[OLD REGGIE]

If you cannot refute the simple claims the stratedy is to bury them with Apologetics propaganda.

For example:

Matt. 14:28-29 - only Peter has the faith to walk on water. No other man in Scripture is said to have the faith to walk on water. This faith ultimately did not fail.

Once again Peter's "faith" failed and he was about to drown because of his failed faith.

[30] but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."
[31] Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Sadly your "spam" reply is full of half truths and untruths.

[Cronos]

Really? And yet, when Peter was beginning to sink, he still called out to the Lord.

Also, now English is a tricky language (not to mention Koine Greek or Aramaic) -- DV did say This faith ultimately did not fail. --> "u l t i m a t e l y" -- at the end of Peter's life when he was crucified, his faith did not fail.

English can be a tricky language, but it's grammar is not as tricky as Koine Greek (with masculine and feminine genders for inanimate objects like petros/petra)

[Cronos]

Sadly your "spam" reply is full of half truths and untruths.

1. Which "half truths"? Just because one doesn't read the sentence or the bible in it's entirety does not make it a half-truth
2. Which untruth?
3. Can you name these half-truths and lies that you say DV's post is "full of"?

[Deo volente]

Peter had to learn, like the other Apostles, to trust in the Lord Jesus. He was not born a saint. He had his struggles, just like you and me. The Lord did not give him the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven because he was perfect. It was not a reward for his perfect faith, because at that point Peter's faith was still being perfected. It ‘failed” on the occasion of his overconfident and misguided trust in his own ability to walk on water, but it ultimately did not fail. In the end Peter was faithful, and that's all that really matters in the area of salvation, final perseverance in faith and love.

Peter had something else, something very precious; an intense and all-consuming love for, and devotion to, the Lord Jesus. Even when he sinned grievously, out of human fear, by denying the Lord three times, Peter was brought back to his senses and touched so deeply when Jesus looked at him, that he immediately went out and wept bitter tears of sorrow.

If you want to play Bible “ping pong” with a single verse that proves nothing, I'll play the game at least for now. Here are a couple of Scriptures coming back at you:

“...but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

http://biblebrowser.com/luke/22-32.htm

[15] When therefore they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter: Simon son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.

[16] He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs. [17] He said to him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved, because he had said to him the third time: Lovest thou me? And he said to him: Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee. He said to him: Feed my sheep.

http://www.drbo.org/chapter/50021.htm

[Jvette]

St. Peter’s faith is what sustained him and we must never forget that faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith.

This the problem with taking verses and trying to make them stand on their own rather than seeing everything as a piece of puzzle that fits into a much bigger picture. One cannot possibly see the whole picture by looking at only a single piece.

St. Peter is so many things that it is impossible to base his significance on one single Scripture verse.

He is the Vicar of Christ, but he is also each and every believer. His story runs the gambit of Christian faith in that he can make a statement so profoundly true that even Christ declares that it must be from God and then make one that is so profoundly wrong that Jesus must correct him. Even going so far as accusing him of being Satan!

The faith and the church are only as strong as it’s weakest link. If we see the Trinity as the strongest links in the chain of faith, then we better understand that Peter’s faith is the weakest and it is upon this link that Jesus has entrusted His church. That is why He had such special words and instructions for Peter.

Peter as the rock, and his confession are not necessarily exclusive of one another. For it is God’s revelation to Peter that Jesus is the Messiah that moved Peter to say to Jesus, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” and thus gave Peter the confidence to go out into the world, proclaiming Jesus as Lord, baptizing all in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

We are all subject to the same doubts and denials that Peter endured, but, we know through Peter’s later redemption and faith that the same path is open to us. We can trust that Jesus would never allow error to mislead us as He never would have allowed error to mislead Peter.

The problem is who decides what is truth and what is error.
There must be an authority. Yes, that authority is Jesus and His word. Yet, which understanding of that word are we to trust?

There can only be one narrow path, the Holy Spirit would not lead us all down individual, separate paths, therefore, there must be one authority. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit is that authority. Just as one has free will to accept the love of God and redemption through, with and by that love, one has the free will to accept the Church as authoritative.