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Preface
Revised on August 11, 2022 for an entry on academia.edu
Preface
Saturday, July 13, 2019 Second Peter 3 & Canada Prophecy Conference
I have noted that at a Canada Prophecy Conference in 2019, the main speaker, well-known pastor and biblical scholar, Dr. David Hocking, stated that regarding 2 Peter 3: 9, it was (paraphrased) written to Christian readers regarding repentance before they perish. In context, this would be repentance before death, in Jesus Christ. This supports my tentative view.
2 Peter 3: 8-9
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 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. New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Strong's Concordance
‘You’ #2248 Original Greek word ἡμᾶς Meaning: our, us, we. The meaning is also documented for 2 Peter 3:9. The word being changed slightly in this usage. Strong (1890)(1986: 45). ὑμᾶς
Strong's Concordance
‘Perish’ #622 ‘Perish’ Original Word: ἀπόλλυμι Meaning: to destroy fully, to perish, to lose, literal or figurative, die. Documented in the context of Second Peter. Strong (1890)(1986: 16). The word being altered slightly in this usage. ἀπολέσθαι
Millard Erickson
In regards to issues raised from 2 Peter 3: 8-9
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.
Reformed theology
As my Hebrews professor informed me at Columbia Bible College (paraphrased), within God's eternal, sovereign, plans, although all human beings have a fallen nature (consciousness, desires, will, my add) outside of Christ by default (see Romans 1-3, especially), some have a fallen nature (consciousness, desires, will, my add), that will never accept Christ and be acceptable to God. Others will be regenerated (Titus 3, and being born again, John 3, see also 1 Peter 1). This is done by grace through faith, and not by human works righteousness.
Therefore, God’s eternal, perfect will, and not God's eternal, permissible will, would actually be for some to reject him and remain everlastingly outside of his Kingdom, although in a sense, it is theologically, reasonably, possible that God wishes it would be otherwise. I acknowledge possible interpretations supporting the idea that universal salvation is God's perfect will, that will not actually occur, within scholarship in 2 Peter 3: 8-9 and 1 Timothy 2: 4.
1 Timothy 2, 6
1 Timothy 2:3-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the [a]knowledge of the truth. Footnotes: a 1 Timothy 2:4 Or recognition
However, I favour a Reformed perspective here that 'who desires all men to be saved...' is not the divine context of God wishing all humanity would be saved, but that all ethnic groups of humanity would be saved.
One example from other scholarship...
Reformed Answers Dr. Joseph R. Nally, Jr., D.D., M.Div. is the Theological Editor at Third Millennium Ministries (Thirdmill)
Cited
Calvinism and 1 Timothy 2:4, 6?
Cited
1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
Cited
Salvation is not limited to a particular ethnic group or gender or to any other subsection of humanity. Moreover, that the word "all" is commonly used to mean "all types" can be seen clearly in 1 Timothy 6:10, where the same Greek word is translated "all kinds." Although the value of Christ's death is infinite, his sacrifice on the Cross was fully effective in winning the salvation of the elect only.
Bible Hub
Cited
1 Timothy 6:10
of all πάντων (pantōn) 3956: all, every a prim. word
sorts of evil, κακῶν (kakōn)
Bible Hub
Cited
1 Timothy 2:4 Adj-AMP (Accusative, masculine, plural)
πάντας (pantas)
GRK: ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει
NAS: who desires all men to be saved
KJV: Who will have all men to be saved,
INT: who all men wishes
Bible Hub
Cited
1 Timothy 2:6 Adj-GMP (Genitive, masculine plural)
πάντων (pantōn)
GRK: ἀντίλυτρον ὑπὲρ πάντων τὸ μαρτύριον
NAS: as a ransom for all, the testimony
KJV: for all, to be testified
INT: a ransom for all the testimony
It seems to me the interpretation of Dr. Nally is not strictly identical to the Bible Hub, New Testament Greek interpretation, but the theological idea is basically the same. If God wishes to save within all ethnic groups and not all persons, this places doubt that God's wish to save all, as Erickson provided as a theological option, is God's perfect will, by my definition.
God's wish, but not his perfect will
A theological deduction could be made, that in a sense, and only in a sense, it is logically possible that God wishes for salvation for all (universalism) within his will, but it will not occur as God has greater plans. This is not outlandish or unreasonable. On one hand, God desires me not to sin, he does not tempt me (James 1), but on the other hand, God created humanity with an eternal plan of salvation from sin. I have an inherited, sinful nature and had no choice in the matter, but I have limited free will regarding embracing sin or not.
Jesus Christ showed his disciple and friend, Judas Iscariot love, but it was still God's perfect will for Judas to betray him.
John 6:70 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?”
Does God love all his creation?
Does God have no love for his fallen angels? Yet, they are damned and doomed in their own rebellion (Revelation 20). God has no plan of salvation for fallen angels, but in a sense, God could wish, I suppose, that all his creation eventually is in harmony with him. Yet, this will never be the case. The lake of fire is ultimately the destination for those not in the Kingdom of God, both angelic and human. (Revelation 20).
God's eternal plan
Some within humanity will be regenerated, justified and sanctified in salvation and some will not. This being God's perfect will. Christ is the lamb slain from the foundation (foundations also works theologically) of the world (Revelation 13: 8, see also Revelation 5 for related).
I have noted that at a Canada Prophecy Conference in 2019, the main speaker, well-known pastor and biblical scholar, Dr. David Hocking, stated that regarding 2 Peter 3: 9, it was (paraphrased) written to Christian readers regarding repentance before they perish. In context, this would be repentance before death, in Jesus Christ. This supports my tentative view.
2 Peter 3: 8-9
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 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. New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Strong's Concordance
‘You’ #2248 Original Greek word ἡμᾶς Meaning: our, us, we. The meaning is also documented for 2 Peter 3:9. The word being changed slightly in this usage. Strong (1890)(1986: 45). ὑμᾶς
Strong's Concordance
‘Perish’ #622 ‘Perish’ Original Word: ἀπόλλυμι Meaning: to destroy fully, to perish, to lose, literal or figurative, die. Documented in the context of Second Peter. Strong (1890)(1986: 16). The word being altered slightly in this usage. ἀπολέσθαι
Millard Erickson
In regards to issues raised from 2 Peter 3: 8-9
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.
Reformed theology
As my Hebrews professor informed me at Columbia Bible College (paraphrased), within God's eternal, sovereign, plans, although all human beings have a fallen nature (consciousness, desires, will, my add) outside of Christ by default (see Romans 1-3, especially), some have a fallen nature (consciousness, desires, will, my add), that will never accept Christ and be acceptable to God. Others will be regenerated (Titus 3, and being born again, John 3, see also 1 Peter 1). This is done by grace through faith, and not by human works righteousness.
Therefore, God’s eternal, perfect will, and not God's eternal, permissible will, would actually be for some to reject him and remain everlastingly outside of his Kingdom, although in a sense, it is theologically, reasonably, possible that God wishes it would be otherwise. I acknowledge possible interpretations supporting the idea that universal salvation is God's perfect will, that will not actually occur, within scholarship in 2 Peter 3: 8-9 and 1 Timothy 2: 4.
1 Timothy 2, 6
1 Timothy 2:3-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the [a]knowledge of the truth. Footnotes: a 1 Timothy 2:4 Or recognition
However, I favour a Reformed perspective here that 'who desires all men to be saved...' is not the divine context of God wishing all humanity would be saved, but that all ethnic groups of humanity would be saved.
One example from other scholarship...
Reformed Answers Dr. Joseph R. Nally, Jr., D.D., M.Div. is the Theological Editor at Third Millennium Ministries (Thirdmill)
Cited
Calvinism and 1 Timothy 2:4, 6?
Cited
1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
Cited
Salvation is not limited to a particular ethnic group or gender or to any other subsection of humanity. Moreover, that the word "all" is commonly used to mean "all types" can be seen clearly in 1 Timothy 6:10, where the same Greek word is translated "all kinds." Although the value of Christ's death is infinite, his sacrifice on the Cross was fully effective in winning the salvation of the elect only.
Bible Hub
Cited
1 Timothy 6:10
of all πάντων (pantōn) 3956: all, every a prim. word
sorts of evil, κακῶν (kakōn)
Bible Hub
Cited
1 Timothy 2:4 Adj-AMP (Accusative, masculine, plural)
πάντας (pantas)
GRK: ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει
NAS: who desires all men to be saved
KJV: Who will have all men to be saved,
INT: who all men wishes
Bible Hub
Cited
1 Timothy 2:6 Adj-GMP (Genitive, masculine plural)
πάντων (pantōn)
GRK: ἀντίλυτρον ὑπὲρ πάντων τὸ μαρτύριον
NAS: as a ransom for all, the testimony
KJV: for all, to be testified
INT: a ransom for all the testimony
It seems to me the interpretation of Dr. Nally is not strictly identical to the Bible Hub, New Testament Greek interpretation, but the theological idea is basically the same. If God wishes to save within all ethnic groups and not all persons, this places doubt that God's wish to save all, as Erickson provided as a theological option, is God's perfect will, by my definition.
God's wish, but not his perfect will
A theological deduction could be made, that in a sense, and only in a sense, it is logically possible that God wishes for salvation for all (universalism) within his will, but it will not occur as God has greater plans. This is not outlandish or unreasonable. On one hand, God desires me not to sin, he does not tempt me (James 1), but on the other hand, God created humanity with an eternal plan of salvation from sin. I have an inherited, sinful nature and had no choice in the matter, but I have limited free will regarding embracing sin or not.
Jesus Christ showed his disciple and friend, Judas Iscariot love, but it was still God's perfect will for Judas to betray him.
John 6:70 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?”
Does God love all his creation?
Does God have no love for his fallen angels? Yet, they are damned and doomed in their own rebellion (Revelation 20). God has no plan of salvation for fallen angels, but in a sense, God could wish, I suppose, that all his creation eventually is in harmony with him. Yet, this will never be the case. The lake of fire is ultimately the destination for those not in the Kingdom of God, both angelic and human. (Revelation 20).
God's eternal plan
Some within humanity will be regenerated, justified and sanctified in salvation and some will not. This being God's perfect will. Christ is the lamb slain from the foundation (foundations also works theologically) of the world (Revelation 13: 8, see also Revelation 5 for related).
Revelation 3: 5
English Standard Version (ESV) 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angel
The gospel and the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, are part of God's eternal plans, as are those whose names are within the book of life.
Ephesians 1: 3-4
Ephesians 1:3-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before [a]Him. In love Footnotes: (a) Ephesians 1:4 Or Him, in love
God's eternal plan as the first and primary cause, included a human sin, fall and rebellion. This implies significantly free creatures that will sin, is the eternal plan which makes sense as Christ is the lamb slain from the foundation/foundations of the world, in other words, the atoning and resurrection work of God the Son, Jesus Christ, applied to those chosen is an eternal triune, plan. Persons are morally accountable for sin as secondary causes, as long as they are not forced or coerced to do so, and therefore those not within the Kingdom of God, post-mortem, with limited free will, embrace their exclusion.
God's perfect will is that this temporal, temporary realm exists, but to be clear, I still reason that many human sinful, acts and actions are allowed within his permissible will.
Summary
It is theologically possible that it is God's perfect will that occurs, regarding human salvation and the citizenship of those within the culminated Kingdom of God. It is my theological leaning so far that 2 Peter 3: 8-9, is not discussing salvation. It is likely not God's perfect divine will for all in humanity to be saved. At best, within Reformed theology, God could be wishing for salvation for all, but I am not biblically and theologically convinced that salvation is the context in 2 Peter 3: 8-9. What is more likely being discussed in 2 Peter 3: 8-9, is the repentance of 'you', those in Jesus Christ. The 'you' being those already covered by the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ. Those in the Christian Church reading the scripture.
God's eternal plan as the first and primary cause, included a human sin, fall and rebellion. This implies significantly free creatures that will sin, is the eternal plan which makes sense as Christ is the lamb slain from the foundation/foundations of the world, in other words, the atoning and resurrection work of God the Son, Jesus Christ, applied to those chosen is an eternal triune, plan. Persons are morally accountable for sin as secondary causes, as long as they are not forced or coerced to do so, and therefore those not within the Kingdom of God, post-mortem, with limited free will, embrace their exclusion.
God's perfect will is that this temporal, temporary realm exists, but to be clear, I still reason that many human sinful, acts and actions are allowed within his permissible will.
Summary
It is theologically possible that it is God's perfect will that occurs, regarding human salvation and the citizenship of those within the culminated Kingdom of God. It is my theological leaning so far that 2 Peter 3: 8-9, is not discussing salvation. It is likely not God's perfect divine will for all in humanity to be saved. At best, within Reformed theology, God could be wishing for salvation for all, but I am not biblically and theologically convinced that salvation is the context in 2 Peter 3: 8-9. What is more likely being discussed in 2 Peter 3: 8-9, is the repentance of 'you', those in Jesus Christ. The 'you' being those already covered by the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ. Those in the Christian Church reading the scripture.
---
A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 -- By: R. Larry Overstreet: Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra Volume: BSAC 137:548 (Oct 1980) Article: A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 Author: R. Larry Overstreet BSac 137:548 (Oct 80) p. 354 A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 R. Larry Overstreet [R. Larry Overstreet, Professor of Homiletics, Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana]
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ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It? Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
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