I have been curious about artificial intelligence’s ability to write books and papers. I decided to give it a try with my blog article.
I asked ChatGPT three questions that fit today’s blog post.
(1) What were the last words of leading Christians?
(2) What is the value of personal experience?
(3) Please check my article for grammar.
The results are what you find in today’s article.
I am indebted to Ben Witherington’s excellent commentary on 2 Peter for information about the letter.
Peter’s Last Words to the Church
As Peter’s death approached, he wrote his final words to ensure that the gospel’s truth was not corrupted.
He wrote to remind them of God’s plan and purpose for his church’s key truths.
Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you.
I think it is right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory,
Since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things (2 Peter 1.12-15).
The last words of Christians reveal the depth of their experience with God.
Here are some of the last words of famous Christian leaders:
— Billy Graham: “I’ll be in heaven for one reason: because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross.”
— Mother Teresa: “Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you.”
— Martin Luther: “We are beggars; this is true.”
— John Wesley: “The best of all is, God is with us.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “This is the end—for me, the beginning of life.”
— Augustine: “Too late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient, O Beauty so new. Too late have I loved you!”
What will be your last word to your family and friends? What will you say about Jesus?
It is worth prayerfully considering the answer.
The Power of an Eyewitness
A Greek myth was not true in actual fact but conveyed general principles through stories and pictures.
Peter’s experience was not like a Greek myth, but the experience of someone who experienced what he believed and taught.
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain (2 Peter 1.16-18).
Someone has rightly said, “A man with an argument is no match for a man with an experience.”
In his last words to the church, Peter reminded them that his teaching was based on experience.
When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, it was Peter who said to Jesus,
“Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” (Matthew 17.4-5).
Peter never forgot that experience. He was a witness to the unveiled glory of the Son of God.
He heard the voice of God that declared Jesus to be his Beloved and told Peter to listen rather than speak.
Personal experiences can be incredibly powerful and have a profound impact on an individual’s thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
They can shape our beliefs, values, and attitudes, and influence how we see the world around us.
Few people will have an experience like Peter or Paul, but we all have the opportunity to know God in a personal way.
An experience with God will protect us against false teachers and leaders who want to capture us for their own purposes.
Better yet, the finest gift God gives to his children is the ability to live as his friend.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I continue a study on 2 Peter on YouTube today. It can be found on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 