When Believers Backslide

Have you ever wondered what happened to certain members in the church who are no longer here? Have you ever gone missing for a period of time with no real logical reason for being marked absent. I mean your only real reason is that you need a break from the church. That is a break from the worship of God and the fellowship of the saints. Yes, I’m thinking the same thing you’re thinking. I can understand a break from ministry service but definitely not worship. Problems is, sometimes being a Christian will involve some difficult times. But its during those times that you should draw closer to the Lord. I believe when we drift we find ourselves on downward slope to backsliding. Peter gives us an example of what happens when we backslide.

They Deny Being Under the Tutelage of Jesus

They Deny Being In Association With Jesus

The New American Commentary: John 12–21 (4) Peter’s Second and Third Denials (18:25–27)

The point of all the narratives, however, is virtually the same. Peter failed at this stage of his discipleship. He was merely a fallible human whom the church must not remake into something more than a human. Clearly, sometimes he was a miserable failure as a follower of Jesus. But that fact helps us as human failures to realize that we do not have to be perfect to become followers of Jesus or to be accepted by God.

The New American Commentary: John 12–21 (4) Peter’s Second and Third Denials (18:25–27)

Jesus knew Peter’s good intentions, but he also recognized his human insecurities and his resistance to full commitment, even after the resurrection (cf. John 21:21–22). That reality ought to help us find acceptance when we like Peter hear the trumpet blow or the cock crow and we are alerted to our failures.