We know:
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 KJV
1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 1 Tim. 2: 1-6
If God desires all men to be saved, as I believe 1 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9 declares, and not everyone is saved, those two axioms, seem contradictory. So how does one interpret 1 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9 without concluding that God does not desire all to be saved.
The only way Calvinism interpret 2 Peter and 1 Timothy is to say Peter and Paul are only talking to those already saved (elect), and walkway, but even though Paul and Peter are addressing just Christians, does not mean they are not presenting a truth about God’s Love for all people who ever lived (this is the Love we are to have for all people). Paul is definitely addressing no Christians in the context talking about praying for “all people” and including “kings and all in authority” and “one God” would include non-Christians also.
By saying God is not wanting and is not patient with the non-elect to have knowledge, be saved, repent, and not perish, means God is not “Loving” toward the lost, yet “Loving” toward other lost sinners. We are to Love everyone and I really try to Love all and desiring none to be lost, perish, not have knowledge, and not repent.
The answer to God’s selection mechanism has nothing to do with some being worthy, deserving, righteous, honorable or “better” then other people not saved. It all starts with why God made humans in the first place and man’s objective while here on earth:
There are just somethings God cannot do, since they are impossible to do, like:
Create a clone of Jesus (Jesus is not a “made” individual, but is deity which has always existed), you just cannot “make” something that has always existed. Jesus is thus perfect, where made individuals can only be made as good as any being could be made (very good by God’s standard).
We are made “very good”, so what is the really important thing we lack that keeps us from being “perfect” like Christ is perfect? This goes back to our earthly objective, what we are here on earth to try to obtain and it is nothing we can work for, deserve, earn, or payback, so it can only come to us as a pure undeserving gift, which we have to humbly accept it as pure undeserved charity.
The greatest gift God could give us is to be like He is and that is Love. God is doing and allowing everything to help us humbly accept as pure undeserved charity, His Love, so, we can Love like He Loves.
The “problem” is Godly type Love cannot be planted into a human (made instinctive to humans) since that would not be Godly type Love but a robotic type Love (a knee jerk reaction). And, Godly type Love cannot be forced on a person making them accept it, since that would be like a shotgun wedding with God holding the shotgun. It would not be loving on God’s part nor would the Love we received be Godly type Love.
The easiest way for humans to accept God’s charity (Love) is out of a huge need and that need is the relief from the burden of hurting others in the past (sin). By accepting God’s forgiveness, we accept God’s Love (mercy/grace/charity) and thus we will Love much since Jesus has taught us (we also see this in our own lives) “…he that is forgiven much will Love much…” Luke 7: 36-50. Sin is made unbelievably huge so the forgiveness is unbelievably huge resulting in an unbelievable huge Love (Godly type Love).
The real issue is with the fact humans have a hard time humbling themselves to the point of accepting pure undeserved charity (no one likes to take charity and will do almost anything to avoid taking charity). Accepting charity is like the opposite of working to obtain something, but that is the only one way to first obtain “Love”. Those teaching God does the selection independent of any human thought, are also saying you do not have to humble accept God’s pure undeserved charity, since you got God’s charity prior to humbly accepting it.
Yes, God is wanting and is offering to everyone eternal life, which comes with accepting forgiveness and Love, but few are willing and wanting to accept this charity, so they would be unhappy in heaven where there is only Godly type Love (unselfish and unconditional type Love). God does not want unhappy people in heaven (those desiring only a carnal type Love, wanting to be “Loved” for the way they want others to perceive them to be).
The ”choice” humans make that provides God with a “reason” for some and not others is not some noble, honorable, deserving, worthy or righteous choice, but the very simple selfish choice to: be macho, hang in there, be a good soldier of satan, and being willing to take the punishment you fully deserve or wimp out, give up and surrender to your hated enemy and even though you hate this enemy just be willing for selfish reasons (sinful reasons) to humbly accept His pure undeserving charity.
As far as “faith” goes, all mature adults have been gifted by with a “natural” faith, which allows them to trust people and things and they can use it to trust in objects made with human hands. Directing this God given “faith” toward a benevolent creator allows the person to have an illogical hope that benevolent Creator might just provide them with some undeserved charity.
Much more can be said this is brief.
