“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” (II Peter 3:9).

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Too often many recite this verse in defense of God loving everyone equally as it pertains to Him wanting all to be saved.  But is that what the meaning of the text says in the whole context of the Epistles of I and II Peter?

Specific words in the verse:

Some (ref. 5100 The New Strong’s Concordance of the Bible) – some or any person or object; a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, -thing, -what), (+ that no-thing, what (-soever), X wherewith, whom [-soever], whose ([-soever]).  In A Critical lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament the translation becomes even clearer. It tells us that “some” means, “one, some one, a certain one; pl., some.”  It further references II Peter 3:9.

Us-ward – this word is not found from a translated Greek word.  According to The New Strong’s Concordance of the Bible, some words were added by the translators to help clarify meaning (Preface, p. vi).  This does not take-away from the proper exegesis of interpretation. Context should still be understood.

Any (ref. 5100) – see “Some” above

All (ref. 3956 The New Strong’s Concordance of the Bible) – all, any, every, the whole: -- all (manner of, means) always (-s), any (one), X daily, + thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosever.  In A Critical lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament the translation is “of one only, all of him; of one in number, any; of several, every; in pl., all.”

 

From the words defined we can see that there could be different interpretations to this verse if taken out of context as read in the English. It is interesting that the word translated “any” is the same Greek word as “some”, therefore, having the same meaning as the word translated “some” while the word “us-ward” is actually not there in the original script.  So, we could read that, “as some men count slackness; but longsuffering, not willing that some should perish.” Or, it could be read, “as any men count slackness, but is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish.” Or it could be read, “as certain men count slackness, but is longsuffering, not willing that certain men should perish.” Which is correct and best understood in context?

 

Since context helps interpret meaning, then verse eight of that same chapter cannot be ignored.  It reads, “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.”  Is Peter addressing the “Beloved” as every person in the world or is he addressing a specific group? This term of endearment could hardly be addressed to those outside the faith of salvation by grace.  It is a weak argument to believe that Peter is, in fact, addressing a small group but saying that God is “not willing that any (every single person in the world) should perish.” Again, in chapter two verse one he writes to the “Beloved.” Then one can ask, “Who are the beloved?”  Since he mentions also in that same verse that he is stirring up their minds as a remembrance, then we can turn to I Peter to see who he is specifically addressing. I Peter 1:2 tells us to whom Peter is addressing.  It reads, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God…”  He is writing to a specific group of sinners whom God calls unto salvation.  They are the elect of God. We see this same specific group mentioned in Romans 8:33 which follows the ordo salutis.  They are the “elect.”  The “any” and the “all” as found in II Peter 3:9 cannot contradict each other but have to complement each other.  If “all” always meant “all” as in every single person then one is hard-pressed to defend that same interpretation is such verses as Matthew 8:16; “…healed all that were sick…”; Luke 2:1, “… all the world should be taxed…”; John 3:26, “…and all men come to him”; Acts 4:21, “…for all men glorified God…”  Therefore, since context is key to understanding then when we look at the specific words mentioned in II Peter 3:9 we are forced to conclude that it is NOT speaking about every person who ever lived, is alive or will live.  There is specificity in salvation.

 

Before leaving this verse there is another key word that needs to be understood.  We read “…not willing that any should perish…”  In a world that teaches it is man’s will that determines salvation, it needs to be emphasized just who’s will this is referencing.  The obvious, and correct, answer is that it is God’s will. A lot of people give lip-service to this but in reality they believe that man makes the final decision to their own salvation. That verse begins by saying, “The Lord is not slack…” Again it is the Lord’s will.  Referencing Strong’s Concordance we find that “willing” means to “intend, be disposed, minded, list, (be, of own) will (-ing).  Here it is God that wills, not man. We also read in Ephesians as it describes the deadness of man in his sinful nature.  There it says, “But God…” (Ephesians 2:4).  Here also Paul gives notice as to Whom is responsible for one’s salvation.  In other words, Who’s will is it that man be saved? And is man capable of thwarting the will of God?   Job 42:2 tells us, “I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”  Daniel 4:35 reads, “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he (God) doeth according to his (God’s) will in the army of heaven…”  The question can also be asked: will anything happen that God has not willed or decreed? Other attributes become violated when we start thinking that God does not know something or that something happens outside the realm of His sovereignty.  For example, where is His omnipotence and omniscience if something happens outside of His knowledge and power? Isaiah 46:9 -11 answers all doubts of God’s total sovereignty and control, “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.  Declaring the end for the beginning, and from ancient times, the things of that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”  If our Sovereign God wills something then it will come to pass. Likewise, if He wills something not to happen then it will not happen.

 

Having said that, we cannot just blanket everything as an equal will of God.  True, God is in complete control and nothing happens without His knowledge and allowing it to happen.  But it must be understand that even though God’s will is that some come salvation, it is not the same type of will that allows sin into the world.  God’s decretive will, as it is described, defines the will that is His will of approval for good.  For example, when He said let there be light, the darkness did not debate Him but light appeared. As in salvation, we may think that we have a synergistic part in our salvation but God foreordained our salvation from before the foundation of the world.  As a result, He approved it and it was good. His permissive will allows things to happen but without His necessary approval as an acknowledgement of good. Sin, for example, happened. It happens not because God authored it but because of the fall of man and everyone’s sinful nature.  Does He approve it? Absolutely not! But He allows it since He is in control of it. And everything works together for His pleasure. We may not completely see or understand that now, but He is sovereign and we are not.

 

In II Peter 3:9 it says that God is “not willing that any should perish.”  Then is that not true? And if it is true then who will not perish?  The elect of God. This is to whom Peter addresses in I Peter 1:2.  Paul addresses the saints of God in Ephesians 1:4, 5 by telling them that, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”  Who’s will? Man’s or God’s? It is always God’s will and for His pleasure. Man certainly benefits but it is God’s will always. And if God in all His sovereignty willed that everyone “not perish” then no one would perish. However, this is universalism and that is a heretical teaching.

 

Therefore, who are the “some”, “any” and “all” that Peter is writing.  They are a select group of people. And if one wants to toss the “us-ward” back into the mix, they, too, are a select group of people.  They are not every single person in the world. When God is “not willing that any should perish”, then that group of people (the elect) will not perish.  That group of people (the elect) will all be saved. John 6:37 assures us, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no way cast out.” John 6:44 adds, “No man can come to me, except the father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

 

For that we can be thankful.  God is sovereign and man is not.