“Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.”
— 2nd Peter 1:14
“…but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and crry thou whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”
—John 21:18-19
The invitation to follow Christ is an invitation to die — die to sin, die to self, die to the world that is enmity with God.[1]
Tradition has it that the Apostle Peter was crucified on a Roman cross like Jesus was. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs says of Peter’s death:
“Among many other saints, the blessed apostle Peter was condemned to death, and crucified, as some do write, at Rome; albeit some others, and not without cause, do doubt thereof. Hegesippus saith that Nero sought matter against Peter to put him to death; which, when the people perceived, they entreated Peter with much ado that he would fly the city. Peter, through their importunity at length persuaded, prepared himself to avoid. But, coming to the gate, he saw the Lord Christ come to meet him, to whom me, worshipping, said, “Lord, whither dost Thou go?” To whom He answered and said, “I am come again to be crucified.” By this, Peter, Perceiving his suffering to be understood, returned into the city. Jerome saith that he was crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was.”
I am not saying we should look at tradition or history on par with scripture, but we do see that the knowledge of Christ brings liberty from the fear of death. Thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near thee[2].
The scriptures, particularly the New Testament are careful to distinguish between the “sleep” of the physical body and the spiritual death of the soul that is the true death that we should fear[3]. Jesus explains to us that “…He is not a God of the dead, but of the living.[4]”
Established in the righteousness of Christ, the Rock unmovable, we can meet eternity with confidence.
“He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life [present tense!], and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
If you are saved you live, you will live, and you are living and reigning with him forever.
Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb[5].
Amen.
[5] Revelation 19:9
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