The Pillars of Strong Faith // 2 Peter

Have you had a powerful experience of God? I’m talking about one of those experiences that you can’t forget? Something that was so supernatural, you knew without a doubt that it was God moving right in front of you? How important is that experience (and experiences like it) to your faith? What I mean by that is, if someone asked you why you believed the Bible, would you tell them right away about that experience?
In 2 Peter, we find Peter giving an apology for why he trusts in the gospel of Jesus. He begins his defense with an extraordinary experience of God. In fact, he recounts the greatest experience of God’s glory that anyone on earth could ever have - he saw the incarnate Christ transformed into his divine glory. That is, the transfiguration. It’s the first thing he thinks to mention when defending his reason for the hope that is within him. But then he continues to say that there is a stronger reason for his faith, a more certain foundation for his trust in Christ. And that is the Word of God - the Scripture. Both are crucial, yet there is clearly a hierarchy, a progression.
Should we value our experiences with God? Absolutely! Peter does. Do we grow out of them? Never! Peter doesn’t. But do we grow in them? Yes. Experiences of God are necessary for true faith, but they ought never be our primary apologetic - that is the role of Scripture and the prophetic unfolding of the gospel story. Drywall is necessary for a house, but I wouldn’t recommend using it to build your foundation.
No matter how great your experience of God may be, real Christian maturity is marked by a deepening confidence in the Word of God alone.
Koinonia Fellowship
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