This post is to make an argument that the typical Arminian (or other synergists) interpretation of 2 Peter 3:9 doesn't even match their own soteriology. In fact, the way they are quoting the verse (usually aimed against Calvinism) equally dismantles or refutes their own view, too. Of course, they don't realize this.
The Verse
2 Pet 3:9 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.
The Arminian Interpretation
Reformed exegesis of this verse has been provided many times on these forums. To keep it short, the reformed/Calvinists simply acknowledge that the pronoun "you" in 2 Peter 3:9 (The Lord is...patient towards YOU...) points to a group of people that Peter has already established, namely, "the beloved" "to whom Peter is writing his second letter" (2 Peter 3:1), and "the elect" (1 Peter 1:1-2) to whom Peter addresses both letters 1st and 2nd Peter. The verse/passage is about God delaying Christ's return, despite the "scoffers" questioning "the promise of His coming".
Arminians, make the pronoun "you"to be a reference to every single individual that has ever lived or will live in the human race.
Why is that a problem for their (Arminians) theology?
Even in Arminianism, election is true. (They call it Conditional Election). Conditional Election says that before creation, God elected certain individuals to be saved. The basis of this election was their foreseen faith. (ie, election was conditioned on something, hence Conditional Election) Therefore, even in Arminianism, all people are born into this world as either elect (chosen) or non-elect (not-chosen). It's not as if the non-elect can believe the gospel and become elect, otherwise they would have simply already been known to God as "elect" to begin with.
In making the pronoun "you" refer to every single individual that will has ever lived or will live in the human race, Arminians pose problems for their own theology. Indeed they pose problems for the very concept of election itself (which Arminians claim to affirm. Obviously, they are wise to embrace some kind of election, as it is clear the Bible speaks about such a thing. Therefore, they embrace Conditional Election)
The way Arminians are interpreting this verse as a rebuttal against Calvinism, that God is delaying Christ's return because He is patiently waiting for every single person to repent, actually does damage to their own theology. Are they saying that in Arminianism, God is waiting for the non-elect to repent, and that is why He is delaying Christ's return?
Why is God delaying Christ's return, waiting for the non-elect to repent? He knows for a fact they will never repent. In fact, that is why he knows them as non-elect to begin with. Is He hoping the non-elect will prove His foreknowledge and omniscience wrong by suddenly repenting and being saved? In short, is God hoping the non-elect will prove that God is in fact, not God at all?
In their interpretation of this verse, not only do Arminians destroy the concept of election, and destroy their own theology, they also destroy important attributes of God himself, namely, His omniscience.
The Irony
The irony of course is that the reformed (and I submit, proper) interpretation of this verse - that the pronoun "you" is a reference to the elect - actually fits perfectly nicely in the Arminian soteriological framework. In Arminianism, there exists elect and non-elect, and Peter is teaching in this verse that God is delaying Christ's return to give the elect time to repent. This fits perfectlywith Arminianism, because Arminianism and Conditional Election logically imply that there are elect people walking around on the planet at this moment who may not have heard the gospel and repented yet. It fits perfectly with the doctrine of election itself, whether conditional or unconditional.
In other words, whether election is conditional or unconditional, the understanding of 2 Peter 3:9 that says that God is delaying Christ's return so the elect have ample time to repent fits perfectly with both. (Christ cannot return too soon, otherwise some elect people who haven't been born yet could not repent and find their way to the flock. Hence, the delay.)
In using this verse the way they (Arminians) do (usually as a refutation of Calvinism), they actually argue against their own theology. They cause a great inconsistency, not only with their own theology, but with the doctrine of election itself.
The Verse
2 Pet 3:9 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.
The Arminian Interpretation
Reformed exegesis of this verse has been provided many times on these forums. To keep it short, the reformed/Calvinists simply acknowledge that the pronoun "you" in 2 Peter 3:9 (The Lord is...patient towards YOU...) points to a group of people that Peter has already established, namely, "the beloved" "to whom Peter is writing his second letter" (2 Peter 3:1), and "the elect" (1 Peter 1:1-2) to whom Peter addresses both letters 1st and 2nd Peter. The verse/passage is about God delaying Christ's return, despite the "scoffers" questioning "the promise of His coming".
Arminians, make the pronoun "you"to be a reference to every single individual that has ever lived or will live in the human race.
Why is that a problem for their (Arminians) theology?
Even in Arminianism, election is true. (They call it Conditional Election). Conditional Election says that before creation, God elected certain individuals to be saved. The basis of this election was their foreseen faith. (ie, election was conditioned on something, hence Conditional Election) Therefore, even in Arminianism, all people are born into this world as either elect (chosen) or non-elect (not-chosen). It's not as if the non-elect can believe the gospel and become elect, otherwise they would have simply already been known to God as "elect" to begin with.
In making the pronoun "you" refer to every single individual that will has ever lived or will live in the human race, Arminians pose problems for their own theology. Indeed they pose problems for the very concept of election itself (which Arminians claim to affirm. Obviously, they are wise to embrace some kind of election, as it is clear the Bible speaks about such a thing. Therefore, they embrace Conditional Election)
The way Arminians are interpreting this verse as a rebuttal against Calvinism, that God is delaying Christ's return because He is patiently waiting for every single person to repent, actually does damage to their own theology. Are they saying that in Arminianism, God is waiting for the non-elect to repent, and that is why He is delaying Christ's return?
Why is God delaying Christ's return, waiting for the non-elect to repent? He knows for a fact they will never repent. In fact, that is why he knows them as non-elect to begin with. Is He hoping the non-elect will prove His foreknowledge and omniscience wrong by suddenly repenting and being saved? In short, is God hoping the non-elect will prove that God is in fact, not God at all?
In their interpretation of this verse, not only do Arminians destroy the concept of election, and destroy their own theology, they also destroy important attributes of God himself, namely, His omniscience.
The Irony
The irony of course is that the reformed (and I submit, proper) interpretation of this verse - that the pronoun "you" is a reference to the elect - actually fits perfectly nicely in the Arminian soteriological framework. In Arminianism, there exists elect and non-elect, and Peter is teaching in this verse that God is delaying Christ's return to give the elect time to repent. This fits perfectlywith Arminianism, because Arminianism and Conditional Election logically imply that there are elect people walking around on the planet at this moment who may not have heard the gospel and repented yet. It fits perfectly with the doctrine of election itself, whether conditional or unconditional.
In other words, whether election is conditional or unconditional, the understanding of 2 Peter 3:9 that says that God is delaying Christ's return so the elect have ample time to repent fits perfectly with both. (Christ cannot return too soon, otherwise some elect people who haven't been born yet could not repent and find their way to the flock. Hence, the delay.)
In using this verse the way they (Arminians) do (usually as a refutation of Calvinism), they actually argue against their own theology. They cause a great inconsistency, not only with their own theology, but with the doctrine of election itself.
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