PETER’S CONFESSION, - |

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CCLXXXIX,

PETERS PONFESSION.

ESUS came into Cesarea
Philippi.
day talking with His dis-
ciples, He said, “Whom
do men say that I am ?”
The disciples answered, “Some say

that thou art John the Baptist;

some Hlias; and others Jeremiah,
or one of the prophets.” Then Je-

sus said, “ But whom say ye that I

am?” Simon Peter answered, “'Thou

art the Christ, the Son of the living

God.” Jesus looked upon Peter,

and said, “ Blessed art thou, Simon,

for flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee, but my Father, which
is in Heaven. And I say unto thee,
that thou art Peter; and upon this
rock I will build my church; and
the gates of hell shail not prevail
against it.” Jesus meant, that none
could love Him so sincerely, and

confess Him so boldly, as Peter did,

without God’s grace. “No man

can say that Jesus is the Lord, but

by the Holy Ghost.” 1 Cor. xii. 3.

Why. did Jesus give Simon the
name of Peter? The word Peter
means a rock; Jesus called Simon
rock, because he was so firm and
stedfast in the confession of his
faith. But Peter was not the rock
on which Jesus would build His
church. hat rock was Christ him-
self: He is the only foundation on
which His people can build their
hopes of salvation. “Other foun-
dation can no man lay, than that is

Jaid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor.

 

As He was one

‘ii. 11. You remember the parable

of the wise man who built his house
on a rock ;—“ The rains descended,
and the floods came, and beat upon
that house; but it fell not, for it
was founded upon a rock.” Maé-
thew vii. 25. So it is with the
church, the people of Christ. Satan,
and all the powers of hell, may try
to overthrow it; but they will never
be able, for it is founded upon the
rock, Christ Jesus. “The gates of
hell shall not prevail against it.”

Jesus said something more to
Peter. He said, “I will give unto
thee the keys of the kingdom of
Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt
bind on earth, shall be bound in
Heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth, shall be loosed in
Heaven.” What did this mean?
Had Peter power to open the gate
of Heaven, and to save the souls of
men? No; Peter had no such
power; Jesus did not mean this.
But Peter was to be the first to go
and preach the Gospel to Jews
and Gentiles, and to tell them how
they might enter Heaven. He was
to say to them, “Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be
saved.” And this we shall find he
did at the day of Pentecost, after
Christ’s ascension. to Heaven.

This same Gospel is preached to
us now. We should pray that we
may be enabled to receive it into
our hearts; and to love the Lord
Jesus Christ as sincerely, and con-