Peter’s Act of Obedience

When Jesus, a carpenter, gave Peter, a fisherman, advice about fishing, Peter obeyed. What can we learn from him?

Luke tells of Peter’s reply, when Jesus told him to put his boat out into deep water and let down his nets for a catch:

Simon replied, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, I’ll drop the nets.”

Calvin comments on Peter’s remark:

…a particular instance of faith, rendered to a single command of Christ, would not have made Peter a Christian, or given him a place among the sons of God, if he had not been led on, from this first act of submission, to a full obedience.

Being a Christian isn’t about obedience. It’s about faith. Peter wouldn’t get any “credit” for obeying Jesus in this instance, unless it led him into a deeper faith in Christ.

But, as Peter yielded so readily to the command of Christ, whom he did not yet know to be a Prophet or the Son of God, no apology can be offered for our disgraceful conduct, if, while we call him our Lord, and King, and Judge we do not move a finger to perform our duty…

But Calvin then asks how many of us who claim a deep faith, fail to offer even the obedience of a non-believer like Peter was at that point in his life? A good question!