I am sure we all know about the famous disciple that denied Jesus, Judas Iscariot.
I am joking it was Peter, Judas is the betrayer.
It was Peter who denied Jesus. I believe he did that not because he was ashamed of Jesus Christ, but because he feared criticism. He feared how the people would react if they found out he was one of the guys who associated with Jesus. The fear of "What will they say". A typical example is, some people after years of not attending church and one Sunday they wake up feeling like going, but a thought pops up, "What will people say, you've missed church for over three months, don't go". A fear of people's criticism.
Later after Jesus Christ's resurrection, Peter received the Holy Spirit and he had boldness. We read about him boldly speaking out in a crowd about Jesus Christ;
"Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that." ~ Acts 2: 14-15 NLT
Peter's behavior in Antioch goes to show just how, even when a person is saved, one has to live life daily yielding to the Holy Spirit's guidance. We ought to continually renew our minds through the Word of God. Even as a Prophet/ an Apostle one has to continually look at Christ, the author and Finisher of our faith. Even after receiving the Holy Spirit we may still have attitudes and mindsets that we need the Holy Spirit to help us deal with.
When Peter visited Paul and the Christians in Antioch, he ate with them. But when other Jewish believers from James came, he withdrew and stopped eating with them, for fear of being criticized by them. We can see that perhaps Peter still had that fear of "What will people say".
Paul rebuked Peter openly and reminded him that, we aren't saved by our works but by God's grace. We are made right with God by our faith in Christ. Obeying the law will never make anyone right with God. Paul makes some very paramount statements;
~If keeping the Law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
~Our old selves have been crucified with Christ.
~It is no longer us who live but Christ lives in us. ~We are dead to the law.
I am glad the old way of the Law has ended. We are now under the New Testament. The way of the Spirit. Glory to God! May we continue living in the freedom Christ died for us to have, without fear of any human criticism.
