I wouldn’t suggest anyone have disrespect for St. Peter. But as we think it through, we have the following evidence regarding the possibility St. Peter was capable developing an errant doctrine and God used another apostle to bring correction. Peter had to be corrected (as did most if not all the disciples) by our Lord on more than one occasion. Examples being: suffer the little children to come to me and St. Peter’s attempt to convince our Lord to avoid the cross. These corrections were necessary, and were made by our Lord before his ascension, and before the granting of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost – The Spirit who would lead them into all truth.
Interestingly, we see St. Peter make another misjudgment many years after Pentecost. Galatians 2:12 “But when Peter came to Antioch, I withstood him to [the] face, because he was to be condemned:” Did St. Peter repent? We don’t exactly know. And if he wasn’t in the wrong, then St. Paul was. At any rate, it is a GIFT from God that it is recorded in Scripture that early church fathers could be wrong on a point. When we reconsider their teachings, we don’t have to conclude that we ourselves are either just too sinful or just too dense if we are unable to see agreement between their statements and other principles in God’s Word. Often we see it recorded in Scripture that someone had made a mistake, and someone else came along and made a correction.
I believe errors come into existance when doctrine is formulated apart from the Grace of our Lord – or when it was influenced by a human desire for control or the preservation of human power or reputation. Scripture clearly indicates many examples of such, and that eventually, God brings about a correction. That is why, although I don’t go crazy “throwing out dogma” just because its dogma, I firmly believe we must know why we believe. And I believe we must compare every teaching of the Church with every other teaching, checking for anything contradictory to Grace, or purporting “another” gospel.
Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15
There remains faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love.
gratia Domini nostri Iesu Christi vobiscum
Interestingly, we see St. Peter make another misjudgment many years after Pentecost. Galatians 2:12 “But when Peter came to Antioch, I withstood him to [the] face, because he was to be condemned:” Did St. Peter repent? We don’t exactly know. And if he wasn’t in the wrong, then St. Paul was. At any rate, it is a GIFT from God that it is recorded in Scripture that early church fathers could be wrong on a point. When we reconsider their teachings, we don’t have to conclude that we ourselves are either just too sinful or just too dense if we are unable to see agreement between their statements and other principles in God’s Word. Often we see it recorded in Scripture that someone had made a mistake, and someone else came along and made a correction.
I believe errors come into existance when doctrine is formulated apart from the Grace of our Lord – or when it was influenced by a human desire for control or the preservation of human power or reputation. Scripture clearly indicates many examples of such, and that eventually, God brings about a correction. That is why, although I don’t go crazy “throwing out dogma” just because its dogma, I firmly believe we must know why we believe. And I believe we must compare every teaching of the Church with every other teaching, checking for anything contradictory to Grace, or purporting “another” gospel.
Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15
There remains faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love.
gratia Domini nostri Iesu Christi vobiscum
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