The Testimony of Jesus

Fallible Men Chosen for Leadership

Neither the prophets nor the apostles were credited with infallibility. Indeed, the Divine Record shows that sometimes they made mistakes in giving expression to their judgment relative to important questions. But when these prophetic counselors erred in expression of their personal judgment, as in the experience of Nathan, they were forward to change that counsel as soon as they were convinced of error. Nathan advised David very definitely that he should undertake the work of building a house for the Lord; but in a night vision God revealed to the prophet that his advice was not right, and sent him with a message to the king, telling him that he should only make preparation for the building, but that Solomon, his son, should erect the edifice. (See 1 Chronicles 17:1-4, 11, 12.) TOJ 80.4

The apostle Peter, upon whom rested the power of the Spirit of God at Pentecost so that he, with others, spoke with new tongues, was still so blinded by preconceived opinions and steeped in Jewish prejudice that for some years after this he thought the gospel of Christ was only for the Jews. It was necessary for God to give him a vision of the great sheet let down from heaven before Peter was willing to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. And yet during this time he was God’s chosen apostle. (See Acts 10.) TOJ 81.1

Paul and Peter were leading apostles, men moved by the Holy Spirit, and yet there was sharp difference of opinion between them. Peter visited the church at Antioch, made up largely of Gentile believers. At first he ate with the Gentiles and accorded to them full fellowship; but on the occasion of the visit of some from Jerusalem who still held to circumcision, Peter refrained from his former close fellowship with the Gentile believers. This led the apostle Paul to withstand “him to the face, because he was to be blamed.” Galatians 2:11. Paul blamed him, not so much for the Jewish prejudice which still bore sway in his life, as for the fact that he dissembled. He acted a double part, shaping his course by the opinions of men, and not by the principles of the gospel. This failure appeared to be a vestige of the same weakness he had manifested in his denial of the Lord on the night of the crucifixion. But this weakness in the apostle pertained to the human. He was fallible and even erring; yet, nevertheless, he was God’s chosen apostle. And he was not set aside because of these mistakes. God still recognized him in the work to which he had been called, and a truly great service was rendered the cause of Christianity through his zealous effort. TOJ 81.2

The acknowledgment and recognition of human frailty in God’s chosen instruments redounds to His glory. It is seen that human genius or wisdom has no power in the work accomplished or the objects achieved. God works in spite of the weaknesses of the human agent. He employs fallible, erring, and even sinful men in the working out of His purposes. No flesh can glory in His presence; the glory is Christ’s alone. TOJ 82.1