Not Willing That Any Should Perish?

“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” (2Peter 3:9).

This verse must be interpreted in context. To whom was Peter writing? Verse one of chapter one tells. It says, “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us…” The context is referring to why the Lord had not yet returned. The answer is that He is longsuffering toward “us.” When Scripture speaks of “us,” it does not mean “us worldlings” or we humans. It means we “who have obtained like precious faith.” God is not willing that any of us should perish. There are those of us who have not yet repented. We must wait till the full number of God’s elect have repented.

The following Scripture shows that it was and is the will of the LORD that some should perish.

If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death (1 Samuel 2:25 ESV).

The very reason that they would not listen is that it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.