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 Daily Bible Study  

 Scripture and Commentary

 2 Peter 1:20   Knowing this first, that no prophecy  of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

 Acts 17: 
 10   And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
 11   These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures
daily, whether those things were so.
 12   Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
 

 James 1:
 5   If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
 6   But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
 7   For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
 8   A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Some of the diversity is regarding whether or not we believe in present-day miracles, the baptism of the holy spirit, spiritual gifts, eternal security, sanctification as a second work of grace, and other doctrines.

The Lord is asking us to check into these things. No one has a private interpretation. 

What this means can be classified under these catagories:

1. No one view can prevail, because no one group has a corner on truth.  All views have to come under the spotlight of God's people agreeing together.
2. If a pastor or prophet comes into town and starts denouncing other churches, stay away from him.  He is most likely a wolf in sheep clothing, trying to steal away the flock from the Lord.
3. If your pastor asks you to cooperate with other churches that don't hold to the same doctrine, listen to him.  As the Lord's man, he is discerning clearly that these others are fellow-believers.
4. Each believer is responsible for what he believes, and for subjecting what he believes to the light of scripture, and the common understandings shared among  other  believers. Where areas of disagrement  are found, the true believer will not try and force his beliefs on others, but will humbly present his views in a way which is open to dialogue. (However, if he is not satisfied with other interpretations, he will be secure enough in himself, knowing the promise that is found in the book of James)