Can We Recognize Inspiration?

and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:15—16)

Today’s big question: can we recognize inspiration?

If anyone ever asks me a way they can find out how the Vible is really true, my answer is always the same: read it. Scripture has a ring of truth that no other book can even come close to.

As we read through the New Testament, we see that many of its authors refer to the Old Testament Scriptures. This is part of the seamless message of Christ throughout the entire Bible. Yet, in our verse today we see something even more significant. Peter had clearly seen the ring of truth in the apostolic teaching of Paul. Many of us can sympathize with Peter that sometimes Paul’s writing is hard to understand. It is deep and rich and steeped in strong theology. But there is also something that Peter does not deny. Some people have twisted Paul’s words “as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.” Peter clearly recognized that Paul’s words were the inspired Word of God. It was not left up to any council 300 years later to decide the inspiration of Scripture. This was already decided and confirmed.

God spoke through men moved by the Holy Spirit to bring His Word to the world. Peter recognized a godly wisdom in Paul’s writing. This was the philosophy of the unique Omniscience that can only come from the unlimited God and not from vein human deceit. Paul’s wisdom in matters of the human condition—his understanding of grace, faith, mercy, justice, and forgiveness—were of no human comprehension; His appointed apostolic authority leaped from the pages as moved by the Spirit of God. Peter also recognized that only the wretched human condition was capable of twisting those words to change a message of true hope into a message of destruction.

Peter read the words of Paul and recognized the ring of truth that is consistent throughout the entire Scriptures. It is that ring of truth that we should all become very familiar with in order to recognize the deceivers of our own day.

Today’s big idea: the inspiration was clearly visible prior to the Church confirming it as such.

What to pray: thank God that His ring of truth is so clear and ask Him to open your eyes to it.