Sermon Message , 15 October 2012
OUR LORD IS LONGSUFFERING TOWARDS HIS PEOPLE!
II Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Precious saints of God, the Lord desires for all to come to Repentance.
He is not slack concerning His promise of the Rapture or of the
Judgment to come thereafter. The Lord is longsuffering toward His
people, not willing that any should perish. As He delays, He desires
that more will come to Jesus in full repentance.
The Rapture of the Church must be regarded as certain, also that God’s compassion is real and that man’s opportunity to repent is equally real. The point is simple. God delays in order to give all men a genuine opportunity to repent. The mercy is real because the opportunity for more to get saved and come into a true relationship with Jesus is real.
Romans 1:16 – 17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith.”
This text does not teach that God actually decrees that all will be saved, but those who “believe”. Obviously everything that a Sovereign God decrees will occur. The reference here is not to God’s decree but to His desire. God’s desire is that none should perish and that all would come to repentance. The Lord God has given man his own free will and does not forcibly impose His will but allows freedom to all people to come to repentance or not. Paul clearly teaches that only those who believe in Christ will receive salvation and the benefits of His sacrifice. God’s desire is not only our salvation, “justification” but also our growth in the truth
“sanctification”.
Concerning the Rapture and the Judgment of God!!
The arrival of our Lord’s coming, which the scoffers are challenging was foretold in 2 Peter 3:3 “First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.”
Jesus is coming! Skeptics and scoffers deny that fact, but they can’t change the truth of it. Jesus is coming, and He is coming soon. This is not a childhood game! Eternity is at stake!
The scoffing here evidently relates to some who have an understanding of the hope of the Second Advent and who therefore believe that the Lord will return at some future date. The scoffing, moreover, arises in opposition to the view maintained by those who believe that His coming is imminent. In other words, it is a scoffing against the promise of His Presence soon to come in the Rapture and not against the promise of His second coming.
What seems long and short to men, is not long or short to the Lord. Therefore, any seeming delay of the Rapture is only such from a human point of view. The terrible days of the Tribulation Period, a time shortly coming upon this world. Even though this time is in the very near future, we can already see all the pieces falling into place. This world is preparing itself for the fulfillment of God’s prophecies. The signs are everywhere! Only the spiritually blind refuse to see what is as plain as day.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, that is, as some count slackness.
Jesus says that the generation that witnesses these things will not pass away until they have all been fulfilled. This prophecy has been the subject of much debate down through the years. How can a God for whom a thousand years is no longer than a single day be accused of slowness? There is also a second fact that is important to Peter’s refutation of the false teachers and those who scoffs at the word of God concerning the coming of Jesus. Not only is the Lord not slow about His promise of worldwide calamity, but He is longsuffering towards humanity.
God is in no way anxious to begin the judgments following Christ’s return. He is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish. What the Lord seeks from men while His judgment tarries is repentance. God’s wish, therefore, is that all should come to repentance. I truly believe that the Rapture delay is due to the fact that many are repenting and as a result, the judgment of the Day of the Lord is being averted.
A logical question that would naturally arise would be, why would Father God withhold the Day of the Lord, the Rapture of the Church if He knows that a worldwide repentance is impossible. The answer can only be that He knows it is not impossible. Matthew 19:26 “Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Undoubtedly God fully knows under what set of conditions mankind might turn to Him however briefly, and so long as there are options that are viable in His eyes, He will delay the promise of our Savior’s return. It is truly amazing to see how many people are coming to the Lord in these last days. I’m personally familiar with many theologians and End Time Watchmen who were one point more concerned with stocking up for the Judgment to come. These same people have now changed their tune. Yes God has changed their plans through a recent shift, now recognizing it is more important to prepare the masses spiritually, by submitting to Jesus than preparation to persevere in the storm with ammunition, guns, precious metals and ready to eat meals.
I will conclude with this, in Noah's days there was scoffing at the building of the ark, with all that it implied respecting the coming deluge. In this present day of our Lord's Presence there is again scoffing, as foretold by Peter in 2 Peter 3. All the pieces are in place. Everything is lining up like Jesus said they would. He is eternal and our destiny with our Lord Jesus Christ is the experience of eternal life. While He tarries, we will continue to call men to the knowledge of the Jesus, who loves them with magnificent patience. He is coming! Are you ready?
The Rapture of the Church must be regarded as certain, also that God’s compassion is real and that man’s opportunity to repent is equally real. The point is simple. God delays in order to give all men a genuine opportunity to repent. The mercy is real because the opportunity for more to get saved and come into a true relationship with Jesus is real.
Romans 1:16 – 17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith.”
This text does not teach that God actually decrees that all will be saved, but those who “believe”. Obviously everything that a Sovereign God decrees will occur. The reference here is not to God’s decree but to His desire. God’s desire is that none should perish and that all would come to repentance. The Lord God has given man his own free will and does not forcibly impose His will but allows freedom to all people to come to repentance or not. Paul clearly teaches that only those who believe in Christ will receive salvation and the benefits of His sacrifice. God’s desire is not only our salvation, “justification” but also our growth in the truth
“sanctification”.
Concerning the Rapture and the Judgment of God!!
The arrival of our Lord’s coming, which the scoffers are challenging was foretold in 2 Peter 3:3 “First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.”
Jesus is coming! Skeptics and scoffers deny that fact, but they can’t change the truth of it. Jesus is coming, and He is coming soon. This is not a childhood game! Eternity is at stake!
The scoffing here evidently relates to some who have an understanding of the hope of the Second Advent and who therefore believe that the Lord will return at some future date. The scoffing, moreover, arises in opposition to the view maintained by those who believe that His coming is imminent. In other words, it is a scoffing against the promise of His Presence soon to come in the Rapture and not against the promise of His second coming.
What seems long and short to men, is not long or short to the Lord. Therefore, any seeming delay of the Rapture is only such from a human point of view. The terrible days of the Tribulation Period, a time shortly coming upon this world. Even though this time is in the very near future, we can already see all the pieces falling into place. This world is preparing itself for the fulfillment of God’s prophecies. The signs are everywhere! Only the spiritually blind refuse to see what is as plain as day.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, that is, as some count slackness.
Jesus says that the generation that witnesses these things will not pass away until they have all been fulfilled. This prophecy has been the subject of much debate down through the years. How can a God for whom a thousand years is no longer than a single day be accused of slowness? There is also a second fact that is important to Peter’s refutation of the false teachers and those who scoffs at the word of God concerning the coming of Jesus. Not only is the Lord not slow about His promise of worldwide calamity, but He is longsuffering towards humanity.
God is in no way anxious to begin the judgments following Christ’s return. He is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish. What the Lord seeks from men while His judgment tarries is repentance. God’s wish, therefore, is that all should come to repentance. I truly believe that the Rapture delay is due to the fact that many are repenting and as a result, the judgment of the Day of the Lord is being averted.
A logical question that would naturally arise would be, why would Father God withhold the Day of the Lord, the Rapture of the Church if He knows that a worldwide repentance is impossible. The answer can only be that He knows it is not impossible. Matthew 19:26 “Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Undoubtedly God fully knows under what set of conditions mankind might turn to Him however briefly, and so long as there are options that are viable in His eyes, He will delay the promise of our Savior’s return. It is truly amazing to see how many people are coming to the Lord in these last days. I’m personally familiar with many theologians and End Time Watchmen who were one point more concerned with stocking up for the Judgment to come. These same people have now changed their tune. Yes God has changed their plans through a recent shift, now recognizing it is more important to prepare the masses spiritually, by submitting to Jesus than preparation to persevere in the storm with ammunition, guns, precious metals and ready to eat meals.
I will conclude with this, in Noah's days there was scoffing at the building of the ark, with all that it implied respecting the coming deluge. In this present day of our Lord's Presence there is again scoffing, as foretold by Peter in 2 Peter 3. All the pieces are in place. Everything is lining up like Jesus said they would. He is eternal and our destiny with our Lord Jesus Christ is the experience of eternal life. While He tarries, we will continue to call men to the knowledge of the Jesus, who loves them with magnificent patience. He is coming! Are you ready?
Sis. San Davis!
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