Title: To Whom Do We Go?
"To whom shall we go?" These words, found only in the Gospel of John, reflect our determined determination never to go to anyone else. Moreover, doesn't the Lord have the word of eternal life? We can easily admire Peter's confession. However, if we look at the life of Peter in John, we cannot help but think that he was a person worthy of such a confession.
According to the writer John, Jesus has the initiative in choosing disciples. Immediately, Jesus, whom John saw, says, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you" (15.16). All of these scenes emphasize the initiative of Jesus. However, in the first encounter between Jesus and Peter, Jesus does not exercise this initiative, but rather Peter comes to Jesus first under Andrew's guidance (1.42). This creates an unsettling atmosphere that Peter may not be among the people Jesus chose.
If we look at the contents of Peter's confession, "I believe and know that you are the Holy One of God," our anxiety about Peter is amplified. Peter confesses Jesus as "the Holy One of God" (ho hagios tou theou). This confession, if understood in isolation, seems like a good confession. However, the title “Holy One of God” appears only here in the Gospel of John, and only once in Mark (Mark 1.24) and once in Luke (Luke 4.34) throughout the New Testament. In the case of Mark and Luke, the title is introduced as coming from the mouth of Satan. Of course, on the surface, John does not introduce Jesus' remarks that identify Peter with Satan as in Mark 8:33.
However, the title "Holy One of God" is linked to Satan's confession in both other places. It was a title that was deliberately avoided among primitive Christians in the first century AD. It is no coincidence that the use of the title "Son of God" or "Christ" (Messiah) is extremely limited throughout the New Testament compared to its frequent use throughout the New Testament. . What does it mean that the writer John treated this satanic confession, deliberately avoided by primitive Christians, as coming from the mouth of Peter? It is nothing other than an attempt to equate Peter's activity with Satan's.
Peter expresses his determination to lay down his life for the Lord (13.37), but Jesus predicts that he will deny himself three times before the rooster crows (13.38). Jesus' prophecy about Peter's denial eventually comes true. Soon, Peter denies Jesus three times (18.17, 25, 27). Peter, who once confidently vowed to lay down his life for Jesus (13.37), saying, "To whom shall we go?", cowardly spares his life by separating himself from Jesus.
This confession made by Peter two thousand years ago is still being made everywhere today, either in the same form or in a modified form. Thousands of Christians are expressing their determination by asking, "To whom shall we go?" But are we really going to him? Or, are you eventually returning to yourself instead of him? Are you thinking only of His glory? Or are you not actually living your life for your own glory in the cause of His glory?
First, let's look at the textbook. What does the accusation against money distribution and entertainment provision that are constantly circulating every year during the election of the president of each denomination that elects the highest Christian representative tell us? Isn't the fact that the lottery system is being proposed as an improvement plan for high-ranking policies is not a clear proof that corrupt elections are so pervasive in the religious world? If not the secular golden almighty and fetish ideology has already penetrated deeply into the church, what is it?
Also, where are lay Christians going? In any case, can you finally confess that you will go to the Lord? If people say that they will receive great material blessings if they believe in Jesus, people will flock to them, but if they say that if they believe in Jesus, they have to prepare for a narrow path, isn't it a leading phenomenon to leave one by one? Even two thousand years ago, when Jesus shared the bread, 4,000 and 5,000 people flocked in like a cloud, but when Jesus was arrested, they all backed away. When he performed miracles and healed the sick, people surrounded him so tightly that it was hard to even speak with Jesus close to him, but when he was crucified, they all ran away in a fight.
Now is the time for us believers to seriously ask ourselves. Even if we do not receive material blessings, even if our lives become worse than we are now, even if the planned work does not go smoothly, even if the disease gets worse, will we still not deviate from the Lord’s way? Even if everything I can see is taken away, even if I face insults, persecutions, misunderstandings, and shame because of the Lord, not in my imagination, but in reality, can I still say that I will go to the Lord to the end?
Entering the path of faith is a frightening thing. It is all the more terrifying that those who have already taken the path maintain it. It's not about humming along a road that is guaranteed to have a brilliant success and a bright future. Peter swore, "Even if I die with you, I will not deny you" (Mark 14.31), but he broke that oath the very night he said it. It is scary to walk the path of faith because it is to drink a bitter cup with Jesus. It is because the body must be crushed with Jesus. Because you have to die with Jesus. And, it's because it's a difficult task to persuade those around you to walk on that harsh road together. Therefore, there are many Christians who encourage others to become Christians and fall out of the way themselves.
Paul declared, "I determined not to know anything except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (I Corinthians 2.2), and he was faithful to this declaration all his life. He was always on the go, in case his actions were not in line with this declaration. Therefore, Paul's confession, "I beat my body into subjection, because after I have preached to others, I am afraid that I will be rejected by myself" (1 Corinthians 9.27), it can be understood in the context of this thorough introspection.
We Christians are people who are determined to come to Jesus. They are also people who have decided to recommend the path to others. Whenever one's own social power and ambition, one's own wealth and honor, stand out more than the cross of Jesus, we will have to strike our bodies and try to return to the Lord again. Only then will we avoid the vain situation of being abandoned by ourselves after we preach to others.
"To whom shall we go?" - This confession is not made to strengthen our convictions when they are strong, but rather to destroy our convictions and fix our eyes on something other than the cross of the Lord. It will be a more fitting confession. Soon, this confession will become a ray of light when we are far from the cross of the Lord because of our pursuit of glory, and we are in a terrible situation with a sense of psychological shame, and yet we are trying to harvest our hearts toward the cross of the Lord again. I sincerely hope that the grace and blessings of the Lord will always be with you in your future who have courageously entered this dreadful and difficult road.