If Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth, as His followers claim, what’s keeping Him?  I mean, if He’s really going to do it, what’s He waiting for?  He’s had a couple thousand years to keep His promise, so why hasn’t He returned? The answer lies in the absolute unwillingness of God.  The Apostle Peter introduces the subject this way:

“This second epistle [letter], beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may 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 Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (II Peter 3:1-4).

Peter responds to this scoffing by reminding us that God has judged human wickedness in the past through a worldwide flood; and God has warned that He will judge it again, this time by fire, including the fire of hell.  Peter’s reminder focuses on some of God’s key attributes: His holiness, righteousness, sovereign authority and power.  Then Peter draws attention to certain aspects of God’s character, explaining: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9 emphasis added).

When He asserts that, “the Lord is not slack concerning His promise,” to what promise, is Peter referring?  Simply to that one big promise on which all of God’s other promises depend.  Let’s review that promise, just so everyone’s clear.

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2,3).

That promise—to prepare a place in heaven for those who trust in Him and then, to return for His own—is the hope of every child of God.  It’s what Christians call the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13).

Now, if you’re going to delay the keeping of a promise to a child (especially, your biggest promise ever), if you’re going to daily disappoint, for a long time, that child’s fondest hope, you’d better have a very good reason. That reason could not be fully given at the time when the promise was made. It required the interval, as it’s unfolded over the twenty plus centuries since.  God made the whole universe in six days—does He really need 2,000 years to get our rooms ready?  Of course not.

Peter explains that God is patient to the extreme, enduring for ages humanity’s doubts, its mistaken assumptions and its false and defamatory scoffing at His honor and power.  Peter insists that while Jesus is able to return immediately, He hasn’t done so as yet, because of God’s love, mercy and compassion.  Christ has been unwilling to make a hasty return, because His return means judgment and those unprepared for it will perish.

The key word in Peter’s defense of God is rendered differently by various translators.  The RSV and Oxford versions read, “not wishing.”  Phillips’ translation says that God has “no wish” that sinners should perish.   The Amplified Bible describes God as “not desiring” this.  The NIV and Beck’s Bible are similar, with “not wanting.”  The King James Version and the Living Bible paraphrase agree on “not willing” and the Berkeley Bible is in line, with “unwilling.”

In these 9 versions, we have 3 basic ways of expressing Peter’s thought: God doesn’t wish for sinners to perish, God doesn’t want them to perish and, God isn’t willing for them to perish.  They sound similar.  Is there a real difference between them?  Let’s see if defining our terms brings out any significant distinctions:

Wish: a wistful desire that’s highly unlikely to be fulfilled or which can’t or won’t happen—as when a child who lives in the big city wishes for a pony for its birthday—(hence the term, “wishful thinking).”

Want: a yearning for something one likes or for which one feels a need; an impulse (such as the urge to eat) toward a goal (to satisfy hunger). Wants vary in intensity from mere appetites to strong cravings.  Want of oxygen may be a critical lack.   The same cannot be said of every item a 4-year-old sees advertised in the Christmas toy catalogue.

Willing: a mind or spirit that freely and voluntarily approves, supports, cooperates with, accepts or tolerates a given circumstance.   Parents amenable to permitting a child to sleep over at a friend’s house tend to consent without coaxing.  Parents who are against such outings tend to forbid their child’s participation.  To be unwilling is to stubbornly oppose.

Which of these three states, “not wishing,” “not wanting” or “stubbornly opposed” involves the emotions, which the thoughts and which, the will?  Which best fits what Peter was telling us about God?   Think about it for a moment.

If you were hiring police for your city, would you rather have officers who:

1. wish that crime did not occur
2. do not want crime to occur
3. are stubbornly opposed to the occurrence of crime?

If YOU were rushed to the hospital, would you prefer a doctor who:

1. does not wish you dead
2. does not particularly want you to die
3. is stubbornly opposed to your dying? 

Out of ‘not wishing,’ ‘not wanting’ and ‘not willing’ to stand idly by and allow lost humanity to perish, which words best fit the facts of the incarnation, life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ?  Consider:

[Christ Jesus]…being found in fashion as a man…humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

Jesus was bound at His evening arrest and kept so through the next morning.

Jesus was spat on, blindfolded, slapped and punched after His illegal nighttime trials by kangaroo courts.  Imagine the terror—repeatedly struck in the face while unable to see or anticipate the next blow; unable to duck, brace Himself, or fend off a single one.  Chunks of His beard were ripped out.  And as they violently abused Him, they heaped humiliation on Him, taunting: “If you’re the Messiah, why don’t you prove it? Prophesy for us!  Tell us who hit you?”

Jesus was grilled by Herod, too, who joined his soldiers and courtiers in mocking Him.  As a final joke, they dressed Jesus in a fancy robe and packed Him back to Pilate.

Jesus was stripped at least four times after His false arrest: once for scourging, once for ridicule by Pilate’s guards, once to remove the “royal” robe they put on Him in jest and once again at the cross, where His executioners gambled for His clothing, while He hung there, bleeding and shamefully exposed—for them.

He was flayed with a whip (typically leather, plaited with bits of metal or bone).

A crown of long thorns was jammed on His head, puncturing and lacerating His forehead and scalp.  The Gentile Romans, once again spit in His face, and struck Him over the head with a staff “again and again.”

Jesus’ appearance was so marred by all of this, that He didn’t even look human.  Exhausted, He was paraded in front of jeering crowds, screaming for His death.

Spikes (typically iron, 9-inches long) were driven through His hands and feet with a mallet.

Thirsting terribly from exposure and blood loss, He was offered vinegar to drink.

The guilt for all sin, human depravity and filth was laid on His innocent back.

The skies turned black as the Father abandoned His only Son to death.

When Jesus quoted scripture, calling out with a dry mouth, from a swollen face, “Eli, Eli” [My God, My God] “Why hast thou forsaken Me?” those who didn’t know Him well thought He was calling on Elijah (Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46,47).

Even after Jesus was dead, a spear was thrust into His chest, just to make sure.

He was hastily buried while his closest followers cowered behind locked doors as far from Him as they could possibly get.  They had all promised to die with Him.  But, the night before, after He had begged them again and again to wait up with Him and pray before His suffering, they dozed off instead, leaving Him alone with His dread.  When they scattered for real and denied that they even knew Him, it was just a formality.

THIS is what Peter is referring to, when he says that God is “unwilling” that any should perish.  It is the ONLY explanation that fits the facts.  It is why any suggestion that there is another name, another path, another hope of heaven is absurd and unbelievably offensive to the Godhead.  No Father who truly loved His Son, His ONLY son, would put Him through this, if there were any other way to save us.  No Son would willingly submit to such a plan, if He knew that His Father had other alternatives for saving a fallen world.

Now that you see this clearly, what will you do?  How will you respond?

To those who already belong to Christ, the Bible says: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”  But to those who have not put their trust in Christ, it says: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him…?”  (Hebrews 2:1,3)

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”  (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Is this you?  Have you neglected to receive God’s free gift of salvation?  Have you spurned the sacrifice He provided for your sins?  Are you left with nothing to look forward to but to experience God’s judgment and indignation?  It doesn’t have to be that way.  You can change your future—right now, in fact.  Here’s how:

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you…For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures…”  (I Corinthians 15:1,3,4)

“…if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)

Those who repent of their sins and place their trust and hope in Christ receive this promise from Jesus’ own lips: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)

My heartfelt prayer is that you will settle the matter now, right now.  Humble yourself and surrender your heart to Jesus.  Don’t put it off any longer.  Be reconciled to God, and receive His pardon and peace.