2 Peter 3:9

The fact that the fulfillment of the Lord Jesus’ promise to return for His own (John 14:2-3) lingers does not mean that God has forgotten His promise, was lying, or cannot fulfill it. "The Lord" seems to be a reference to Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Peter 3:15). It means that He is waiting to fulfill it so people will have time to repent. Unbelievers left on the earth will be able to repent after the Rapture, but it is better for them if they do so before that event. Multitudes will be saved during the seven-year Tribulation (Revelation 7; Revelation 14), though it will be harder for them to be saved then than it is now (2 Thessalonians 2:11).

"In Greek the notion of repentance is of a change of outlook, in Hebrew thought a turning round and adopting a new way of life. The two are not incompatible." [Note: Sidebottom, p. 122.]

If God wants everyone to be saved, will not all be saved? [Note: See Ramesh P. Richard, "Soteriological Inclusivism and Dispensationalism," Bibliotheca Sacra 151:601 (January-March 1994):85-108.] The answer is no because this desire of God’s is not as strong as some other of His desires. For example, we know God desires that everyone have enough freedom to believe or disbelieve the gospel more strongly than He desires that everyone be saved. Otherwise everyone would end up believing. However that will not happen (2 Peter 3:7; Matthew 25:46). Somehow it will result in God’s greater glory for some to perish than for all to experience salvation. Nevertheless, God sincerely "desires" (Gr. boulomenos in contrast to the stronger thelontes, "determines") that every person come to salvation. [Note: See my discussion of God’s priorities in "What Prayer Will and Will Not Change," in Essays in Honor of J. Dwight Pentecost, pp. 107-11.]

"Three aspects of the will of God may be observed in Scripture: (1) the sovereign will of God (Isaiah 46:9-11; Daniel 4:17; Daniel 4:35; Hebrews 2:4; Revelation 17:17); (2) the moral will of God, i.e. His moral law (Mark 3:35; Ephesians 6:6; Hebrews 13:21); and (3) the desires of God coming from His heart of love (Ezekiel 33:11; Matthew 23:37; 2 Peter 3:9). The sovereign will of God is certain of complete fulfillment, but the moral law is disobeyed by men, and the desires of God are fulfilled only to the extent that they are included in His sovereign will. God does not desire that any should perish, but it is clear that many will not be saved (Revelation 21:8)." [Note: The New Scofield Reference Bible, pp. 1340-41.]

"No dispensationalist minimizes the importance of God’s saving purpose in the world. But whether it is God’s total purpose or even His principal purpose is open to question. The dispensationalist sees a broader purpose in God’s program for the world than salvation, and that purpose is His own glory [Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 1:12; Ephesians 1:14]. For the dispensationalist the glory of God is the governing principle and overall purpose, and the soteriological program is one of the principal means employed in bringing to pass the greatest demonstration of His own glory. Salvation is part and parcel of God’s program, but it cannot be equated with the entire purpose itself." [Note: Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, p. 102. The same statement appears in idem, Dispensationalism, p. 93. See pp. 46-47 and 102-5 in Dispensationalism Today, or pp. 40-41 and 93-95 in Dispensationalism, for a full discussion of God’s ultimate purpose being doxological rather than soteriological.]

"Soteriology . . . is obviously a major theme of biblical theology, though it clearly is not the central motif. This is evident in that salvation implies deliverance from something to something and is thus a functional rather than a teleological concept. In other words, salvation leads to a purpose that has been frustrated or interrupted and is not a purpose in itself." [Note: Eugene H. Merrill, "A Theology of the Pentateuch," in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 21-22.]

"The final cause of all God’s purposes is his own glory. . . . (Revelation 4:11) . . . (Numbers 14:21) . . . (Isaiah 48:11) . . . (Ezekiel 20:9) . . . (1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Ephesians 2:8-10)." [Note: Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, 1:535-36.]

"The final end of both election and reprobation is the Divine glory, in the manifestation of certain attributes. . . . Neither salvation nor damnation are ultimate ends, but means to an ultimate end: namely, the manifested glory of the triune God. . . . 2 Corinthians 3:7; 2 Corinthians 3:9." [Note: William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 1:448.]

What Peter said about God not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance applies to the unsaved and the saved alike.