HIS LETTERS … OTHER SCRIPTURES / 2 PETER 3:16

(KJV) 2 Peter 3:16

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

A common question among spiritual seekers and believers alike is how the books of the New Testament gained the same authority as ancient holy texts.

The answer is surprisingly found right within the pages of the New Testament itself. In a remarkable moment of clarity, the Apostle Peter bridges the gap between the Old Testament and the emerging New Testament writings.

In his second letter, Peter speaks directly about the writings of the Apostle Paul:

“…He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16)

Peter’s phrase “as they do the other Scriptures” is a massive theological statement. Look at what this brief mention reveals:

• Equal Footing: Peter places Paul’s letters on the exact same level as the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament).
• Divine Authority: To the first-century ear, “Scripture” meant the sacred, God-breathed, authoritative text of God.
• Immediate Recognition: The early Church did not wait centuries to decide these letters were holy; they recognized God’s voice in them immediately.

When we use the word “Scripture” today, we are talking about the complete, written Word of God—all 66 books of both the Old and New Testaments.

Together, this collection serves a beautiful, unified purpose:

• Original Revelation: It is God’s primary, unchanging message handed down to humanity.
• A Message of Forgiveness: It details how our broken relationship with our Creator is repaired.
• The Promise of New Life: It provides a blueprint for spiritual transformation starting right now.
• An Eternal Relationship: It secures our future through faith in Jesus Christ.

Through Peter’s validation of Paul, we can rest assured that our entire Bible is a cohesive, trustworthy love letter from God.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the gift of Your complete, authoritative Scripture. Thank You for speaking through Your apostles and prophets to give us a trustworthy anchor for our souls. We praise You for the message of forgiveness, the gift of new life, and the promise of an eternal relationship with You through faith in Jesus Christ. Help us to study Your Word with humble hearts, to guard it against distortion, and to live out its truths every single day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

• NIV Bible
• King James Bible
• www. biblegateway.com
• www.biblestudytools.com
• Map Pencils
• Strong’s Concordance
• College Ruled Spiral Notebook
• Ballpoint Pens
• Some links may be affiliated. By purchasing an item from an affiliate link, I receive a small commission – but you are not charged more or less by clicking or purchasing through the link. Thank you for supporting me!

1. SPEED ITS COMING / 2 PETER 3:12
2. HOLY AND GODLY LIVES / 2 PETER 3:11
3. THE DAY OF THE LORD / 2 PETER 3:10
4. NOT WANTING ANYONE TO PERISH / 2 PETER 3:9
5. A DAY IS LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS / 2 PETER 3:8
6. RESERVED FOR FIRE / 2 PETER 3:7
7. WHERE IS THIS “COMING” HE PROMISED? / 2 PETER 3:4
8. ESCAPED … ARE AGAIN ENTANGLED / 2 PETER 2:20
9. THEY PROMISE THEM FREEDOM / 2 PETER 2:19
10. SPOKE WITH A MAN’S VOICE / 2 PETER 2:16
11. THE WAY OF BALAAM: WARNING SIGNS OF A CORRUPT FAITH / 2 PETER 2:15
12. EYES WIDE SHUT: THE DANGER OF A LUSTFUL LENS / 2 PETER 2:14
13. WALKING IN TRUTH / 2 PETER 2:10
14. RESCUE GODLY MEN / 2 PETER 2:9
15. TORMENTED IN HIS RIGHTEOUS SOUL / 2 PETER 2:8
16. ANGELS … SENT THEM TO HELL / 2 PETER 2:4
17. IN THEIR GREED … STORIES THEY HAVE MADE UP / 2 PETER 2:3
18. WHEN THE WAY OF TRUTH FALLS INTO DISREPUTE / 2 PETER 2:2
19. STANDING FIRM AGAINST DECEPTION / 2 PETER 2:1
20. NO PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE – MEN SPOKE FROM GOD … BY THE HOLY SPIRIT / 2 PETER 1:20-21
21. WORD OF THE PROPHETS MADE MORE CERTAIN / 2 PETER 1:19
22. AS THE LORD HAS MADE CLEAR TO ME / 2 PETER 1:13-14
23. RICH WELCOME INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM / 2 PETER 1:11
24. MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE / 2 PETER 1:10
25. IF YOU POSSESS THESE QUALITIES IN INCREASING MEASURE / 2 PETER 1:8
26. ADD TO YOUR FAITH / 2 PETER 1:5-7
27. PARTICIPATE IN THE DIVINE NATURE / 2 PETER 1:4
28. EVERYTHING WE NEED FOR LIFE AND GODLINESS / 2 PETER 1:3
29. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I love having you here. If this post resonated with you, please drop a comment below and share your thoughts. See you in the next post!

• Amazon
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest
• X
• YouTube