we begin a new endeavor, our purpose will be to explore diffi cult concepts together.

Peter recorded, “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.” (2 Peter 3:14-18).

By bringing these hard things to our consideration, I hope that we can explore them together and be diligent to be found by Him (Christ) in peace. It is my desire that these hard concepts can bring us together as we strive not to be the “untaught and unstable people” who twist the Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16) but that we can bring our differing ideas together and reason with each other to learn from one another.

Isaiah recorded, “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isa. 1:18). It pleases our Lord when we can come together with our differing ideas and put our desire to be found in Him above our own desire to be right. This allows us to understand that “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20). In this cooperation together, we find the truth that brings peace in Him. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). When we work to find the truth together, we also understand that “prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). This is why neither of our opinions matter but only what God desires for us to understand and demonstrates the importance of being able to reason together.

When we hold so tightly to our ideas of what the Scriptures say and mean that we are unwilling to consider the possibility that we are wrong, we become close-minded and can easily fall from our own steadfastness. This mindset limits our ability to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior and demonstrates the wisdom of the world. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” (James 3:13-16).

We need the wisdom that is from above if we are going to work together to come to the truth. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17-18). This means sometimes we must be willing to yield and give up our opinions if proven biblically wrong. It is not my purpose to claim I am always right but to seek the truth. It is my hope that we can work together in this endeavor and draw closer to God and one another. We do not have to study these topics in the same room, however, to work through them together nor do you have to always agree with me. Study and come to your own conclusions because that is how we build faith (Rom. 10:17). And remember to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). It is my purpose to promote study, which produces discussion and growth as Christians in all of us, myself included.

Just something to consider.