The Prophetic Word Made Sure (Part 1)

It is so important that we understand the truth of God's Word. It is quite unfortunate that many within the evangelical church today fail to come to grips with the basic understanding of what God's Word teach.  Paul in this letter to Timothy says, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15). In order for believers to be student of the Bible is to correctly handles God's Word of truth by which the basis of biblical interpretation is to compare scripture with scripture (1 Cor. 2:13, 14). The way by which believers can handle the truth of God's Word is to seek the plain meaning of the context of scripture as to its immediate context, that of its preceding context, that of its wording of scripture. It takes hard work in studying God's Word (2 Tim. 2:15). It requires that of our total being so as to roll up our sleeves to do the daunting and difficult task of studying God's Word.

   Throughout these series of article, "The Prophetic Message Made Sure" is being able to understand from God's Word what the apostle Peter was saying in 2 Peter 1:19 where he says, "We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." First and foremost the nature of the prophetic message made sure is that the church today possess that of God's Word as to be divinely inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16).  When it comes to the nature of God's Word is that it also have several characteristics according to 2 Timothy 3:16 where it says, "is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (NIV)  When it comes to the prophetic message made more sure is that the church possess that of God's written revelation of his Word as oppose to those within the church God's Word is incomplete as to its complete revelation (2 Pet. 1:20). In so many words there is what many theologians called, "progressive" revelation as to its gradual unfolding of God's divine mysteries (1 Tim. 6:10). It is within a person's human spirit based upon the "revelation" of the Bible that they can understand scripture. Or perhaps to make it more clearer in regards to those who believe that "mere" reading of the words of scripture is what is mere words but in order to get such Revelation Knowledge of God's Word is to bypass ones' mind in order to get into the spirit to get spiritual "revelation." God's Word is complete without any additional revelation, spiritual revelation, or word of prophecy (Heb. 1:1-2a).

   As we begin to look at 2 Peter 1:19 where the apostle Peter begins by saying, "We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable...." Looking at the previous verses of 2 Peter 1:16-18 speaks about Peter along with the other disciples of Christ witness that of the transfiguration of Christ's glory back into heaven. What Peter witness to along with the other disciples of Christ was not a made-up story (v. 16) but in verse 17 of 2 Peter 1 where the eternal Father witness that of the Son of God by saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. But in 2 Peter 1:18 that Peter and the other disciples of Christ heard such a voice from heaven when they were on the sacred mountain. They witness the Transfiguration of Christ's glory back into heaven when they heard the voice of God. It is important to note that the voice of God heard by Peter and the other disciple is to not be confused with equating the voice of God on par with scripture. But what Peter was saying by paraphrasing, "Even though we heard the voice of God from heaven so as to witness Christ's glory into heaven but we have a the prophetic word made sure as to its written revelation." (2 Pet. 1:20)
  There is no need for the voice of God from heaven to supplement that of the written revelation of the Bible simply because of the fact that it is sure, true, and reliable (2 Pet. 1:19a).  Any additional revelation or revelation of the spirit that is outside the boundaries of God's Word is regarded as false by which many professing Christian teachers prefer over the written revelation of God's Word (2 Pet. 1:21). Those who will add or take away from the prophecy of the written revelation of the Bible is to incur God's divine judgment (Rev. 22:18-19).
   In conclusion the prophetic message something that is reliable is that of God's Word (Psa. 119:7, 9). The authority of God's Word must be the Church source of authority; not something is that outside of the sphere of scripture (2 Pet. 1:19-21 with 2 Timothy 3:16). The voice that Peter and the other disciple heard by which they witness that of the Transfiguration of Christ going into heaven is an experience that cannot be duplicated by the church today (2 Pet. 1:17-18). The church today possess that of the written revelation of the Bible (2 Pet. 1:19; 2 Tim. 3:15, 16). The Word of God is sure, true, and pure in all that it says about itself (Psa. 119:7, 9). The tragedy is that the contemporary church today have in fact "replace" that of the written revelation of the Bible for some "inward" voice of the spirit as their source of authority (2 Pet. 1:20). Therefore "some" have abandon the true faith paying attention to deceiving spirits doctrine taught by demons (1 Tim. 4:1). Pragmatism, subjectivism, postmodernism, and mysticism are doctrines taught by demons. The Church can be assured that what they possess is the very Word of God by which the Holy Spirit is the Author of scripture (Psa. 119:105, 2 Tim. 3:15, 16).

Rev. Darryl Miller is president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents. Darryl is the Podcast Host of, "Ask Darryl" which airs 24/7 @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons.  He is also the bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From?: Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?  As a apologist, researcher, pastor, conference speaker, and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."