THE LORD'S PATIENCEMEANS SALVATION - PART 1

WEDNESDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2022

Patience is the capacity to condone or endure delay. It is the Greek word, "hupomoné" which is to properly remaining under. In modern English Bibles, the synonyms such as "longsuffering", "endurance," "perseverance," and "steadfastness," are used interchangeably with patience. However, they all mean to wisely endure, bear with, put up with, suffer or admit a process.

Reference: 2 Peter 3:15 New International Version (NIV) "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him."

Patience is a great virtue. This is the reason anything that hinders patience in any process that has to do with God must be wrong. In the application of patience, we have the earthly time, as well as divine timing. For instance, a continuance in doing right when you're waiting for God's intervention in a matter shows that there is a duration in such process. In fact, all the incidents that take place in life have a time factor attached to it. Whether you are attending a college, practising your occupation or profession, or you are faced with trials or adversity, every process in all of these aspects of life have a time factor, which involves a measure of duration, regardless of their nature, and also, the amount or application of patience may vary depending on individual's circumstances. More so, God has a special regard for patience, which He translates as salvation in today's Scriptural context, according to His divine agenda for the salvation of humankind.

2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) reads, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Now watch this: "Promise" in this Scripture does not imply earthly promises which we can partake of in the Scriptures. The promise here is all about Christ's return. So God is restraining Himself on account of those who are yet to receive salvation; hence holding back the end of time realm. Got it?

Remember that the Bible says, "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36 NIV). This shows that only God has such information which He fixed by His own authority. Therefore, when Peter writes that our Lord's patience means salvation, it simply suggests that many people's salvation (who are still out there wallowing in sin) are at the mercy of God's patience. The chosen ones who are yet to come to Christ are subject to God's deliberate purpose in His patience. This shows or reminds us that it will be accredited to our heavenly account if we love the worst sinners enough to reach them for Christ because the real test of our love for God is measured by how honest we demonstrate our compassion on behalf of the lost souls, especially in regard to their salvation. Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Ecclesiastes 7:8; Proverbs 15:18; Matthew 24:36; James 5:8.

Guided Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I honour you today because your patience for mankind is present everywhere on earth. For this reason, I find delight and comfort in spreading your Word everywhere as the fragrance of salvation. By your amazing grace, I believe that the lost souls in my world will catch up with the fixed and accurate view of your merciful presence, so as to embrace the salvation that is in Christ, in Jesus' Name, Amen!