登陆注册
19572400000157

第157章

Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance."The apostle was well qualified to speak of the purposes of God concerning the human race; for during the earthly ministry of Christ he had seen and heard much that pertained to the kingdom of God."We have not followed cunningly devised fables," he reminded the believers, "when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount."Yet convincing as was this evidence of the certainty of the believers' hope, there was another still more convincing in the witness of prophecy, through which the faith of all might be confirmed and securely anchored."We have also," Peter declared, "a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."While exalting the "sure word of prophecy" as a safe guide in times of peril, the apostle solemnly warned the church against the torch of false prophecy, which would be uplifted by "false teachers," who would privily bring in "damnable heresies, even denying the Lord." These false teachers, arising in the church and accounted true by many of their brethren in the faith, the apostle compared to "wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever." "The latter end is worse with them," he declared, "than the beginning.For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."Looking down through the ages to the close of time, Peter was inspired to outline conditions that would exist in the world just prior to the second coming of Christ."There shall come in the last days scoffers," he wrote, "walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." But "when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them." 1 Thessalonians 5:3.Not all, however, would be ensnared by the enemy's devices.As the end of all things earthly should approach, there would be faithful ones able to discern the signs of the times.While a large number of professing believers would deny their faith by their works, there would be a remnant who would endure to the end.

Peter kept alive in his heart the hope of Christ's return, and he assured the church of the certain fulfillment of the Saviour's promise, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself."John 14:3.To the tried and faithful ones the coming might seem long delayed, but the apostle assured them: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you....Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."In the providence of God, Peter was permitted to close his ministry in Rome, where his imprisonment was ordered by the emperor Nero about the time of Paul's final arrest.Thus the two veteran apostles, who for many years had been widely separated in their labors, were to bear their last witness for Christ in the world's metropolis, and upon its soil to shed their blood as the seed of a vast harvest of saints and martyrs.

Since his reinstatement after his denial of Christ, Peter had unflinchingly braved danger and had shown a noble courage in preaching a crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour.As he lay in his cell he called to mind the words that Christ had spoken to him: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." John 21:18.Thus Jesus had made known to the disciple the very manner of his death, and even foretold the stretching of his hands upon the cross.

Peter, as a Jew and a foreigner, was condemned to be scourged and crucified.

In prospect of this fearful death, the apostle remembered his great sin in denying Jesus in the hour of His trial.Once so unready to acknowledge the cross, he now counted it a joy to yield up his life for the gospel, feeling only that, for him who had denied his Lord, to die in the same manner as his Master died was too great an honor.Peter had sincerely repented of that sin and had been forgiven by Christ, as is shown by the high commission given him to feed the sheep and lambs of the flock.But he could never forgive himself.Not even the thought of the agonies of the last terrible scene could lessen the bitterness of his sorrow and repentance.As a last favor he entreated his executioners that he might be nailed to the cross with his head downward.The request was granted, and in this manner died the great apostle Peter.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 武国

    武国

    见过穿越的,没见过连穿的。陈阳大学毕业三年过的可谓顺风顺水,前段时间刚刚被提为部门经理,陪客户吃饭时酒醉居然睡梦中穿越到了古代,好不容易发挥社会主义青年吃苦耐劳的精神混的风生水起,睡梦中又穿回来了。情节虚构,请勿模仿!
  • 这个世界有你的时候时间短

    这个世界有你的时候时间短

    这是阿福的中短篇小说自选集。作者的目力所及,笔力所至,多为当代都市生活。但偶尔也涉及偏远题材,如“荒原之夜”写遥远的知青生活,“大凤小凤”写更遥远的民国生活,“国权老爹”和“小村的故事”写的是乡村人物,“闵介生和他的高个妻子”和“一个做姐姐的老姑娘”写的是文化大革命时期的普通人的生活,“尘封的记忆”写睡梦中的潜意识,“一封遗书”写同性恋者的心理活动等等。本自选集的最后一篇“这个世界有你的时候时间短”,以意识及颠覆意识的多角度表达,并以集中的和散点的意识流互为结构,描述现代生活的复杂斑斓。
  • 少爷莫痴呆

    少爷莫痴呆

    生为孤儿,在这乱世生存,可是被骗的这剩这肉身,如今已经买身于青楼,现在想死的心都有了,天谁来救救我,没想到,天降痴呆少爷,救我于水火,看来这个痴呆少爷挺有钱的,那就骗他点也没关系,于是跟着他走南闯北,可是看他的要风度有风度,要才华有才华,怎么都不像是痴呆,不过有时候像个小孩,我怎么有种我又被骗了的感觉,不是感觉,就是被骗了,在这乱世也不想讨回公道了,先走为上,可是怎么就被发现了,失去了自由,这能难道我这现代人么?我让他后悔留下我,没想到,在他眼里变成宠爱。
  • 倾华:医妃天下

    倾华:医妃天下

    21世纪的神医白玉兮遭好友出卖而身死,竟意外重生为大辰相府三小姐,从宅斗到权利的争斗,这世上不缺的就是出阴谋诡计的人。一个倾华天下,一个腹黑绝美,两人皆是风华绝代。并非乱世却比身处乱世更为凶险,几次死里逃生,主角医术棒棒哒,无金手指。
  • 落泪梨花

    落泪梨花

    小时候和黎阳有着美好的回忆,长大后遇见了个对她无比好的季凌陌,正当她的心开始被一步步瓦解时。黎阳的出现打破了她原本平静的生活……
  • 盘古大神

    盘古大神

    散修出身的九天玄仙赵琼,在仙界为了更好的丹药和功法,得罪了不少仙人,终于有天惹火了仙帝,被整个仙界的人追杀,被逼无奈只能自曝,自曝居然都没有死去,在疗伤无望的情况下转世成为了一个普通大学生,但是做为大学生在快毕业的时候又因为喝醉酒了,被公交车撞飞,到了一个魔法大陆,在这魔法大陆上,赵琼又会遇到什么呢……
  • EXO之巧克力奶茶

    EXO之巧克力奶茶

    奶茶店的偶遇,是我爱你的开始,鹿晗,不要离开我......对不起,世勋,等你长大了就会明白,有一种爱叫放手......
  • 恋上霸道拽公主

    恋上霸道拽公主

    一个阳光明媚的早上,3个美丽的女孩闯进了圣樱贵族学院,她们将在这里开始奇幻的冒险,在这场冒险中她们会收获自己的爱情,同时也会迎来挑战,最后结局如何,还不赶快去看看!
  • 火焰升腾

    火焰升腾

    一个魔法学徒,在一次和人冲突中,被打破了魔法核心,幸遇天才光明神官,开始了他通往武士的巅峰之路……
  • 冷血独宠

    冷血独宠

    他们青梅竹马,他对她百般呵护,她对他依赖万分。可她终究还是负了他,她从来只把他当哥哥;他对她一见钟情,给尽宠爱,当她发现自己的心意时,他却转身离去,她始终忘不了他,在背后关注他,承受这一切。他,会回头吗?