Faith’s Basis
2 Peter 1:16-21
What do we base our faith on? Is it a leap in the dark, or a myth, fairy tale or wild story?
Near the end of basic combat training in the Army, they offered us a chance to sign up for “airborne.” My thought was, “why would I ever want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?” In a similar way, why would I base my faith on a leap in the dark.
I knew a guy in the Army, named Steve. He wasn't a terribly impressive guy. For some reason, he found it necessary to spin wild tales and myths about himself, all the time knowing no one believed anything he was saying.
For instance, Steve told us he got off the bus at midnight in his hometown when he was coming home from basic combat training and walked to his parents home. Steve told us all along his way home the lights came on in homes, and people said, “he's home.” He treated it like he was a super-hero coming home and we knew it was a fairy tale!
Would I base my faith on such a thing? No! Here's the good news, we base our faith on some things much more substantial than leaps in the dark and wild fairy tales. We will look at faith's basis today!
One of the themes of 2 Peter is the faith we have received, identified in 2 Peter 1:1B, “To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:” (NIV)
God gives us the faith and the capacity to respond to it, so what's the basis of faith and what's the way He provides to respond to faith in obedient trust?
2 Peter 1:16-21 gives us two clear answers. First, from 2 Peter 1:16-18, “(16) We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
(17) For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'
(18) We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.” (NIV)
THE FIRST BASIS OF FAITH IS EYEWITNESS HISTORY!
I have more than 1,800 videos of Bible lessons on my Youtube channel, Bible Messages With Pastor Tom West. From time to time I will get negative responses from people who didn't plan to listen to a lesson on the Bible on Youtube.
One guy recently responded with, “how did I get a guy reading myths and fables from the Bible?” I responded like this, “I don't know how you found me, but would challenge you to read the Bible and then tell me if you still think it is myths and fables.”
I got no response from him. There's probably a 99.9 percent chance the guy won't read the Bible. If he did, he would be stunned, because it's obvious we're dealing with a historical document.
Notice Peter starts verse 16 with “we.” He's including the other apostles with himself and especially James and John.
He's emphatic in stating they didn't follow what he calls “cleverly invented stories.” “Cleverly Invented Stories” translates the Greek word, “MYTHOS,” We get the English word Myths from that word, and it means invented stories.
The Greeks used it of stories and fables about Greek gods. Peter is saying what he and the apostles experienced wasn't fables about made up gods, like the Greeks wrote.
Peter is saying what he's relating is eyewitness history! These Bible stories, aren't Bible stories, they're narratives that are historical in nature. They are history!
Peter uses as an example of the historical account of the transfiguration recorded in Matthew 16:28 through 17:5. Jesus took Peter, James and John and went up on a high mountain, probably 9,200 foot high Mount Hermon.
On the mountain Jesus was transfigured, meaning his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light, and Moses and Elijah appeared talking with Jesus. Peter was moved and offered to put up shelters for Jesus, Moses and Elijah.
While Peter was making his offer a cloud enveloped them and a voice was heard from the cloud and it said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5B NIV)
Peter's point is this is no made up story, it's eyewitness history. Peter saw God's glory in the cloud and heard Him speak about His Son whom He loved. Peter, James and John saw Jesus transformed speaking with Moses and Elijah.
In a court you have hearsay evidence and eyewitness evidence. Hearsay can be admissible, but eyewitness carries the maximum impact.
The basis of our faith isn't hearsay, or a wild story and it's not a leap in the dark, its basis is eyewitness history.
There's a second basis for faith!
2 Peter 1:19-21, “(19) 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.
(20) Above all, you must understand that no prophesy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation.
(21) For prophesy never had it's origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (NIV)
THE SECOND BASIS OF FAITH IS THE WORD OF THE PROPHETS.
Notice Peter points out the word of the prophets is made more sure and we should pay attention to it. How does that work?
There are hundreds of examples, but Isaiah 7:14 is a good place to start, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel.” (NIV)
The prophet Isaiah made a statement 740 years before the birth of Christ, that a virgin would be pregnant by God the Holy Spirt and would have a son and He would be Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”
In Matthew chapter 1 verse 22-23 demonstrates in a historical narrative Mary was pregnant and would give birth to Jesus and He was God with us.
When the prophet predicts a humanly impossible thing and 740 years later, exactly what he predicted happens that's the word of the prophets made more certain and that's something we should pay careful attention to, with it becomes the basis of our faith.
Part of Peter's point is when he relates the transfiguration account, he's telling of an account when God is affirming in a miraculous way Jesus is His Son and is the Messiah! It's important to Peter and to us he was an eyewitness to an event that makes the word of the prophet more sure.
How long should we pay attention to the word of the prophets? The answer is we should pay attention until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts. When is that?
Revelation 22:16 has the answer, “I, Jesus have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” (NIV)
Jesus is the root of David and the bright and Morning Star! When Jesus comes back the bright and morning star will arise in our hearts, as the experience of Him at His return! At that point the Prophesy of Scripture will have become our reality in completed salvation at the Day of the Lord! Until then we must pay attention to the prophesy of Scripture.
Notice the words, “above all,” in verse 20. The idea there is “know this first.” Prophesy is used in the sense of speaking forth God's Word. The origin of prophesy or speaking forth God's word is never the prophet's origin or interpretation.
Prophesy's origin isn't man, it's God the Holy Spirit speaking through a man as that man is carried along by the Holy Spirit. Notice he refers to “prophesy of scripture” in verse 20. Scripture is the speaking forth of God's Word in written form and its origin is God the Holy Spirit, not man.
2 Timothy 3:16 ties down the Scripture thing tight, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (NIV)
Scripture is literally breathed from God and will teach and change people's lives. Think of Scripture as breath, Word or communication from God Himself.
The basis of faith is eyewitness history and the word of the prophets all contained in Scripture which is Word from God.
People will try to claim Christian faith is a leap in the dark or a human response to myths! Wrong!! Christian faith is provided by God and enabled by the eyewitness history of the things of God and the Word of the prophets contained in Scripture.
The basis of faith is founded in the truth of God revealed in Scripture. I have challenged non-believers to read the Scripture for decades. Seldom do they take me up on that challenge. When they do, they come to Jesus. Faith's foundation is sure!
Tom West works in advanced planning with Myers Funeral Service and can be reached on his cell number at 602.758.1168. Tom’s daily messages can be seen on his Youtube channel at Bible Messages with Pastor Tom West.