2 Peter 3:9 is one of the most misunderstood verses in all of the Bible. But as in real estate, location - or context - is crucial in "rightly dividing the word of truth." This is a tremendous verse on the saving of God's elect people from all eternity and needs to be understood correctly.
Successful evangelism is not derived according to our techniques, programs, contextualizations, or methods; but according to the gospel - which is "the power of God unto salvation" (Roms. 1:16-17). The Apostle Paul clearly states in Roms. 10:17 that "...faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ" - literally meaning, the gospel. (It should be noted that it is not simply the mere words of biblical truth being read or heard that produce faith, but it is a sovereign work of God through the Holy Spirit that grants faith. IOW - regeneration is a divine work of the Lord that precedes faith in the hearts of those who will believe resulting by grace to "hear" the gospel message and embrace the truth claims about Christ unto salvation. Titus 3:4-7; 1 Cor. 12:3; John 6:35-44).
Click on the play icon contained in the YouTube video below to listen and understand a fine teaching on this important verse. May the Lord encourage and strengthen your hearts today with further confidence that the Lord is not slow concerning His promises.
Enjoy this Lord's Day beloved - for "this is the day that He has made rejoice and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118:24).
Grace and peace to you,
Steven
2 Cor. 4:5-7
Enjoy other fine teachings from the good folks at Cross TV
7 comments:
Steve,
I hope you had a good time on the cruise. My brother, the Doxoblogist, surely did.
I agree with the interpretation of the video. But I need to make one correction. The "clarification" of the meaning of the Gk. word pas at the end of the video is not a part of the Strong's definition. It is a quotation from a Spurgeon sermon. I don't know why it was included in that screen on that Bible program. We need to be more careful than that when seeking to make our own precise interpretations.
Dear Steve:
Thank you for your comment and yes, I also had a good time of fellowship on the cruise as well.
As to your comment: Spurgeon is credited as the source of the quote--and it does appear that the Logos Library System are the ones who have included Spurgeon's quote within its section on "pas." Is this not correct?
Regardless, as you have also affirmed, the interpretation the video represents concerning 2 Peter 3:9 is correct and also accurate in its use of the word "pas." I am certain you would agree that when citing different authors who have also treated this passage the same way, that C.H. Spurgeon is not a poor resource to quote in adding to the validity to this meaning as well.
It seems that your objection could possibly be with "LLS" and not specifically with the good folk of Cross.TV. But I am only assessing this based upon what the video itself actually represents; for I don't use "LLS" but Accordance designed for Macs--the preferred computer of choice :-).
Thank you again for your thoughts.
Steve
Steve,
Thanks for your response. I don't know if that is LLS or not. But you're correct that Spurgeon seems to be cited as the source for the quote. But the guy on the video doesn't acknowledge that and in fact says at one point that "Strongs says". It is no doubt a honest mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.
Steve,
Thanks for this post and link to a great video that clearly and directly explains the "you" in 2 Peter 3:9. For years I stubbornly held to the erroneous view that this verse applies to God's will for every human being. Of course, that was before I really ever read it and studied it for myself.
I find it hard to understand how anyone who honestly looks at this passage in its context can come away with a view of any other than the one that concludes the "you" in verse 9 is the elect.
I think what many do who want to use this verse to refer to any and all people is they latch on to the second part of the verse(the part that says, "not wishing for any to perish"), but they don't really consider the first part of it (the part that says, "He is not slow about His prmise, but is patient toward YOU").
Thanks for the post.
Thank you for this post. Thank you also for introducting me to the ministry of Cross TV.
You walk with certainty where perhaps caution would serve. You have placed a great deal of interpretation on a selected definition of a common word with many meanings and supported those with a gloss lexicon. Your conclusion that every one of the elect will repent is correct but I am not sure you should use your logic to support it. Both 1 & 2 Peter are written to the elect, those who have received the same kind of faith as ours. But there existed among those receiving the letter those who knew nothing of the saving grace of God in Christ. I don't believe you made your case well. Further, I generally shy away position that support thmselves by claiming that their their interpretation is clear and accurate and the only genuine one. The method will demonstrate itself.
Dear Bro Steve,
Great video!
This verse has been the central verse for me personally as to why I dont accept the typical view of what Calvinistic Predestination is all about.
At the prompting of the video, I looked in Strongs to see if what the video claimed to be true.
It was true!
Well, partially true... and then construed to its bias.
The word seems a little ambiguous to me, because it doesnt just mean 'specific' people, but has also been translated as:
- 'some' 73 times
- 'any man' 55 times
- 'any' 38 times
- 'man' 34 times
- 'anything' 24 times
- 'something' 6 times
- 'somewhat' 6 times
- 'ought' 5 times
- 'some man' 4 times
- 'certain thing' 2 times
- 'nothing' 2 times
- 'divers(e)' 2 times
- 'he' 2 times
- 'thing' 2 times
- 'another' 2 times
Thats about 257 times that same Greek word, "tis", appears as a non-specific group.
In other words, it seems to me the translators have a very strong arguement to translate this passage that God is not willing that ANY should perish.
In fact, the meaning of the word seems to be so ambiguous that it was not even translated 17 times, and then miscellaneously 22 times as either 'certain' or 'some'.
"Some" is an interesting word, as it can be interpreted for either arguement.
Eg. What if the passage was written as: "...not willing that SOME MEN should perish..." Depending on how you read this, 'any' can still be interpreted!
Thanks for your ministry to me over the many years - you are a great blessing to me.
Marty
Australia
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