Our Lord’s Patience Means Salvation

2 Peter 3:15-17 “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.  He writes the same way in all of his letters, speaking in them of these matters.  His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other scriptures, to their own destruction.  Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.”

            Lord, thank You for Your Word that is solid, true, and trustworthy.  I find it fascinating that Peter mentions Paul and his letters here, and I can relate a bit to what he says about the Pauline Epistles.  Paul is very consistent in his doctrine, but writes in a very scholarly way.  Peter, being a fisherman, writes in a more matter of fact style the common people can understand readily.  He does equate Paul’s letters to the scriptures authenticating Paul’s letters to the his intended recipients.

            Lord, I believe the most important thing here is this: Your patience means salvation.  The longer You wait to arrive again, the more people that will be added to Your kingdom.  Until then there will always be those who will, in ignorance or intentionally for their our evil purposes, distort Your word.  We are to be ever guarded against such false teachers and to be always vigilant to search the scriptures to see if what is being taught hold true to them.

            Lord, protect my mind and heart from those who would lead me astray with false doctrine.  Help me to be ever like the Bareans, searching the scriptures daily.  Spirit, guide me into all TRUTH.