The New Peter Principle

Mark 8:31 "He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

Most people know about the 'Peter Principle' - the idea that everyone keeps getting promoted until they beyond their ability so that the business world is populated by people who are in positions over their competence level. Having worked in several companies, I see the truth in it.

I also have seen a New Peter Principle that is being taught in churches across the country and over the airwaves. It is a message of Christ - in the sense that He is acknowledged and praised as Peter did prior to this passage in Mark 8. But it is a message that eliminates the cross, as Peter tried to do.

It is a message of shortcuts. It's a shallow message of cheap grace and cheap victory in the world. It's a no-cost, all-frills message. As Jesus says to Peter, it's a message of the 'things of man' because it focuses on the world's view of success - money, power, popularity, personal vindication, personal agenda.

The worst aspect of it, though, is that it is ultimately a message that eliminates the Resurrection. There can be no resurrection unless there is a death. There can be no empty tomb unless there is a bloody cross. And the resurrection is what makes everything in my life worthwhile. My sins, my guilt, my judgment, my shame - were all upon Him on the cross. When He died, they were buried with Him. When He rose - He rose clean. Think about that - He rose clean. Amen!

Beware of the New Peter Principle - the one that tries to keep the cross out of the Gospel. As Jesus said, "Get behind Me, Satan." If the cross is eliminated, all you're left with is the shallow victories of the cultural Christianity that is preached today. If you want something deeper - you need the cross and the resurrection.