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I have included my response within the body of the text.
1 posted on 11/05/2003 7:10:11 PM PST by streetpreacher
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To: streetpreacher
Oh, thank heaven. I thought that the Freeper Salvation was in some kind of trouble.
2 posted on 11/05/2003 7:27:47 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (mislead, misled, lie, lied, failed, failure,leaked, revenge, etc., etc., etc..)
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To: streetpreacher
But, given all that, does not God categorically state in 2 Peter 3:9 that he wants everyone on Earth to come to repentance?

No He does not, if He did every one would be saved..as His word always accomplishes what it was sent to do. The same gospel that saves some damns others As for Peter 3 it does not say that God wants every man saved. Peter 3 In context

Who was the letter sent to?

2Pe 3:1   This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in [both] which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance

The beloved are the saved

What is it's topic? It is not a salvation teaching it is an end time teaching

What is the theme? Judgment and destruction of the wicked

The passage in question begins with the remembrance of the first judgment on the world. The Flood

   2Pe 3:5   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:
     2Pe 3:6   Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

The judgment theme continues ;

2Pe 3:7   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.

Again Peter restates who these words stating who they are written to.

    2Pe 3:8   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.

It is a teaching for the elect

     2Pe 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.

Now the text in question. Who is the Lord longsuffering to? To us-ward , to the saved, the elect, to the beloved..God is long suffering . He will not rain down the punishment until all the elect are saved.

If we were to read the Arminian reading the Lord could never return because there will never be a day when the entire creation of men will be saved.

  Back to a judgment text :

  2Pe 3:10   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.

Referring back to 3:6 &7

The reading of the text as a salvation teaching or promise in the center of a text that tells how God intends to judge the reprobates in the last days gives this text an impossible rendering . Because it would be saying the judgment He has just taught could never occur ,because God is long suffering to ALL men .
That makes is an impossible rendering of the text .

7 posted on 11/05/2003 9:28:46 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: streetpreacher
Not being a Calvinist, Peter would have no reason to make a distinction between Christians and non-Christians, as God loves all of His children, even those who continue to rebel and dishonor Him.  What Packer is really saying here is, “God loves the elect and hates the non-elect.”  That Peter is referring to “all” men (he does say all, after all) is further illustrated in verse 9 when Peter equates the promise with the phrase “as some men”, not as some saints “count slackness.”

Jesus and all the apostles were "Calvinists". They were all all to sure that God had chosen them..they had not chose Him.

1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

1Pe 2:9   But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Peter was addressing the saved that is why he said "us-ward...he was speaking about and to the elect.

Us ward means us ward..preacher.The option to read it to your preference is not an option

Notice that Paul also uses it to the saints

Eph 1:19 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, .

8 posted on 11/05/2003 9:36:46 PM PST by RnMomof7
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