2pe 03v09 Not Willing That Any Should Perish
“…NOT WILLING THAT ANY
SHOULD PERISH…” II Peter 3:9
In this passage of scripture
Peter is comforting the children of God with the assurance of Christ's second advent. If you will read the chapter carefully, you
will observe that the apostle makes a clear and deliberate distinction between
"us" who believe and the scoffers who believe not. Unbelieving
scoffers arise and say, "Where is the promise of his coming?" And
Peter tenderly protects Christ's sheep from such raging wolves by those sweet assurances.
"The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise." Did he promise that Christ would come to judge
the world and to gather his elect unto himself? Most assured1y he did. Let the
wicked mock and scoff. We will comfort ourselves in the assurance that, at the
appointed time, Christ will appear in his glory. Though the promise tarry, wait
for it; because
it will surely come, it will not tarry." "Yet a little while, and he
that shall come will come, and will not tarry."
The Lord "is longsuffering to
us-ward." The promise and the
longsuffering of God is to us - Those who are loved, chosen, redeemed, and
called of God - Those who believe on Christ for life everlasting. There is only
one reason why God tolerates the enemies of Christ, only one reason why Christ
has not yet come to judge his enemies, and it is this - God has a people in
this world whom he has determined to save, He would not destroy the old world
until Noah was in the ark. He would not
burn
Once more, it is promised that
God is "not willing that any should perish." To whom is this promise
given? Not to Pharaoh, God killed him. Not to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, God
sent them to hell. Not to Judas, God sent him to his own place. To whom then is
the promise given? To us-ward! Not one of God's elect shall parish in his sin.
Not one of Christ's sheep shall, be missing from the fold. Not one soul
redeemed by Christ shall be cast into hell. Why? Because God is "Not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
And the will of God cannot be frustrated. Peter is simply reaffirming the
promise of Christ, "All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me; and
him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."