The Grands Letter (2 Pet/GLJ)
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D. on January 15, 2023 5:59 am (CST)Dear Grands,
2 Peter 1:20-21, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,
21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
2 Peter 2:1-3, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
The Scripture doesn’t give us much information on Simon Peter as a fisherman, but it certainly gives us information on his knowledge of Scripture and of false teachers. Scripture simply cannot be what one wants it to be. “No prophecy,” Peter says, “was ever made by an act of human will…;” nor can Scripture mean whatever the reader wants it to become. Is there any instruction more needed in our day?
A New Zealand pastor once shared with me that a Bible class in his church voted on the meaning of Scripture! If a difficult verse arose and someone suggested a meaning of the verse, objection would be raised, saying that the class had voted on that verse’s meaning a year or more ago. End of discussion!
Peter warns against false teachers! They are rebellious (2:10-12a); they are animalistic (2:12b) and deceitful (2:13). They are chronic sinners (2:14) and mercenary (2:15-16). Check those descriptions against some of today’s popular “preachers.” Men can twist the Scriptures so as to make them palatable for their hearers; but they cannot derive the truth by making them say what they would like.
The Scriptures were written to guide us to be like Jesus. Read and believe!
There is truly no better way.
Heartily in Christ Jesus,
(Dado III)
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America
“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom
