The Peter Principle
INTRODUCTION:
The Peter Principle is a management concept in which the selection of a candidate for a new position is based on his/her performance in their current role rather than on abilities relevant to their intended role.
This is, however, not a study of secular management concepts but one of the Apostle Peter's adult life based upon a chapter entitled Peter's Repentance in Andrew Murray's book Absolute Surrender.
When we look at Peter's character, so full of failures, we probably think him to be really incompetent. However, when we realize what Christ made of him by the power of the Holy Spirit, there is hope for every one of us.
In fact, the phases of Peter's life are a pattern that most Christians will go through on their path to spiritual maturity.
We Are Called:
Like Peter, Jesus called us to follow Him and He will make us become fishers of men. If we are not fishing for men, then we must not be following Christ!
When told to forsake his nets and Follow Jesus, he did it at once. When told to launch out into the deep and let down the net, Peter knew there were no fish there but submitted to Jesus' word and did so.
We all start our Christian life from different stations in life. Some are more educated than others. Health, affluence, and worldly experience also differ greatly. However, from a spiritual perspective, we all are incompetents at first. The process for us Christians is the reverse of the Peter Principle in secular management. Our spiritual competence increases with time if we faithfully follow Jesus.
Peter was a man of faith. He is the only man known to ever walk on water except Jesus Himself.
He, like the other disciples, believed that Jesus would provide and protect him.
Peter had spiritual insight; When asked, "Who do you say that I am?" he answered, "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus responded that Peter's acknowledgement was from God, the Father, rather than from the wisdom of men. He went on to say that, He would build His church on divine revelation rather than the wisdom of men. Too often today, we attempt to reverse the role that Jesus identified. We try to build the church, and fail to acknowledge that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and follow Him.
Peter was a good citizen; he respected the law and paid his taxes. Though short tempered and tempestuous, he was a good moral person. He was what we would call "street smart", a willing worker and inclined to take matters into his own hands.
In other words Peter used his self capabilities to do a lot of good things. This often happens with us as well.
Though now a Christian, there are lots of good things we can do with self.
AS PETER LIVED THE LIFE OF SELF
Peter was skilled and had great confidence in himself. Many of us are talented and skilled and use those abilities to "serve Christ." He rebuked Christ when Christ told of his forthcoming suffering and death. Jesus' response must have startled Peter who told Jesus that he would follow Him to the point of death.
Peter was able to perform many miracles. Since Jesus had not yet ascended back to The Father and sent the Holy Spirit, self was all that Peter had to work with. Though we have the Holy Spirit, we are too often inclined to quench Him and perform deeds with our self.
He asked to sit in the place of honor in Christ's kingdom but was told that he was not ready, for only The Father knew who would be assigned that privilege.
PETER'S REPENTANCE
We, like Peter, will likely have to experience an embarrassing or undesirable circumstance to shake or break us before we willingly give up our carnal ways in "Christian service."
Bearing our cross means death to self. Until we fully enter into a new life in Christ, we will not enjoy His blessings for effective service. Though we have the Holy Spirit in our spirit, we quench Him and assert self. By living this way we deny Christ rather than ourselves. Though we may be well educated and have great Bible knowledge, we live lives of unbelief and wonder why we are no more spiritually fruitful than we are.
How sorrowful Peter must have been when he saw Christ crucified and buried. He pondered, "My Lord is gone, my hope is gone, and I denied my Lord!"
WHAT CHRIST MADE OF PETER BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
After His resurrection, Christ told Peter to wait until Pentecost. He became a changed man;with more boldness and power.
We probably have provided physical testimony of death to our self and new life in Christ by our water baptism. While submerged, we present the imagery of death for we can only live for a few minutes without oxygen.
Being raised back from the water, we illustreate new life in Christ. This new life is to be Holy Spirit energized but we can resort back to self-control. One of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit is the control of our self.
Peter became aPastor of the first church in Jerusalem. He contributed two books to the New Testament.
As free agents, we can chose to live in the Spirit or resort to carnality. The products (fruit) of our lives communicate our choices to others.
ABSOLUTE SURRENDER
The condition for obtaining God's full blessing is absolute surrender to Him. We, like Peter, can accomplish some things in the Kingdom with self but they will not likely be lasting.
Are you fishing for men or are you living a life of self-gratification?
Remember, one day in the future, you will stand alone before the Celestial Judge and give a complete and honest account for how you used your few years; following Jesus or gratifying self!
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