*2 Peter 1:20 Understanding this first, that no prophesy of the Scripture is made by private interpretation.
*This shows plainly that the scriptures are not to be expounded by anyone's private judgement or private spirit; because every part of holy scriptures were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and declared as such by the Church; therefore they are not to be interpreted but by the Spirit of God, which He has left and promised to remain with His Church to guide Her in all truth to the end of the world. Some may tell us that many of our divines interpret the Scriptures. They may do so but they do it always with a submission to the judgement of the Church and not otherwise.
Ah yes, but please continue on in 2 Peter:
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Peter is speaking of Old Testament prophecy. Even though he readily admits that there will be future heresies advocated. Anyway, I don't see the church being spoken of in this passage. He was speaking of the prophets.
***Forget about trying to interpret what a word means - the Church has already supplied the interpretation, as related in: ***
But what if the church were... wrong?
Is the Spirit with the church or is it given to the members of the church? Romans 5:5
In the meantime, I'm going to go on counting each of you who believe in the virgin birth, the sinless life and the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection as fellow children of God, fully reconciled to God by God, and *my* brothers and sisters in Him.