Do My Mistakes Disqualify Me From Serving God? - Matthew 16

Matthew 16:23 - But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

When we read Matthew chapter 16, we often commend Peter for his expression of faith in Jesus as the Christ, and rightfully so, Jesus commended him too. But if you keep reading in that context, the next thing Peter says is somewhat less commendable, and Jesus actually rebuked him for saying he wouldn’t allow Jesus to die, because his plan was better than God's plan.

So in chapter 16, Peter's boldness, his faith, and his ignorance are on display. But even still, Jesus had big plans for Peter.

He was not a perfect man. We read about his mistakes as we progress through the New Testament, but God still used him to benefit the early church in a multitude of ways.

This is consistent with a pattern we see throughout the scriptures. God uses imperfect men to accomplish His perfect will.

God doesn't need perfect servants, He just wants willing servants, and Peter was one of those.

So if you feel inadequate or unusable by God because you are not perfect, let Peter, his life, and the way God used him serve as an inspiration to you.

Willingness is God's qualification, not perfection.