Why I Trust the Apostles as Friends

The question often arises in my mind, “How can I trust the apostles in that they conveyed the Word of God and events of the gospels accurately?” 

Aside from the arguments Tim Keller makes about the gospel accounts being too early, too counter-productive, too descriptive, and too costly to be legend (which are great arguments, except for maybe the "too descriptive" one, some Greco-Roman legends can get pretty descriptive, but then again, C.S. Lewis agrees with him that the genre of fiction just doesn't jive with the Bible's texts, and he was a literary scholar), the question is also begged as to whether or not the apostles themselves can be trusted on a personal level, as people. 

It’s often easy to forget that the disciples were humans just like you and I, and were influenced by emotions, hope, and the prospect of their own eternal life.

Motivated by His Glory

They saw “His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14b) They experienced His salvation. They were converted and loved the glory of Christ and His gospel, just like the followers of Christ today.

They loved Him, followed Him, witnessed His resurrection and witnessed His glory. They were driven by a love for him, and the sweet prospect of eternity with Him in heaven, just like we are today.

One Crucial Difference

Unlike us, however, the twelve disciples and Paul were appointed as apostles by Jesus and given the Holy Spirit to be guided into the truth, taught all things, and brought to remembrance all things Jesus had said (John 14:26, John 16:13). They were inspired by His Spirit to impart and teach the Church (including me) the words and truth of God (Mark 3:14, Matthew 28:16-20).

Starting and Ending with the Glory of Christ

It begins with the disciples witnessing the glory of Christ and believing for themselves, and it ends with the disciples imparting to others the truth of God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for the glory of Christ.

John, as well as the other disciples, have experienced an unbelievable salvation and glorious eternal life in Christ, and are constrained by love and by the Savior Himself, to teach me to believe as well. Confirming this is John’s purpose of his entire book: my belief.

 

"...but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31, emphasis added)."

They have nothing to gain by lying to me or deceiving the Church. Just like they have nothing to gain by dying in love for their trust in the Savior.

As such, when John says that he’s written these things about Christ so that I may believe, and when I see the things he’s written accord perfectly with the other gospel accounts, as well as perfectly with the rest of the Scriptures… I believe him and his character, I believe the Savior to which he testifies, and I believe he’s testifying under the appointed inspiration of Jesus that I might believe to the glory of Christ.