FOLLOWING AFAR OFF

"BUT PETER FOLLOWED HIM AFAR OFF unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end."
Matthew 26:58 (KJV)

"BUT PETER FOLLOWED HIM AT A DISTANCE to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end."
Matthew 26:58 (NKJV)

A number of people, so-called believers, are following Christ from afar. Their commitment is not total or complete and they are not submissive unwaveringly. If anyone wanted to follow Christ at all, It should be done wholeheartedly and not halfheartedly—the commitment should be total and absolute.

If I may ask, Are you following Christ from afar or closely? Is your commitment total and absolute?
One of the signs that a believer is having a skeleton in his or her cupboard is when such began to shirk or dodge in his or her following—when such is no longer consistent in their commitment or followership, especially If such had been consistently consistent before.

Note:
When you begin to dodge or avoid the gathering of the people of God, fellow believers, It means you have started stinking, giving foul or offensive odours; putting your hands in dirty things or sins.
One of the initial and major signs through which you get to know that a believer has started compromising his or her stand or faith is when such started avoiding other brethren, his or her spiritual parent, or the gathering of believers—the people of God.

A brother
Several years ago, a brother in the church I was pastoring started avoiding me, and also not frequent or regular in the church meetings as he used to. I told someone who is close to me that this brother has a skeleton in his cupboard. It is either he has started putting his hand in sin or has something that is not ethical which he is getting involved in.

When a believer started evading meetings, avoiding to see the spiritual authority under which he or she is, It means such is trying to hide something. Such has been spiritually contaminated and he or she is trying to hide it.
If a believer tasted the pleasure of sinful life, It would be to him or her as If they have been in a bondage all the while. But such euphoria or joyfulness does not always last, the person would soon realize that there is nothing out there, outside Christ.
Such would soon discover his or her nakedness. It was when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit that they discovered their nakedness (Genesis 3:6,7).
A true believer who went astray would soon discover his or her nakedness. The prodigal son who thought he could live without the input or contribution of his father in his life was able to discover soon his nakedness and emptiness (Luke 15:18-24).

If you had done wrong, instead of following afar off, playing hanky-panky or being deceptive, why do you not go back to God and genuinely repent that your relationship with Him, which has gone soured or unsweetened, be restored and you be fully reconciled to Him.
And If there is anything to confess and be restituted on or made a change on, you should go to your spiritual parent and confess that he may help you and be fully restored and reintegrated back to the fold of God—believers gathering.
Instead of being a truant, hiding and making yourself an orphan, you should do the needful as the prodigal son did by going back to his father (Luke 15:18-21); he was restituted and reconciled with him. You also should endeavour to retrace your steps back and be reconciled to God.

Peter was afraid because his faith was being challenged and threatened and would not know whether he should continue following or should go back, he was being threatened by death—thus, he was following from afar (Matthew 26:58).
Though, Peter had earlier boastfully declared that he would not deny or betray Christ, whilst Jesus told him that he would do that thrice before the cockcrow at dawn (Matthew 26:33-35). When Peter got to the place of fear, he was undetermined whether to continue following or not.
Now:
• Are you being challenged or threatened in your faith?
• Is there anything making you to be afraid or intimidated in your followership?
I would enjoin you to be of good courage and forge ahead in your followership—in your resolve to follow Christ—do not go back at all.
If you had put your hand in any sin, repent and be reconciled to God and be back in the fold of the people of God.
Peace.