YHWH is addressing His beloved, and towards them He is patient, not willing that any of His redeemed lose heart but trust Him to bring to completion that which He started, as YHWH Himself builds His temple (1 Cor 3:9 & 16 6:19 2 Cor 6:16) with the spiritual stones (Eph 2:19 – 22 1 Peter 2:4 & 5) He has chosen. As I observed in the opening, that brings in all sorts of questions and has serious consequences on our theology of salvation. But if we allow the Word of God to guide us, the immediate context tells about whom verse 9 speaks. Not wishing that any of what group should perish? If we take verse 9b out of its context, we are free to imagine that Creator God wants to save everybody. God is patient towards the beloved, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Verse 9 begins with a clear indication of the subject of the Lord’s desire: YHWH is patient toward you (ESV), or longsuffering to us-ward (KJV). The main idea presented in this paragraph is that our Lord is not tied to calendars and time, that His promise to the elect is a sure thing that will come to pass, culminating in a dramatic event that cannot be missed. Whatever comes directly after this is intended for Christians, not for the world. Peter opens this paragraph addressing his audience: the beloved, his brothers and sisters in Christ. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. The ESV is shown below.īut do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. It is widely agreed that a new paragraph starts with verse 8, although where the paragraph ends appears to be another matter. Let’s read the paragraph in which this verse appears. The first contextual element gives clear evidence of the intended meaning of verse 9. This short article is not a comprehensive examination of any “new methods” nor of the overall nature of the atonement – Is it intended for all men or only for those chosen by God to be saved? I simply want to examine the question, What does 2 Peter 3:9 teach? As with all such questions, we run to the first rule of hermeneutics – context! What does the paragraph teach, what does the chapter and book teach? What does the whole Bible teach about the topic? Is this what honors our Creator and King? Enter Charles Finney and his “new methods” and other things within our control. Since it is just as clear that not all men do come to faith in Christ Jesus, something else is needed. The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.There are many in the Christian community who believe that God wants to save all men, based in part on 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV): 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. It seems clear to many that this verse teaches exactly that – God wants all men to come to faith in Christ Jesus. 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. The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.
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