Skip to main content

Patience=Salvation

2 Peter 3:15-16
and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you read the first sentence? Here is how my thought process goes when I read something like this:

 - OK, this is a command, so I'm very interested in what it has to say to me, knowing that knowing and obeying scriptural commands is an act of love and joy as I follow after Christ.

 - It starts with the word "and", so I need to remind myself of the previous section.
2 Peter 3:14
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
So, basically, as I'm awaiting Christ's return I should be found "saved", and living like the new creation that I am by avoiding all sin.

 - The command is to regard something. OK, what does it mean to regard something. I think it means to think about something in a specific way, but I'll check the original Greek word to make sure that it's translated well here in the NAS. "Hegeomai" means to think or consider, so this looks to be a good translation. So verse 15 is another thing to think about or consider as I'm awaiting Christ's return.

-The command is to regard "the patience of our Lord" as salvation. What patience? Backtrack to verse 9.
9 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.
This aspect of our Lord that Peter describes here is to be understood by Christians to be part of the working out of the salvation of mankind. This is the conclusion to this entire line of thought that began with the scoffers in verse 5. The scoffers were obviously causing some Christians to doubt whether or not Christ was coming back as he promised he would. Peter reassures us that he most certainly is, and we are not to interpret a seeming delay for a lack of concern for the suffering of the believers. We must regard this "delay" as an act of patience and a very much intentioned part of God's plan to save those who he intends to save before ushering in the final judgement and the Kingdom.

In verse 16, Peter comes full-circle; getting back to the main point of the letter. That is to expose false teachers and encourage and remind Christians what is important.

Coming Up: As we finish up 2 Peter, all that is left are two more commands and a prayer. We'll take them one at a time.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards In Plain English. (#1-10)

Jonathan Edwards is known as one of the greatest and most profound of American theologians. His writings have benefited many Christians throughout the years. I was impressed with these resolutions and so I have attempted to translate them into the language of the day. I understand that I may have missed Edward’s full meaning at some level, but I made every attempt to capture the essence of the original author and summarize in such a way as to benefit the modern reader. There are 70 resolutions in all. I have summarized the first ten here. I hope you enjoy these. ________________________________ 1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad's of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I mee...
4 comments
Read entire article

Removing Planks and Seeing Clearly

Is it ever appropriate to speak out about sin even though we all have sinned? Worded this way most of us would say, "sure!, of course. Especially if the Bible calls it sin."  And I would agree. What if I worded the question like this? "Since we have all sinned, and many of us sin terribly in secret, is it hypocritical to condemn the sin of someone else?" This one should make us all think a little more before answering.  I think Jesus spoke to this matter. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 7:1 ff “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?    You hy...
Post a Comment
Read entire article

The Resoultions of Jonathan Edwards in Plain English (#11-20)

Here is a link to the first ten resolutions The part in blue is my best shot at a plain English paraphrase of these resolutions. Enjoy! ___________________________________ 11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances don't hinder. If I ever have a thought on a perplexing theological issue, I vow to always do whatever I can, as far as circumstances permit, to attempt to solve that issue. 12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by. I vow, that if I find myself taking prideful pleasure in the contemplating or solving of theological mysteries, that I will immediatly stop and think about something else.
1 comment
Read entire article