2 Peter 1:4-7
First, no matter which version you read, Peter tells the reader to put forth every effort to be godly. This directly contradicts your teaching of "no human effort" required or allowed. But what is "godliness" vs. "ungodliness"?
2 Peter 1:4-8
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your
faith virtue; and to virtue
knowledge;
6 And to knowledge
temperance; and to temperance
patience; and to patience
godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness
charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound,
they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Kind of looks like fruit of the Spirit, doesn't it? Wonder why you didn't recognize them?
First, heres what Paul says;
Galatians 3:2-3
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Then Peter pretty much tells you right from the start;
2 Peter 1:3 According as
his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Did you miss that part?
I'll ask you the very simple question I asked one of the other legalists.
Will your effort to perfect yourself be better than Christ perfecting you? Do you think Peter and Paul are saying that your effort to perfect yourself is better than Christ perfecting you?
That's what you are trying to make the scripture say. They don't say that. But that is what is called wrestling with scripture. You don't understand what they say nor can you because you think your effort at making yourself godly actually makes you godly.
There is no difference between that and working at the law.
It obviously takes a LOT of work to abide in Christ and trust that He will perfect you better than you can perfect yourself. How will you know unless you try? Once you come to the end of yourself you will have to call out and trust in the Lord. Then you will see first hand where your blessing comes from. Hint; It is not from your effort.
Next, no matter which version you read, Peter shares examples of ungodly people being judged over and over again by Yah. He then defines who the ungodly are. They are the LAWLESS. Peter says ungodly people commit lawless deeds. Elder Peter says the ungodly are not law-keepers. He says lawless conduct = depraved conduct, like the people at Sodom and Gomorrah. Sins are lawless deeds.
Lawless doesn't just apply to people who have absolute contempt for the law. It applies to people who attempt to obey their own imagination of what they THINK the law says but actually DON'T obey the Real Law.
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,
and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
The unjust would be lawless in your eyes, yes?
Here's what Paul says;
Galatians 3:11-12
11 But that
no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for,
The just shall live by faith.
12 And
the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
This simply re-inforces what I have been telling you. Those who work at the law in their own imagination and call themselves "law-keepers" are deceived. No man is justified by the law in the sight of God.
The Just, The Godly, Live by Faith.
2 Peter 2:12-17
Again, no matter which version you read, Peter ties lawlessness with wickedness. He also compares walking "the straight way" against those who "live in error". Peter says the lawless have left the straight way and live in error of wickedness, and entice those just escaping (i.e. new converts) to also live in error. Peter says these lawless ones blaspheme in matters they don't understand. So far, it would seem Peter is talking against folks who believe what you teach about the law.
2 Peter 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed,
speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
Speak evil of the things that they don't understand. Such as calling those who abide in Christ "lawless".
2 Peter 2:13 And
shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
Here is what Paul says about Righteousness;
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for
if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
2 Peter 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
Here is what Paul says;
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Peter 2:17-19
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity,
they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness,
those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
Here is what Paul says;
Galatians 5:4-5
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
2 Peter 3:11-12 & 14
Again, Peter repeats his instruction to put forth every effort to be without spot or blemish (unlike the lawless). Again, this contradicts the teaching of "no human effort" required or allowed. And finally, we have the passage in question.
Will you continue in the
error of the wicked and think that it is YOUR effort and YOUR work that will make you be found without Spot or Blemish before God?
Galatians 3:2-3
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
I suppose if you actually understood scripture you would already understand these by now. It can't be the first time you are seeing them...
Word for word, no matter the version, Peter, who was an elder of the early church over Paul, is clear in what he means: Ignorant and unstable people distort Paul's words to teach others to live in lawlessness (i.e. "without the law"), and it is an error of wickedness and will lead to destruction, so BE ON YOUR GUARD for those "enticing" people.
This error was occurring in the first century and it's still happening today.
Your last sentence is ABSOLUTELY true.
Ignorant and unstable people distort Paul and Peters words to teach others to live in lawlessness (i.e. in their imagined obedience to the law ) and it is THE error of wickedness and absolutely will lead to destruction.
What is PETER's own SOLUTION for The error of the wicked? For the error of the lawless?
It wasn't the contradiction of Paul.
2 Peter 3:18 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.
What does Paul say?;
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for
if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.