Aspects of Christian Character: Faith

Now we're going to skip a couple hundred years, all the way to the New Testament. I'm going to take a look at one of the twelve disciples that Jesus called: Peter. Someone explained to me that being called into a religious work at that time was a great honor. Many people were rejected by the Pharisees to be a religious apprentice. Because of rejection, other occupations may be found. Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen, most likely because they got rejected by some of the religious leaders. The word about Jesus was getting around, and even though He was not liked by the Pharisees very much, he was still respected as a religious leader. Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were fishing, and Jesus called them to come follow Him, so that they could become fishers of men instead of their not so likable current occupation. This was a great honor for them, and immediately they put down their nets to follow Jesus in the adventures that He would lead them on. They immediately followed because this was such an honor to be accepted by such a respected figure as Jesus, and Jesus did many great things, including healing Peter's mother.

Although this passage is not related to Peter, I thought this story of Jesus was pertinent to this paper:

18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

20Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

21Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

22But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Matthew 8:18-22

Peter gave up the things that were most important to him, to follow this Jesus, even at the costs of such things like this.

There's a specific story in the Bible that many people refer to when they thing of the disciple Peter, and this story is the recounting of Jesus walking on the water:

22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance^[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

29"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Matthew 14:22-32

Many people say that the best place to be as a Christian is in the center of God's will. This statement is not true. It is true that the safest place to be is in the center of God's will, but who's to say that we have to be safe. We are the pioneers of the Christian faith, and we should not just sit there in the boat watching opportunities for calling come by; we have to seize these opportunities in faith. This is what Peter did. Here is yet another passage that isn't part of Peter but pertains to him:

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

Hebrews 11:1-2

This verse was most likely written after Peter's time, but it still would hold great value to him. This passage goes on to say:

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he^[a]considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:3-13

Jesus promised the disciples that one day Jesus would return to earth in all His glory and reclaim the kingdom for his name's sake. The disciples had faith that this would happen, even though it didn't happen during their lifetimes.