Doing God's Work by Relying on God's Word

Introduction

Whose Job is It?

Three reasons why we can and should rely on God’s Word.

Reliable Word.

Illuminating Word

Enduring Word.

Let’s look at the first part of verse 19 and see that God’s Word is a reliable Word. Peter tells us…(Read 19a)

A Reliable Word 19a

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed

We have more sure the prophetic word- Greek word order

The Prophetic Word

The OT, not just the prophets, but the whole OT Scripture

More fully confirmed= sure, reliable

Question: More fully confirmed - more reliable- than what?

Background and Context

Writing this, his 2nd letter, to warn the church against false teachers that have entered the church spreading their “destructive heresies” (2:1), the context suggests concerning the second coming of Christ, and to exhort them to produce the virtues that should mark the genuine follower of Christ and in doing so, confirm their calling and election ( thru 1:11)

Peter writing from prison and his death is imminent (1:14), perhaps within a year or two at most from the time 2 Peter was penned. He wants to “stir the believers up” (13) to remind them of these qualities and virtues so that they remember them, even after he’s gone. (15)

He then, verse 16, clarifies to them that his preaching to them about the second coming of Christ was not based on myths, legends, or fanciful tales, rather on his own eyewitness of the glorified Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.

English Standard Version Chapter 17

17 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Peter says, not only did they see the glorified Christ, but, in fact, heard the voice of the Father in Heaven declaring the Jesus was in fact His very Son.

This would be the ultimate experience would it not? Who wouldn’t wish to have been there and seen and heard this? Wouldn’t you agree this would be the supreme testimony? Think of the book deal that Peter, James, and John could have gotten in today’s evangelical climate.

Yet, it is this glorious experience that Peter says takes a back seat to something more reliable, something more sure, something more fully confirmed. The prophetic Word. The Word of God. Therefore, I believe what Peter is telling his recipients and the message for us today, that if we want to effectively and genuinely do the work of the Lord, we must rely on His Word alone.

Question: To what end is God’s Word reliable?

God’s overarching will for you and me: Get saved and grow in holiness

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. ().

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: ().

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: ().

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.For this is the will of God, your sanctification: ().

English Standard Version Chapter 3

9 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.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

9 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.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ().

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

For this is the will of God, your sanctification:

and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ().

Phil Johnson- It is the only definitive, authoritative guidance God has given us

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. ().

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.Phil Johnson- It is the only definitive, authoritative guidance God has given us

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ().

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Phil Johnson- It is the only definitive, authoritative guidance God has given us

Definitive- Because the Holy Spirit is the divine author of the Scriptures, we can no for certain the Bible in your lap contain the very words of God.

Authoritative- the Scriptures command authority because they are in fact the Word of God.

We have more fully confirmed the prophetic word- Greek word order

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: ().

Compare this to other sources of supposed revelation from God

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.Compare this to other sources of supposed revelation from God

Verifiable

We have more fully confirmed the prophetic word- Greek word order

Repeatable

Comprehensible

more fully confirmed- steady, sure, reliable

Has God said enough to us in His Word?

Has God said enough to us in His Word?

Unverifiable, unrepeatable, incomprehensible, not necessarily of God.

Trips to Heaven

Promptings, nudgings, impressions

People raised from the dead

“God told me”

So God’s Word is a reliable Word, Peter goes on to show us it’s an illuminating Word, look at the next clause in our verse

English Standard Version Chapter 16

27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

So God’s Word is a reliable Word, Peter goes on to show us it’s an illuminating Word, look at the next clause in our verse

So God’s Word is a reliable Word, Peter goes on to show us it’s an illuminating Word, look at the next clause in our verse

The Illuminating Word

An Illuminating Word 19b

English Standard Version Chapter 1

to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place

to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place

to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place

Single source of light, we need not fumble around in the dark

Single source of light, we need not fumble around in the dark

Single source of light, we need not fumble around in the dark

dark- depressing, gloomy

Word keeps us from sinning

Word guards us against error

Word Identifies and exposes sin

An Enduring Word 19c

Only the second coming of Christ will eclipse our reliance on God’s Word

All of redemptive history and all of Scripture having been pointing to this event, which will be the culmination.