What Does The Bible Say About Denying Christ?
Name: Billy
Question: So this is a theoretical question about what you truthfully believe in your heart and what you say with your mouth in certain situations. I foresee a day (its quite obvious with how things are progressing that this is a fairly certain future) where authorities, whoever they may be, will be rounding people up and asking them “Are you a Christian? What are your religious beliefs, etc, etc” So If I say to them “I’m an atheist or a muslim or agnostic” but believe in my heart of hearts “I’m a god fearing red hot Christian!!” How does God judge you for that? Is it ok to dodge the bullet so to say to keep on living or do you doom yourself because maybe this is viewed as a cowardly, dishonest action? I think this is a situation most of us will find ourselves in soon enough.
Name: Brandon T. Ward
Answer: Billy this is a very good question thank you for bringing it up.
For the record, I doubt in this country we are going to see those days. If this world drags on too long though it defiantly is a possibility. It is worth noting these scenarios are playing out all over the globe and have been for some time.
Please turn your Bible with me to Revelation 2 and listen to the Words of Christ.
Revelation 2:10
10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
Christ wants us to be faithful to Him. “Faithful“, meaning do not turn away from Him. If we say we are another religion we are essentially denying Him. With that in mind I want you to recall Mark 14 where the so called high priests “began to spit on Him (Christ), and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands,” (Mark 14:65).
Mark 14:66-67
66 “And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:”67 “And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Here is your question Billy.
What does Peter do?
Mark 14:68
68 “But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.”
Remember what Christ told Peter in verse 30, “Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.“
Mark 14:69-70
69 “And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.”70 “And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.”
The heat was really being turned up on ol’ Peter. He is alone among a bunch of the high priest’s maids and no doubt sympathizers.
Mark 14:71
71 “But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.”
At this point, Peter is adamantly denying Jesus Christ. So much so that he uses vulgar language to do so.
Mark 14:72
72 “And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.”
Imagine how this made Peter feel. To deny the Lord Jesus Christ was an earth shattering moment for him.
This is only my opinion, but I personally believe God put it in Peter’s heart to deny Christ so it would become an example for us in these end times (1 Corinthians 10:11). To be an example of the hour of temptation that awaits us in the future.
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I do not believe Peter was a coward. After all, when the high priests came to take away Christ he sliced off the ear of one of the high priest’s servants with his sword which means he was an excellent swordsman (John 18:10).
Why would Peter only hours later deny Christ when there was less pressure on him?
I will leave that for you to ponder.
Remember in verses 40-41 Christ came back from praying to our Father and “findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak,” (Mark 13:40-41).
We do not want to be like those who fell asleep at that last hour. We want to be wide awake making a stand for Christ during the Tribulation which is the “Hour of Temptation.” We want our Lamps to be fully illuminated.
In closing, I would like for you to recall the account of the three in the fiery furnace. I want you to recall the courage they displayed before King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and all of his men.
Can you imagine standing before the King of the most powerful nation on earth?
What did the three say?
“Be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” – Daniel 3:18
They told him to go take a hike. They stood by our Father and He delivered them even though they were cast into the fire.
We must all remember to stand by our Father no matter what the outcome or cost may be.
“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life,“ – Revelation 2:10