This verse as well as others like it show he that does not even want anyone to die, he wants all to come to repentance.
II Peter 3:9 "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."
So let's see what else Peter says in this chapter:
2 Peter 3
King James Version
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
Having just concluded a chapter about false teachers, Peter now turns his focus to Scoffers, and it should be noted those walking after their own lusts are rejecting the teachings of Scripture (as the false prophets of old and the false teachers of Peter's day) so Peter exhorts that they keep the Scriptures and the commandments of Christ in mind when faced with those who reject what Scripture teaches.
He goes on to give the example:
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
A flood? What nonsense, the scoffer says. Why that's just bronze-age thinking.
Christ is returning? What nonsense, nothing has changed at all.
Eternal Punishment? What nonsense, Christ never taught that! All those verses that have Him teaching about an unending punishment and unending fire and unending separation from God and men being dead when we know they are alive just don't mean what they say. Just as a promise of His return doesn't mean what it says.
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Don't believe them, Peter says. The earth was destroyed in a flood, and as he mentioned in chapter two those who were destroyed are still awaiting the blackness of darkness forever.
The Day of Judgment has not yet arrived, and this because of God's longsuffering.
And Peter keeps the teaching of Christ, speaking of the destruction of of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
God can wait. Time is meaningless to the Eternal God.
It only has meaning for men.
WHile the scoffers think it has been such a long time since the promise was made, and that because it hasn't been fulfilled yet this means it won't be, Peter makes it clear:
9 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.
He will fulfill His promises.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
It's not a coincidence that Eternal Punishment often speaks of the heavens and the earth passing away.
They pass away and the dead are judged according to their works.
I don't guess it is necessary to repost the Great White Throne, since it has been posted numerous times already, but—I'll do it anyway:
Revelation 20:11-15
King James Version
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Take careful note that those that end up here are dead, and those not found in the Book of Life are cast into the Lake of Fire. Those that have life will never face this judgment.
I guess the concept of having Eternal Life through Christ by believing in Him is somewhat a mystery for some.
It shouldn't be:
John 6:53
King James Version
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 11:25
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
John 11:26
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
That's the question of the day: who believes that men must believe in Christ in order not to die?
Who believes that Christ meant what He said when He said that those who do not believe in Him do not have life?
Who believes that God sent His Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life?
Not scoffers.
Continued...
