“For we have not followed cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice came to Him from the majestic glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we ourselves heard this voice, which came from heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we have a more reliable word of prophecy, which you would do well to follow, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of the Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy at any time was produced by the will of man, but holy men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” 2 Peter 1:16-21

The Christian Faith is not built upon cunningly devised fables. It does not rest upon the visions of one or two founders (such as the faith of Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists or Islam). The Christian Faith, unlike other religions, is a religion based on historical fact — witnessed by not only a privileged few but by 12 apostles, numerous prophets and hundreds and even thousands of eyewitnesses.

The Apostle Paul could testify in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: how Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and was seen by Cephas, and then by the twelve. Then He was seen by over five hundred brothers at once, of whom the greater part remain to this present time, though some have passed away. Then He was seen by James and then by all the apostles. Last of all, He was seen by me also, as by one born at the wrong time.”

If people had doubts about the resurrection of Jesus, there were ample numbers who had witnessed Jesus’ death and had seen Him alive again after His resurrection. They didn’t have to take the word of one or two witnesses. The events surrounding Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were witnessed by so many they were undisputed. If you notice in the Gospel accounts, Jesus’ enemies didn’t dispute the things He had done; they disputed by what power He had done them.

Peter himself was a witness to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. And, as he says in this epistle, he was there on the mount of transfiguration with Jesus (cf. Matthew 17:1-9) when God the Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him” (Matt. 17:5).

And we Christians have far more proof and documentation upon which to build our faith than just Peter’s testimony. As he writes, “We have a more reliable word of prophecy, which you would do well to follow, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of the Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy at any time was produced by the will of man, but holy men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Pet. 1:19-21).

As Christians, we have the testimony of Scriptures, written over a period of about 1,600 years by approximately 33 different authors – though, in fact, it has only one author, and that is God, who moved these men to write and put into their hearts and minds the words which they wrote so that all of Scripture is God’s own inspired or God-breathed Word (cf. 2 Tim. 3:15-17).

It is as David said in 2 Samuel 23:1-2: “Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the favorite psalmist of Israel: The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.”

Notice that the Bible does not teach that the writers of Scripture were inspired — though God indeed did move them to write — it says, “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim. 3:16). The Scriptures themselves are God-breathed and inspired.

Though recorded by so many different men and over such a lengthy period of time, the Scriptures agree completely and throughout. There are no unexplainable discrepancies. The message is the same from beginning to end: man has sinned and fallen short, but God provided redemption in His Son and there is forgiveness and eternal life for all who trust in Him.

And so, our faith rests upon solid truth — upon the witness of so many eyewitnesses who were so convinced of the truth they gave their lives for it, and upon the witness of God Himself who gave us the Scriptures and has preserved them down through the centuries as a witness of the truth that we might be made “wise unto salvation through the faith that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15; cf. Matt. 5:18; 24:14).

Yes, the Scriptures reveal the holy will of God and our utter failure to live up to His law, but the same Scriptures assure us that “we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2). The Scriptures assure all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that they have eternal life. Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24).

We would do well to pay heed to the Scriptures “as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts” (2 Pet. 1:19). When we read our Bibles, attend church where the Scriptures are faithfully taught and listen carefully to God’s inspired Word, the Scriptures are like a light shining in a dark place — they reveal our utter sinfulness but also reveal to us Jesus, God’s Son and our Savior, the Light of the world!

Again, the Scriptures themselves say: “The giving of Your words gives light; it grants understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130).

It is as Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth (2 Cor. 4:6), “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

And so, unlike other religions and faiths, our faith rests upon the witness of many chosen apostles and prophets recorded for us by inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. It rests upon the witness of God Himself, recorded for us in His inspired Scriptures.

God’s Word shines like a light into a dark place — it shines into our hearts to reveal to us our sinfulness and our deserved just punishment, but it also reveals to us Christ Jesus and the salvation God provided for us through faith in His name! It tells us that through faith in Christ Jesus we have forgiveness for all our sins and a living hope — the everlasting joys of heaven — because Jesus shed His holy and precious blood to redeem us and make us His own and is risen again in victory (cf. 1 Pet. 1:3-9, 18-19).

God grant that the light of His Word shines in our hearts and reveals to us Christ Jesus and salvation through faith in Him. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.]