2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
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.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
The secret to understanding Paul-or for that matter Peter, James, or John-is the same secret that Nephi gave us for understanding Isaiah. For Nephi, understanding Isaiah was easy because his prophecies 'are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy' (2 Nephi 25:4). By this spirit, even Paul is easy to understand. Without it the 'unlearned and unstable wrest' the scriptures 'unto their own destruction.'
Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction. (Alma 13:20)
Not everything in the scriptures is easy to understand. The ancient prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc. can be difficult and misinterpreting them can be dangerous. Peter warned of the writings of Paul (2 Peter 3:16). Wresting the scriptures unto destruction has become an art form whose master is Satan. He seems to have perfected the technique which is to use "the philosophies of men mingled with scripture."
"Webster states that to wrest is to 'turn or twist; to ascribe a wrong meaning or intent to; to deliberately misinterpret or distort.' The Lord warned against wresting the scriptures (D&C 10:63).
Doctrine and Covenants 10:57 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I came unto mine own, and mine own received me not.
58 I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
59 I am he who said—Other sheep have I which are not of this fold—unto my disciples, and many there were that understood me not.
60 And I will show unto this people that I had other sheep, and that they were a branch of the house of Jacob;
61 And I will bring to light their marvelous works, which they did in my name;
62 Yea, and I will also bring to light my gospel which was ministered unto them, and, behold, they shall not deny that which you have received, but they shall build it up, and shall bring to light the true points of my doctrine, yea, and the only doctrine which is in me.
63 And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them.
Russell M. Nelson:
Divine doctrine of the Church is the prime target of attack by the spiritually contentious. Well do I remember a friend who would routinely sow seeds of contention in Church classes. His assaults would invariably be preceded by this predictable comment: “let me play the role of devil’s advocate.” Recently he passed away. One day he will stand before the Lord in judgment. Then, I wonder, will my friend’s predictable comment again be repeated?
…Dissecting doctrine in a controversial way in order to draw attention to oneself is not pleasing to the Lord. (“The Canker of Contention,” Ensign, May 1989, 70)
President Joseph Fielding Smith gave the following counsel regarding wresting or misinterpreting the scriptures:
'It is wrong to take one passage of scripture and isolate it from all other teachings dealing with the same subject. We should bring together all that has been said by authority on the question. If we were to make a photograph, it would be necessary for all of your rays of light to be focused properly on the subject. If this were not done then a blurred picture would be the result. This is the case when we try to obtain a mental picture, when we have only a portion of the facts dealing with the subject we are considering.' (DS 2:95.)
"The Prophet Joseph gave the key whereby scriptures are to be interpreted: 'What is the rule of interpretation?' he asked. 'Just no interpretation at all. Understand it precisely as it reads. I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I enquire, what was the question which drew out the answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable?' (TPJS, p. 276-7)." (Hoyt W. Brewster, Jr., Doctrine and Covenants Encyclopedia, p. 651)
LeGrand Richards:
"Paul's statement has been very much misunderstood, by both preachers and laity. Preachers have freely taught that salvation might be obtained as by the snap of the fingers, as one prominent minister expressed himself to the writer; that salvation comes through a lip confession of a belief in Christ, even though not accompanied by obedience to his commandments and works of righteousness. Such doctrine is obviously out of harmony with truth.
"It was such interpretations of the scripture that Peter warned against when he said: '. . . which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.' (2 Peter 3:16.)
"Many have thus been led astray and have contented themselves with a lip confession of faith, to their own destruction.
"The enemy of all righteousness could not hope to succeed more effectively in thwarting the purposes of the Master and his gospel than to persuade men that all the blessings the Lord has prepared, through his grace, for his children can be obtained through their lip acknowledgment that he is the Christ." (A Marvelous Work And A Wonder, p. 267)
