The longsuffering of our Lord

2 Peter 3:15

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation…”

There is nothing like the longsuffering of Christ. Some wonder why the Lord has not come yet. The answer is given in Peter’s second epistle, in the third chapter, when in the ninth verse he says to us that God is “longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” He has great longsuffering! He is waiting till all who will come to Christ have been safely added to the fold. He will not come in an untimely manner or prematurely. He will come in the fullness of the time, when He knows that the Gospel has been adequately given to the inhabitants of the earth. We can stand on this truth because it is clearly spelled out here. The longsuffering of our Lord is salvation! The longer He waits, the more will be saved. The longer He tarries His coming, which we long for and look for, many more by the thousands and millions may come to repentance. He is longsuffering!

But you see, beloved, has not this same longsuffering been shown to each of us? Could we not say with confidence that we have come to this moment and this place which we occupy now only by the mercy and grace of God. Could we not echo loudly with the great apostle that the longsuffering of our Lord is our salvation? We have only proceeded from previous degradations to current exultations because of the wonderful grace of our God. He has lifted us from death to life, and from darkness to light, because He was willing to wait. He did not cut us off before the time, nor did He give up on us in our sin, but He continued to show forth His longsuffering until we responded to this mercy of God and came to repentance and contrition. And then the Lord heard! And then the Lord saved! He did not only save us from eternal damnation, but how many times has He saved us from destruction, from death, from ruin, from lustful lifestyles, and from sinful paths? Has He not shown every one of us a great measure and an inestimable amount of longsuffering? Let us this day recognize this. Let us not take for granted the longsuffering of our Lord, but stir up our pure minds by way of remembrance. Remember today, that without the longsuffering of our Lord, you would be hopeless and hapless. You would be discouraged and dejected. You would be without a way, a path, or a direction. But thank God for His longsuffering! There can be no doubt that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation!

“Dear Lord, how we praise and thank you for your wonderful longsuffering that has been shown to us-ward! You have waited long enough to save our souls, save our lives, and save our futures! And now that we see your longsuffering more clearly, we ask you to birth the same longsuffering in our hearts, that we would be patient, kind, and gracious toward others, and thereby show them the love of Christ. Help us, we pray. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”