Peter's Example

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 13
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Take a case in point. Throughout Christendom great honor is professedly paid to Peter. Magnificent buildings have his name attached to them. But if the fisherman-apostle could come back to us and were to teach in the pulpits of “St. Peter's” the truths taught in his Epistles, he would probably be flung out with scorn like his Master from the synagogue at Nazareth. For it is indisputable that Peter tells us that new birth is the fruit of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God received by faith into the heart (1 Peter 1:2323Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23)), but Christendom affirms that new birth comes through baptism administered by priestly hands. Peter also tells us that all believers in Jesus are priests, “a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:55Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)); but Christendom insists that priesthood is the exclusive privilege of an official few, and thus God's saints are thrust into darkness and distance from their Father and God.
Viewed in the light of eternity, men's buildings that are erected in honor of the dead, whether they be tombs or cathedrals, are worth very little, but who can estimate the value of the Spirit's words concerning the “great cloud of witnesses,” of whom Samuel was one, “of whom the world was not worthy” (Heb. 11:3838(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:38)).