For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, EPH 2:8.

 That faith, which is a gift of God, is the imputed faith of Christ, and it will never fail. That faith will stand every trial, but human reasoning which is most often mistaken for faith will fail every time. When Peter's faith was centered in the person of Christ, Jesus called it God-given faith, but when it was centered in himself, Jesus called it human reasoning.

MAT 16:16-17 says, "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood [Do you understand that? 'flesh and blood', i.e., your faith, or your human reasoning] hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." That was God-given faith.

It was this same Peter, who thought it was through faith that he rebuked Jesus. Jesus said in MAT 16:21-22, "...how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things...and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him." Peter was strong enough in faith to rebuke Jesus, but it was human reasoning, and not God-given faith. Peter said, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee."

This seemed like a powerful statement of faith, but Jesus sharply rebuked Peter and showed him that this was not Christ-centered faith, but human reasoning. Jesus answered Peter in MAT 16:23, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things, that be of God, but those that be of men." Until now, Christ-centered faith and human reasoning were all the same to Peter.

Satan is such a supplanter. It is a very common satanic trick to supplant human reasoning for faith! How do we distinguish faith from human reasoning? Who is the author? Where does it come from? Who is glorified by it?

This is beautifully illustrated in LUK 22:31-33, "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." The Lord sent this sifting to separate Peter's human reasoning from God- given faith.

The Lord tries our faith with these fiery trials to teach us to distinguish between true Christ-centered, God-given faith, and human reasoning. Jesus did not pray that Peter's human reasoning would not fail! Jesus told Peter "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." Peter was so strong in his human reasoning that he could say, "Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death."

Did Peter's faith fail? We know the history. Peter did not go with Jesus to death; he did not go with Jesus to prison. Peter cursed and swore and denied that he ever knew the man, MAR 14:71. Did Peter's faith fail? No, it was his human reasoning that failed: the Lord Jesus said, "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not."

This prayer of Jesus is what saved Peter from the same despair into which Judas fell. LUK 22:61-62 says, "And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter...And Peter went out, and wept bitterly." That look of love opened Peter's eyes by God-given faith to see the emptiness of human reasoning, and now by imputed faith he saw "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms," DEU 33:27.

Our human reasoning, like Peter's, will fail every time, but our text says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves [not of your own human reasoning]: it is the gift of God." Amen.