Peter—A Pattern of Conformation to the Person of Christ

Two crucial elements for the constitution of the New Testament ministry are the process of the growth of the divine life and conformation to the person of Christ. The book of First Peter shows us that a person who was so much in himself at the start of his Christian life became one who was stable, mature, virtuous, full of life, one with God, and living a life of God mingled with man. In brief, Peter had grown into a completely different person than the one we see in the four Gospels.

Article 1: A Person With a Divine and Heavenly Calling

When the Lord called Peter, his status changed, his position changed, and the meaning of his life changed. He could no longer do whatever he wanted to do, because in God’s calling, he had a promise and a commission.

Article 2: Appointed as an Apostle to be a Co-Worker with God

Peter was appointed by the Lord to be a servant of the Lord, but before he could be sent out, he needed to know the Lord and His operation in His mercy and sovereignty, and be constituted by His divine attributes in order to express Him through human virtues.