Misinterpreted Paul’s letters

Warning: This blog was written prior to discerning Paul's letters.
Please refer to Quick Reference for Paul’s Contrary Teachings.

Peter in his second letter, mentions about some deceivers who twist Paul’s letters for their own destruction. This letter by Peter is the key to unlock and identify them. They even exist today in various forms and doctrines.

Twisters of Paul’s letters

2 Pet 3:14-18 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 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. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Peter mentions, we are to be diligent to be in peace with God by being without stop and blameless. He then concludes his letter by mentioning the people who twist Paul’s letters to their own destruction. So, What did Peter wrote in his letter?

Works built on Faith required for Love

2 Pet 1:5-11 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

How can someone make his call and election sure by careful and persistent work or effort?
  1. add to your faith virtue (or goodness or righteousness);
  2. and to virtue, knowledge of Christ;
  3. and to knowledge, self-control;
  4. and to self-control, perseverance;
  5. and to perseverance, godliness;
  6. and to godliness, brotherly kindness;
  7. and to brotherly kindness, love.

To avoid stumbling and make your call and election sure, you need to take every effort to build upon each other with faith as it’s foundation until you have love. All these are fruits or works. If you do not have this or do not take effort to have this, you cannot be sure of your call and election.

Peter preached works/fruits built over faith which is required for salvation.

Misinterpretation of Paul’s Letters

Peter preached that the works are built over faith and is required for salvation his letter and gave the warning regarding some people twist Paul’s letters to their own destruction. Because Paul’s letters can be twisted, it is important that we don’t use Paul’s letter to understand Peter but use Peter to discern Paul’s letters. Today, we see the same twisting happening.

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 

Gal 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The above verses from Paul’s letters are misinterpreted and used to arrive “Faith Only” doctrine but if you read carefully, he is rejecting the works of the law and not the works which Christ taught. Christ, all through His parables, repeatedly taught works and not “Faith Only”. However, these “Faith Only” group even reject Christ’s teachings and deceptively say we can’t do anything to earn our salvation in order to avoid obeying His commandments which is a work and a requirement for salvation.
Beware! If you don’t follow Christ or His teachings but follow false doctrines based on misinterpreted Paul’s letters, it may even cost you your salvation.
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