September 30, 2012: Second Peter
Admittedly, I have edited this post from 2012, more than once, This is because I am learning as I study.
I am less than dogmatic in regards to interpretation with 2 Peter 3, in a similar way to Hebrews 6 and related passages from James. I hope this suffices in the humility department.
Second Peter 3:9
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
William Barclay takes the perspective that when the text is stating that God does not want any to perish, like Paul in Romans in certain verses (Barclay lists 11: 32) it is in the context of God shutting persons out to unbelief. Barclay (1976: 343).
I stated in the September 30, 2012 article as 'You' is being addressed in (3), as in Christians:
'In context therefore, it is possible that Second Peter Chapter 3:9 is not directed to non-believers in regard to salvation but is directed to Christians in regard to repentance. It may be stating basically that the Lord is patient with you (Christians), not wishing for any of you to (perish/die) in a state of non-repentance.'
However:
If this is indeed relating to the unregenerate, although written to Christians, Erickson is helpful.
Quote:
‘…God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9), yet he apparently he does not actually will for us all to be saved, since not everyone is saved.’ (361).
Quote
‘We must distinguish between two different senses of God’s will, which we will refer to as God’s “wish” (will1) and God’s will (will2).’ (361).
Will1 is God’s general intention and Will2 is God’s specific intention.
Or it could be stated Will1=God’s perfect will and Will2=God’s permissible will.
However, there is a theological and philosophical problem. If it is God’s eternal permissible will to save only some, then God caused this in a sense. I reason it can be traced to the fallen human nature that works through limited free will.
As my Hebrews professor told me at Columbia Bible College (paraphrased), although we all have a fallen nature outside of Christ by default, some have a fallen nature that will never accept Christ and be acceptable to God. Others will be regenerated.
Therefore, God’s eternal, perfect will would actually be for some to reject him and remain everlastingly outside of his Kingdom, although in a sense, God wishes it would be otherwise.
This places doubt that God's wish is God's perfect will. Rather it may be a divine wish. God wishes salvation for all (universalism) within his will, but it will not occur. God, in my view, could create significantly free finite creatures than remain morally perfect, in a finite sense. The classic example being angels that did not fall.
Does being made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1: 27) determine that sin and a fall must occur?
Jesus Christ was both God and man, and did not sin and fall. He is the example of human being as we know it, that did not sin and fall. The incarnation accepted. I find it difficult to believe that God needed to make human beings or human type beings that would or could sin and fall, in order for them to be significantly free. The atonement and resurrection of Christ was God's salvific plan for humanity. Those in Christ would eventually be restored to finite perfection. (1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 21-22).
God is infinitely perfect, holy and free and cannot logically sin, but he understands evil infinitely well.
Perhaps a perfect finite creature, merely needs to understand evil, reasonably well within freedom?
This conclusion of my mine, however, prayerfully should not impact how I interpret certain passages such as from 2 Peter 3. Let the Scripture state what it states in context.
BARCLAY, WILLIAM (1976) The Letters of James and Peter, Philadelphia, The Westminster Press.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It? Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
PAYNE. DAVID F.(1986) ‘2 Peter’, in F.F. Bruce, (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/Zondervan.
