The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
I am grateful to God for many, many things. I am especially grateful for his patience.
In John 10:16 Jesus said, “I have other sheep, which are not from this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice and become one flock with one shepherd.” In 1 Peter 2:25 it says, “For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” Jesus said in John 12:32, “As for Me, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to Myself.”
Jesus wants all of us to draw near to Him. He wants all of us to be in heaven with Him. Calvinists teach that we are pre-destined to either go to heaven or hell. They believe God determines this long before we are born. These passages clearly refute that, however, as they tell us God wants all people to come to Him so none will perish.
In Revelation 20:14, it refers to the lake of fire being the second death. God intends for us to die once with that being a physical death. The second death is when we are thrown into the lake of fire and banished from his presence forever.
God could have simply made us all robots programmed to follow Him. We could have been programmed to love Him with all our hearts and love our neighbors and be kind and forgiving. He decided, however, to give us a choice. We can choose to follow Him and allow Him to be our shepherd, or we can reject Him. Yesterday, we spoke of how self-destructing rejecting Him can be.
Romans 1:18-32 tell us what happens to those who reject God. While God is patient and gives us many chances to come to Him, there will come a time that His patience will run out and we will be given over to our evil desires. When this happens, we will join the ranks of those who are evil, greedy, wicked, envious, murderous, quarrelsome, deceitful, gossipers, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, boastful, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving and unmerciful (Romans 1:29-31).
Paul goes on to say in verse 32, “Although they know full well God’s just sentence-that those who practice such things deserve to die-they not only do them but applaud others who practice them.”
God gives us a choice; He doesn’t want any of us to perish or die that second death in the lake of fire. He doesn’t want any of us to spend eternity in hell. He is loving, merciful, patient and kind.
Our former pastor used to always tell us if we go to hell, we will go as trespassers. We are not meant to be there. God intended for us to live with Him for eternity in heaven. Jesus said in John 14:2-3, “In my father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for 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 to Myself, that where I am you may be also.”
The Bible makes it clear that none of us are intended to go to hell. Hell is meant to be a dwelling place for the devil and his servants. Because God loves us so much, however, He gives us a choice. Which will you choose?
He is patient, He is waiting for you but there will come a time when it’s too late. Don’t let that happen, turn to Him today.
Have a great day!