There are 3 ways we can look at the ‘all’ here. God is not willing that any of His elect should perish and they wont. MacArthur, Ephesians (Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1986), p. Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance: The all is still addressing believers or God’s elect. “LORD, help us to be patient like You this day with others who do not yet know You and give us words of life for them.”ġJohn F. Stanley later wrote of Livingstone, “When I saw that unwearied patience, that unflagging zeal, and those enlightened sons of Africa, I became a Christian at his side, though he never spoke to me one word.” 1 Peter’s point, of course, is that what seems long and short to men is not long or short to the Lord. The verse clearly says that God is not willing that any should perish. Stanley marveled at the longsuffering attitude the doctor had toward the Africans he was sharing the gospel with. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. David Livingstone, a medical missionary who took the gospel to Africa, had such a powerful impact on Henry Stanley, who was sent in 1871 to track down the doctor, that he later became a Christian himself. Just as the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:4: “ desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” God is patiently giving the world time to repent. If the day of the Lord seems delayed, it is not because of slackness, apathy, or lack of concern, but just the opposite. 3:9 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. Many who are not familiar with this verse often ask, “What is God waiting for why doesn’t He come back?” The simple answer is that He is “not willing that any should perish” so He is extending Himself. Our heavenly Father has a long fuse and endures all kinds of provocation from His children without anger. The word longsuffering here contains the idea of a person who is extraordinarily patient and can go for a long time before erupting in anger. 9 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. 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” August 16th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |