The Word is Reliable

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 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."  We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, 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 of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16-21) The Bible is the Word of God, the record and tool of his redeeming work (OWBTG 32).   Do you notice that it is often (not always) the case that when the New Testament authors speak about "Scripture" or "the Word of God," they start with an incarnate rationale for why we ought take it seriously?  That was true of yesterday's text and it's true of today's.  As Peter seeks to vindicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his recipients, he begins by telling them of his experience of Jesus.  It is the experience of The Word made flesh that authorizes Peter to speak of the Word that has been written.  This was the credential used by all the apostles to vindicate their message.  They did not appeal to some dead or abstract sense of truth propped up by some propositions.  No, listen to Peter.  He says: "We were eyewitnesses!"  "We ourselves heard the voice!"  Nowadays we would call that subjective and dismiss it out of hand.  Can any real spiritual truth depend on human experience?  The Bible says yes.  It was in fact, the most fully human of human experiences—the experience of Jesus, in the flesh, sent by the Father—that authorized the Scriptures we now hold for use by the Christian community.  Peter goes on from his lived experience of Jesus being glorified on the mount of Transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1-9 for that story) to confirm to us that the written Word, is of this same God.  The Scriptures were spoken by human authors, prophets, who were carried along by the Holy Spirit, faithfully speaking the Word of God into the lived history of their times.  This Holy Spirit-inspired speaking was yet another experience that Peter himself could relate to after Pentecost. In this in between time of waiting for the day of Jesus' return, the scriptures, illumined by the same powerful work of the Spirit, remain the reliable light that guides our path day by day.  The scriptures remain for us the place of living encounter with God, His Spirit, and His Word.  If we're faithful in seeking God in this place where he has promised to be found, we may just find some experiences of our own to witness to in telling the good news of Jesus.