Not Willing That Any Should Perish

2 Peter 3:1-9 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word are reserved for fire until the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 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.

In the past, I’ve been told by some individuals that they believe that whatever God wills to happen must and will happen, so if God is not willing that any go to hell, then everybody is going to heaven, based on the last verse of the Bible passage above. Have you ever heard this type of logic before?  This morning, I posed this statement for discussion to our church’s Men’s Breakfast group. Here are the results of the study and dialogue.

It is easy for those “not wishing any to perish” in everlasting hell, themselves included, to take the Word of God out of true context to match and meet that base desire. Genuine and sincere peace, confidence and rest are found in the true attributes and character of God in relationship to His creation. God is merciful and, therefore, does not desire to punish us. But God is “Just”, and therefore, must punish sin. Any Judge, who does not hand down proper judgment on a convicted criminal, is not “just”.  Father God’s answer to the predicament of how to be both merciful and just was His plan of salvation available through the atoning death of His Son Jesus Christ in our place to pay the just penalty for our sin, “For the wages of sin is death (perdition), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). God could not just “will” forgiveness and still be a “just” God, against His character. Crime must be judged and castigation for justice remunerated. Justification, redemption, forgiveness and salvation must come through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ alone, who satisfies both justice and mercy. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

This is the “Good News” of the “Good Book”. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He (God the Father) made Him (God the Son – Jesus Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

This is the Gospel. John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

The Letter begins and is addressed “to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2Peter 1:1) – Believers, who made the choice of accepting salvation in Jesus Christ by their own “free will”. The “will” implies our true purpose and our veritable intent; not just the action, but the heart behind the action. The first eight verses of 2Peter 3 reminds the Beloved Believer about  contrast of the scoffers purpose and intent by “willfully forgetting” their Creator God, and the destiny of ungodly, unbelieving mankind on the Day of Judgment. But, also, that our sovereign Maker is not slack in His judgment, but longsuffering. Why?

John 1:10-14 “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The words “us”, “any” and “all” in 2Peter 3:9 refers to the “Believers”. Those who by willful faith will come to God will repent, because our calling is unto faith, unto repentance, and unto salvation as children of God into His kingdom with eternal  life.

John 10:25-30 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

In Christ, Brian