2 Peter 1:19-21

"And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:19-21

Not only were Peter and his buddies convinced by what they saw, but the prophets of long ago testified about the coming of the Christ. Jesus fit their prophesies, and the identity of Jesus was made more certain. They saw Him and knew what the prophets said about Him. Peter wants to make certain that the reader understands that what the prophet's wrote down was not from them. It was not the prophets own interpretation, and what they said had nothing to do with their will. The process by which the Scriptures were written was this: Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Often I will encounter a challenge from students and other adults who claim that the Bible is just a book written by men, and therefore it is not divine or of God. While it is true that men penned the words down on paper, it is not true that their message originated with them. This passage explains what evangelicals believe about the Scriptures. Men spoke from God, yes, but only as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guarded their words and thoughts so that God could reveal Himself to the world in written form. The Bible is God's revelation of Himself! The next logical question would be, "how do you know that what you claim as books of the Bible are really the Bible?" The short answer is that I believe the Holy Spirit has preserved God's Word. The intellectual argument is a lengthy one and I would love to interact about it, but that is not the purpose of this blog. If you would email me or comment I will respond. The question is this: What do you believe about the Bible? If the Bible can't be trusted because its from men, then is there any real truth? What if the Bible is true? I believe the evidence for the reliability of the Scriptures is so overwhelming that I have no doubt it is from God; therefore, truth exists and man is held accountable accordingly. One last thought, God is Righteous and Holy and must hold us accountable according to truth whether we know that truth or not. I am so thankful that God has decided in His mercy and wisdom to reveal that truth to us. Take advantage of the truth that God has revealed about Himself.

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