The Lord is patient toward you
Fri, 1 December, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 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. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
In Peter’s day, there were people who were mocking the doctrine of the second coming. “Where is the promise of his coming?” they asked. “For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
Almost 2000 years later and nothing has changed. People continue to mock the doctrine of Christ’s return.
But Peter tells us why Christ has not returned yet. It is because God is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
What do we learn from this?
Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. His return will usher in eternity. So if He were to return before the appointed time, all those who yet to come to salvation would be not be saved. It might seem like we are waiting a long time for Christ’s return, but God is patiently waiting for all those appointed to salvation to be born, come to repentance and faith, and to be saved.
Where is Christ in this passage?
Jesus Christ will return. All has been accomplished in redemptive history except for this one last event. When will he return? We don’t know. It could be at any time. But one thing we do know: as long as Jesus Christ has not returned, there are still people who need to hear the gospel. We still have work to do until His return.
