SUBJECT: Peter

QUESTION:  What did Peter know about law and grace prior to receiving the Holy Spirit?

ANSWER:

Clearly Peter did not have full grasp of very much until after he received the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit must have been working with him during the time he was with Christ.  Surely he heard Jesus say what He did about the law and at least mentally was somewhat aware of what He was saying.  After receiving the Holy Spirit, he certainly put it all together and it made full sense.

We see Jesus talking about His mission to get the law back to what it was designed for.  The law was established to point man to a thing called principle.  Both the law and principles (fruits of the Spirit) are spiritual.

Romans 7:14

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Galatians 5:22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Notice:  There are no laws against principles.  If you are invoking principles in your lives, you are both above the law and in no need of the law.  An honest person does not need to be told not lie or steal.  Now should you slip and lie or steal, you have the law to point you back to principle.

God gives us grace so that we can have the opportunity to invoke principle or the fruits of the Spirit.

Now, did Peter have any understanding of this prior to being given the Holy Spirit?  Clearly Jesus spoke of it.

Matthew 5:17-20

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Note:  Jesus says here that first, He is come to fulfil the law...get it back to what it was designed to be and show man what was beyond the law, that is, the fruits of the Spirit.  Notice how verse 18 says that nothing will pass from the law till all be fulfilled.  It will be fulfilled when everyone is in the God Family.

In verse 19, we see that if we break even one commandment, we break them all because we now need the whole law to point us back to principle.  It also says that if we do and teach them we shall be called great in the kingdom.  How do you "do" the law?  Principles, on the other hand can be done.  In keeping the law, what do you "do" to keep the commandment that says not to lie?  However, when we talk of the principle of honesty, we see a lot that can be done and taught.  We are teaching conduct.  Principles are partially defined as "guidelines for human conduct".  Now, the Pharisees and scribes were doing the works of the law or simply keeping the law.  More is needed.  We see this in verse 20...our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees if we are to enter the Kingdom.

We get a glimpse of this concept in the next two verses...

Matthew 5:21-22

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Keeping just the law (thou shalt not kill) is now not enough.  Now we must replace anger toward our brother with love, compassion, patience and forgiveness just to mention a few.  All of these elements are principles.

Peter was getting this message.  I believe that he was at least introduced to the concept and it was there in his mind when he actually received the Holy Spirit.  As I said, these are Spiritual elements and if we are to walk in the Spirit, we must have the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

Peter knew the Spirit was coming and he had three and 1/2 years with Christ to learn these things.  Notice the huge change between the night Christ died when Peter was denying he knew Him and about 50 days later on the day of Pentecost when he delivered probably one of the greatest sermons ever delivered.