The Great truth and proof of Salvation

Opening Comments:

If you were arrested tomorrow and put on trial for being a christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Think really hard about your life. What proof would you offer the skeptic to validate your claim of salvation?

Would you regale the jury with your christian heritage?

Would you present a list of all of your good deeds?

Would your keeping a list of rules prove your claim?

Contrary to the thoughts of many, none of these things prove that a person is really a christian. So the question comes. “what is proof that someone is genuinely a believer?”

Better yet,

How do we really know that Jesus is the savior and Son of God?

How do we know if the message of the gospel is true?

How do we know that He truly will return again someday?

That is the very subject of the passage before us this morning. So lets read it this morning.

2 Peter 1:16–21 NKJV

16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Introduction:

We must remember purpose to which the epistle of 2 Peter was written. It was written to combat heresy that was being taught in the churches. Heresy that attacked who Jesus was, what the true Gospel was, the veracity of the Apostels teaching and the sufficiency of scripture.

Up to this point in 2 Peter, the apostle has told us what the gospel is, how those who have it behave, and why it is so important that He teaches it as often as he does. Now, Peter is going to move on to to explain what his authority is for preaching the gospel and why that authority is stronger than any authority claimed by those who teach falsely.

1. The great truth of salvation. (v.16)

A. Salvation is more than just a fable.

The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is more than some clever myth. The ancient world was full of myths about gods and heroic figures doing miraculous feats.

Peter is letting it be known that though his detractors claim the gospel is nothing more than a myth like every other pagan myth, it is not.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a made up story meant to make people feel good. It is not a cunning device of man’s imagination meant to deceive the masses.

It is the truth that God loves us and has provided a way for us to be saved from his wrath and punishment for sin and in so doing He has provided a path to peace with God both in this world and the next.

B. Salvation is the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This phrase refers to Christ first coming and his future second coming.

God did not leave man without hope lost in his sinful condition with no way out. No, he robed himself in flesh, came to earth in the form of the Lord Jesus and powerfully atoned for the sins of mankind so that through his sacrifice we could have peace and life.

John 3:16–17 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Hebrews 2:14–15 NKJV

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

2. This also refers to His second coming

When Christ returns, His amazing love and power will be put on full display once again. Eventually bringing peace to this world like never seen before.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 NKJV

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Hebrews 9:28 NKJV

28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

2. The great proof of salvation. (v.16b-21)

A. Eyewitness acounts of Christ Majesty and resurrection. (v16b-18)

Majesty- refers to the divine nature of God possessed by Christ.

V.17-18 tell us of the specific event Peter is referencing. Where the glory of God resting upon Christ was clearly seen. That event was what is called the transfiguration.

All four gospel narratives cover this event. In the transfiguration of Christ, the very glory of God was physically seen to be in Christ. He was literally transformed.

Luke 9:29 NKJV

29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.

Matthew 17:2 NKJV

2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Mark 9:3 NKJV

3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

Apparently the light of His godly nature was allowed to shine through his body to some degree.

It is this event that Peter along with James and John was an eyewitness of. They got a taste on earth of Christ heavenly glory.

They saw the honor and glory of Christ.

They heard God the Father say “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear him.”

Peter in vs.17-18 emphatically stresses that they heard the voice of God from Heaven. It was not a dream or a figment of their imagination, it was the very voice of God calling Jesus his Son.

Application:

Peter lets his readers know that he is an eyewitness to the power, glory Christ. That he is an eyewitness of the love of God who sent his son into the world. We have to choose either to believe the eyewitness accounts of Peter, James, and John, or choose to reject their testimony.

B. A more sure account of Prophecy (Scripture) v.19-21

Scripture is more reliable than eyewitness accounts.

Prophetic word- refers to the whole prophetic message centered on/in Christ. In other words, it refers to the entirety of Scripture.

There are enormous amounts of prophecies in scripture about the Lord Jesus. Therefore, the prophetic word (scripture) is a much more reliable account of salvation found only in Christ.

Application:

Had the transfiguration of Christ, witnessed by Peter had never happened, Scripture would still stand to prove Jesus is the Savior of the world. But, if the scriptures did not exist and all we had were eyewitness accounts, then the testimony of Christ would be far less sure. The prophetic word helps to tremendously explain who Christ.

2. Scripture is to be heeded.

This is descriptive language. We need to heed the Scriptures because they are a “light that shines in a dark place, until the ay dawns, and the morning star rises in your hearts.”

Scripture is like a light that shines in dark places. It shows us where to walk in a dark world so we don’t stumble.

Scripture shows us how to walk until the day dawns. What day? The glorious day of the return of Christ. The moment our salvation is completed. When we will be transformed into the image of Christ.

Application:

This is why we are to study and know the scriptures so it can be the light to guide us through this world. Too many christians know about the Bible but we are wholly ignorant whats in the Bible. Scripture is sure proof of salvation and its the guideline for every christians life. Are you heeding or just reading or worse yet, just hearing it read on Sunday?

3. Scripture is not of any private interpretation.

You are not free to interpret scripture any way that you want. Scripture must be interpreted with scripture and cannot mean what it has never meant. It matters not what it means to you, only what it actually means.

v.21 then elaborates on this thought to tell us how we got the scriptures to begin with.

a. It did not come by the will of man.

God moved on the authors heart and the Holy Spirit directed him what to write down. The author did not seek to place his own interpretation on God’s word. Scripture is not of the will or mind of man but of God.

b. Scripture was given by the Holy Spirit.

Men were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak Gods Word.

Wind moving a sail.

Application:

God used men as instruments to communicate His divine message to the world. He used kings, soldiers, peasants, farmers, scholars, priests, and statesmen. Approximately 35 different authors from various nations, professions, and social standing. The original manuscripts were written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. All 66 books have one central theme, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Folks, the whole point is that you can trust the Bible that is sitting in your lap.It is the very Word of God.

Therefore, Jesus is the Savior. Sinful mankind can be saved. We can have peace with God and life eternal. Salvation is available now and only through the Lord Jesus.

Between both the eyewitness acounts and the prophetic word we can prove without any question that Jesus is the Christ, the very Son of God, the Savior and Lord of all who will believe.

Conclusion:

God has saw fit to supply us with an over abundance of evidence that the salvation He offers is authentic and real.

You can, without a shred of doubt, have the salvation that comes through a personal relationship with Jesus. The proof is in the scriptures.