The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 
                   II Peter 3:9

Fellow Believers,

To impress upon their listeners the magnificent love of God, many well-meaning Christians, including preachers and evangelists, like to quote that part of II Peter 3:9 that says, "The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Supposedly, God wants every human to become saved and is patiently waiting for people to open their hearts and believe on Him.

The trouble with this approach to highlighting God's love is that it undermines His sovereignty. It implies that unless we humans cooperate, God cannot save anyone. The truth is: "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places" (Psalm 135:6); and "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" (Isaiah 46:10). So, if indeed the Lord were not willing that any human should perish, then none would ever perish.

But God has a different plan and purpose. He chose to save but a remnant of the human race so that "he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy" (Rom. 9:23). He wants all those who finally get to heaven to fully understand and appreciate His mercy and grace. Since no one seeks Christ on his own, they could well have ended up in hell along with the rest of mankind had God not done a special work in their hearts.

Thus, that Christ has not yet returned has nothing to do with God desiring all human beings to come to repentance. True, God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. The reality, nevertheless, is that thousands of new sinners are born into the world every day, and most of them will later die in sin. If anything, therefore, the longer the Lord tarries, the more people He will eventually have to cast into hell.

The key to understanding II Peter 3:9 is to take careful note of the old English word "us-ward". God has been longsuffering toward us believers. Before the world began, He had committed to save a people for Himself and has since been faithful to that commitment. So, instead of being slow in coming for us, He is patiently waiting for the time when the Holy Spirit will have convicted the very last of the elect to repent and become a believer. Only then will the Lord come in the clouds of glory to gather all of us to the new heaven and new earth.
 

Tom Holt, Editor
Second Quarter, 1997

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