The Lord is Not Slack Concerning His Promise

Wrong thinking about God leads to wrong
attitudes and actions. If I imagine Jehovah
as the “Grandfather in the sky” who will
grant all my wishes because He loves me so much —
I’ve created a new god by the same name. Similarly, if I
think He is a hard Master just waiting to punish me, I’ll
react in fear like the one-talent servant and hide instead
of serve (Matt. 25:24-25). God has revealed Himself to
be a loving and merciful Judge Who wants to save all,
but will act in just ways in harmony with His holiness.

Peter wrote, “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” (2 Pet. 3:9). The title “Lord”
emphasizes authority. Jesus is the One who can offer
salvation. He is the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10).
No other way can save (John 14:6).

He is not slack (slow), He is patient. Apparently
some were either impatient for the 2nd coming of Jesus
(2 Pet. 3:8) or falling prey to the false teachings about
His coming (2 Pet. 3:4). Perhaps the false teachers were
attempting to use God’s patience as an argument against
God when instead it should have led them to repentance.
Just because Jesus has not returned yet does not mean
He’s not coming. His return has been promised (Acts
1:11). Some today live as if the Lord will not return, and
they will ultimately pay the price (2 Thess. 1:8-9).

Our God is longsuffering toward us. The fact that we
have been waiting for nearly 2000 years is a credit to
His mercy. Everyone who has ever lived in the Christian
age should be thankful that God has given them time
to repent of their sins. God’s patience shows that He is
not overthrowing man’s free will by irresistible grace.
Rather, in His sovereignty, He grants us to choose Him
and become a part of those who have been chosen in
Christ (Eph. 1:4-12).

God is not willing that any should perish. He will not
save all universally, though He wishes that all would
be saved. Notice the implied admonition to choose to
be holy because of the coming judgment (2 Pet. 3:11).
This also eliminates the possibility that God is selecting
some to be saved regardless of their manner of living.
When the New Testament uses words like “predestined”
and “elect” it means that the church has been chosen
to be saved, not individual by individual. We can learn
much about the character of God from this phrase. He
has done so much to offer salvation to you. Won’t you
take advantage of the offer?

Ultimately I will have to change my mind and my
actions if I’m going to be spared. God wants all to come
to repentance. I should be willing to admit that God is
right about any issue of right and wrong, and that I have
not always stood on the same side as Him. But if I will
turn to follow Him, I can be forgiven of my sins at my
baptism and be added to the saved (Acts 2:38, 47).

-Ross Haffner