Saturday, April 16, 2011

Does "all" Really Mean ALL? (2)

...not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.  2 Peter 3:9b

In my first post on this topic, I looked at 1 Corinthians 15:22.  Now for another "does all really mean all?" verse.  This verse has not only an "all" but an "any" as well.  It is quite clear from the absolute truth of the verse above - and it IS absolute truth because it is from the bible - that God doesn't wish for any person who ever lived to perish, and wants all people who would ever live to come to repentance.

This verse is a favorite proof texting verse of Arminians I've come across, and even one used often by Calvinists, to show that God wants everybody in heaven.  There's only one problem with using this verse like that.  It doesn't work.  That's because it has to be taken out of context in order for it to be used that way.  First, taking the immediate several-verse context:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.  The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.  2 Peter 3:8-9

Just as in the first post, the questions need to be asked, "all of WHAT?" and "any of WHAT?"  There's a clue in verse 9.  "...but is patient toward YOU, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."  So taking the context of YOU, the meaning of the verse can be narrowed to "...but is patient toward you, not wishing for any [of you] to perish but for all [of you] to come to repentance."  And just who are the you that Peter is writing to?  Chapter 3, verse 1 gives us further information:  "This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder..."  Here, Peter is writing to a "beloved" group of people.  The letter of 2 Peter opens with the following:  "Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:"  So the "you" Peter is writing to is those who have received a faith of the same kind as Peter's.  So, returning to the verse I'm looking at, we can substitute this as follows:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved [you who have the same kind of faith as Peter and to whom he is writing], that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you [to whom Peter is writing who have the same kind of faith as Peter], not wishing for any [of you to whom Peter is writing and who have the same kind of faith as Peter] to perish but for all [of you to whom Peter is writing and who have the same kind of faith as Peter] to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9

So, taking this verse in context it becomes clear that it cannot be used as a proof text to support Arminian or Calvinist theology, but simply relates to Peter's readers that God didn't want any of them to perish, but for all of them to come to repentance.

4 comments:

  1. Good thoughts. The one fundamental rule for Bible understanding (though often forgotten): consider the context!

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  2. I would agree that the "all" of which Peter speaks is not "all humans", but "all 'of you'". However, you seem to limit it to "all of them". I would tend to read it a little more broadly. To whom did Peter address the "you"? It was addressed to "those who are of the same faith" (2 Peter 1:1). Thus, I would argue that Peter was saying that Christ would not return until all who were to obtain the same faith were saved because God was not willing that any of them would perish. That "them" would include us.

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  3. Stan,

    Welcome and thanks for the comment. I don't disagree with you. I do believe that there is an application to all of us via extension, but I was trying to show that the immediate context was Peter writing to his intended targets, which eliminates the idea that it extends to all of humanity.

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