A More Confident Word

I am a pretty confident person. Not one that goes around telling people off or anything like that, but I have never really struggled holding to what I believe is right. Go me. Ok moving on. As I’ve grown in my own faith in Christ and the things of God, a regular question that came to my own mind was, “How do I know this is correct?” I can remember driving to school as a child and considering if Christianity was actually real. I can remember attending funerals and being confronted with the reality of my own finiteness and considering, “What if I am wrong and Christianity isn’t the truth?” Now this never caused me to abandon my faith and, praise the Lord, my faith has only grown over the years, but there is a passage of Scripture that deals with this exact concept, and I found it very helpful!

Peter wrote to believers who needed encouragement that their calling and election by God was sure and certain. Peter began by recounting some beautifully theological truths, but made a transition halfway through chapter one to something that one may look to as THE example (emphasis added.) 

Peter wrote, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.”  (2 Pet. 1:16-19)

Peter was recounting the events that transpired on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus miraculously appeared before the spirits of Moses and Elijah in his unfiltered glory. What a sight! What a moment! Even more than that, Peter also audibly heard the voice of the Father. Now admittingly, God did chastise him for his comments, but he still heard Him! It makes sense to me that Peter would bring this experience up for his audience. And you almost expect him to go on and say, “So if you are doubting, don’t doubt anymore! Because I saw with my own eyes, the glorified Christ and it was truly awesome!” But he doesn’t do that at all. In fact, he does the opposite, by lowing the impact of that awesome experience preferring rather something else for his and their source of hope. Read on.

“...And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention...” (2 Pet. 1:19) 

What? How could anything be more certain that witnessing the glorified Christ alongside heroes of the Old Testament and hearing the audible voice of the Father?! Peter was very clear and very direct. The received prophetic word from God is more certain than even an experience like the Mount of Transfiguration. 

Why? Because Peter was confident in his own frailty and sinfulness to know that there must be a better standard than his own memory, eyesight, or even personality. Peter recognized that truth had to originate from outside fallen humanity, or even the best intentions could lead people astray. 

This is why he concluded, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (12 Pet. 1:21)

Do you struggle with confidence in your faith? Peter would cry from the rooftops, “Trust God’s Word!” I cannot agree with Him more. This is the more fully confirmed word because it comes from the most trustworthy source, God Himself!

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