preserved, they persevere. The doctrine of preservation or perseverance does not teach that none stumble or that the path to heaven is easy. Rather, it teaches that however many times he goes under, the believer always rises again.
Even though they may turn away for a while. they will turn back. True faith will not ultimately fail. The Christian goes on believing to the end. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).
When believers do turn back, they must strengthen their brothers. When we do turn back, it is important to be ready to teach others. The return is not to a place of insignificance but to the responsibility of teaching others. Part of the idea is that others should learn from our mistake.
The Beginnings of Restoration
Each case is unique but there is much to learn from the pattern of Peter's restoration. There seems to have been both initial and immediate restoration and then a later and fuller reinstatement. It is legitimate to distinguish between major and minor falls. All falls are serious but not all are equally serious. Their seriousness and significance and endurance will vary. Normally restoration will be quick and immediate but sometimes (for our sakes as much as anything) things are not so simple. We can see this by considering how affairs are properly conducted in the areas of the family and the state. Just as some misdemeanours merit more severe punishment and slower restoration there, so in church discipline there is a range of punishments and of periods in which restoration can take place.
In Peter's restoration there were a number of stages
1. Repentance
All restoration begins here. Without this there is no hope. There must be sorrow for sin and a determination, under God, to put things right. Whatever the sin, this is always the way back. We should be repenting daily, moment by moment.
2. A realisation of individual responsibility and privilege
Mark 16:7 says Go and tell his disciples and Peter. If Mark wrote down what Peter preached it is likely that this was something that stuck in Peter's mind long after it had been forgotten by others. It is a word of rebuke and of encouragement. Restoration is a very individual thing. It is one problem with corporate confession and absolution, as practiced in some congregations. Like conversion, restoration after a fall is something we can only receive personally. As individuals we must recognise our responsibility, our personal failure and our privileges in Christ.
3. Wonder and confusion
We know nothing of Peter's thoughts and actions between his repentance, recorded in the first three Gospels and his full restoration, described by John. We know that the disciples regrouped, however, and we know Peter was slower than John to realise what had happened when they found the empty tomb (Luke 24:12, John 20:8). One characteristic of a serious fall is a sense that it is all over. There is never any reason for a believer to think like this. If Peter had remembered the promises there would have been no need for despair or fear. Remember the risen Lord's greeting (John 20:19) Peace be with you. The empty tomb should have been enough to restore Peter's joy but he was left wondering and confused. The death and the resurrection of Christ, his triumph over sin and death, should lead to joy and peace but too often, like Peter, we remain wondering and confused.
4. Peace, joy and power
Peter does not remain in this state for long. Jesus comes to the disciples and to Peter in particular (Luke 24:34) leading to peace (John 20:19), joy (20:20) and power (20:21-23).
5. Restlessness and failure
It would be easy to assume that this is the end of the story. What could there be more? But God is not so superficial. Clearly Peter was still not unequivocally restored. He, and the others for that matter, were still not living the Christian life as they should and as they would. As time passed they found themselves with Jesus nowhere to be seen and Peter feeling restless and aimless. Eventually they decide to go fishing (John 21:3).
The Completion of Restoration
Finally, for Peter there is a full and public reinstatement by the risen Lord.
Notice the stages:
1. Hope is encouraged
The miraculous draft of fish and the meeting with the risen Lord encourage hope.
2. Denial is reversed
Finally, Jesus meets with his disciples again and speaks specifically to Peter. The three-fold question clearly echoes the three-fold denial. The series is reversed and even the charcoal fire is there again. John 21:15-19 is also the reverse of 13:36-38. Sometimes it takes longer than we think to reverse wrong thinking and wrong attitudes.
3/ The right response
Jesus's question is carefully chosen. This was the real issue for Peter. He had boasted about being more devoted than others (Matthew 26:33 has more than these). But there is none of that now, just a simple and humble assertion (Peter uses a weaker word for love, which may be significant). What we need to get back to, when we have fallen, is renewed yet humble devotion.
4. The response tested
It was not pleasant for Peter to have the question put three times (though in a variety of forms). But devotion needs testing. Snap decisions and rushed statements must be avoided. We need to be very careful here.
5. A new commission
When a man is restored, it would seem, restoration is full. He may be restored to all his previous privileges and responsibilities. Certainly, we do not put a man in the same danger. Peter never again boasts of his devotion. But Jesus does recommission him to the work of being a pastor to the weak, the wayward and the immature (see 1 Peter 1:5). Christ does not give up on such people, nor should we. One Nehemiah Cox was a source of great discouragement to his pastor and congregation in Puritan days and he had to be admonished and disciplined. But by God's grace he responded and went on to be pastor of a church himself
6. A new future
There were hard times ahead. Peter would indeed one day die in the cause of Christ but he was not to think about that (or about the fate of others) but to keep following Jesus. And so we must keep following him too.
7. Great usefulness
Think finally of Peter in Acts 2 and writing his letters. It is not that he never fell again (see Galatians 2) but he was greatly used by God despite his fall. There is hope for us all, if we will look to Christ.
