Know the Truth, Live The Truth - October 19

Read 2 Peter 1:16, 19-21 (ESV)

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… And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy of Scripture was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Reflect

What evidence does Peter give for the truthfulness of Scripture? How does that boost your confidence that your faith is well-placed?

Sometimes, opposition comes from without. Other times, it comes from within, which is arguably even worse than outside threats. When Peter wrote his first epistle to the believers in Asia Minor, they were experiencing persecution from those outside the church. But by the time he wrote his second epistles (around 64-66 A.D.), the threat was now on the inside. False teachers from inside the church were beginning to spread heresy which led to confusion and division within the body of Christ. Unfortunately, false teachers aren’t unique to Peter’s day. Many of the same heresies are still being propagated today even if they are packaged just a bit differently. So how can we know what is true and what is false?

In order to “take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people” (2 Peter 3:17), Peter prescribed two Christian disciplines: know the truth of Scripture (read and study your Bible) and live the truth of Scripture (put it into practice). In 2 Peter 1:5-15, Peter urged the believers to live a godly lifestyle in order to be effective and fruitful. He listed some qualities that should characterize the Christian life: “Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affections with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). That is how we live the truth of Scripture.

Peter lists the contrasting behaviors of false teachers in chapter 2. Not only do false teachers pervert the truth of Scripture but they deny true knowledge and understanding of God by their sinful lifestyles. Basically, the best way to spot a false teacher is by examining their life and noticing a serious disconnect from what they claim to believe and how they actually live. In 2 Peter 2:14-15, he wrote: “They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray.” Peter assured the believers that false teachers will face judgment and destruction (2 Peter 2:1-10).

But in between his lists of qualities of faithful believers and false teachers, Peter reminded the believers why they could trust him, the other apostles, and the Word of God. We read that reminder in today’s verses. Peter wrote that they could trust the apostles because they were eyewitnesses of what they taught others. He specifically referred to witnessing Christ’s transfiguration in verses 2 Peter 1:17-18. That’s why he said they were “eyewitnesses to his majesty.” They didn’t base their faith or their teachings on myths but on what they had seen and heard directly from Christ Himself.

2 Peter 1:14-15 gives us clues that Peter knew his execution in Rome was imminent. According to church history, all of the disciples, except for John (he was tortured and exiled), were horrifically martyred for their Christian testimony. But they never turned their back on Jesus! Rather, right before his death, Peter sent out this letter affirming Christian teaching and living rather than denying it! If the apostles were false teachers, they would have recanted in order to save their own skin. Instead, they continued to fervently preach the truth of the Gospel.

We also read in today’s verses that Peter urged his readers to pay attention to Scripture because it is God’s Word. It wasn’t created by man but the men who wrote it down were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Further, we have confirmation that this is the Word of the Lord because of so many confirmed prophecies (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). In chapter 2 Peter 3, Peter reminded his readers that they could be confident that Jesus’s return was imminent. The words that God had spoken had been confirmed and fulfilled in the past, so we have no reason to doubt this prophecy even if it seems as if that promised day will never come. In 2 Peter 3:8-9 Peter wrote, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Friends, we can be confident that God’s Word is true. The next steps then are knowing what His Word says and living it out! “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). If we want to defend ourselves against false teachers and heresies, we have to go back to the Bible.

Respond

Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word and for providing us with confirmed prophecy and eyewitness testimony so that we can be confident in Your truth. Help me to continue to grow in Your grace and the knowledge of Your Word. Use Your Word to transform my life so that I don’t just know the truth but live the truth for Your glory. Amen.

Reveal

Share 2 Peter 1:20-21 with someone who has questions about whether the Bible can be trusted. Explain how knowing that Scripture comes from God gives you confidence to build your life on its truth. Then encourage each other to spend time in God’s Word this week, not only learning what it says but putting it into practice.