God is Patient

The world has become a dark place. Physically there is suffering, sickness, pollution, hunger, homelessness, storms, and death. Governments are corrupt, warmongering, power seeking, ignoring those in need, and deceptive. Individually people are violent, rebellious, selfish, greedy, hateful, sexually immoral and perverse, and pleasure-seekers. If you look for it, there is good to be found, but with all this evil, why doesn’t Jesus just come and end it all?

The New Testament warns Christians that things will get worse in the world (see 1 Tim 4:1-4; 2 Tim 3:1-13). Second Peter 3 focuses in on what’s happening:

“…be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts” (2 Pet 3:2-3).

A world of scoffers and lust driven people will question and mock the second coming of our Lord. They will intentionally ignore God’s historic fulfillments of His promises to judge sinners (ex: the flood – 2 Pet 3:5-7). “But the day of the Lord will come…” (2 Pet 3:10).

We find assurance in knowing that God doesn’t count time like we do (2 Pet 3:8). But that’s not the main point:

“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” 2 Peter 3:9 ESV

The REAL reason Jesus hasn’t returned yet is that He wants more people to have the opportunity to repent. If He came today, think of how many people would be lost! Would YOU be one of them? God is being patient. He has given each of us this moment to change our hearts and turn to follow Jesus. Do it now, because, “…the day of the Lord WILL come…” (2 Pet 3:10)      dd