Well, autumn is here in all of its beauty. Many people are doing their annual “fall cleaning.” All of us with deciduous trees are getting their rakes out, or “should,” in my case. In my state, kids are back in school. Autumn is unfolding before us! For those of us that experience seasons, one of autumn’s aspects is the undercurrent of urgency. We know that winter will soon be here, and we can’t stop it – many people say to winter, “Come on! Show us what you’ve got! I can take it.” I’m not one of those people.
Fall Cleaning
As part of my fall cleaning, I review the Scriptures and messages I posted. I seek balance, but I never achieve it. I do this because a Christian missionary that I dearly miss taught me to do as Jesus said in this verse:
And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.“
Matthew 13:52
So, I search for well-known Scripture and Scriptures typically found in dusty corners of most people’s Bibles. The same is true for topics. I strive to bring out both reminders of well know topics and topics that are new to our society. I always include my favorite Scriptures, such as this one:
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9 (emphasis added)
To Will, Intend, Desire, Wish
I find great comfort in this message from God. And, buried within this verse is a beautiful gem. That word, “wishing,” in the above verse is from the Greek word βουλόμενός and is translated in Young’s Literal Translation as “wanting.” Strong’s Greek Concordance 1014 tells us it means: To will, intend, desire, wish.
I have to say that the King James Version seems to do the best translation of this passage of Scripture. The KJV renders βουλόμενός this way: “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.“
What we learn here is that God’s will is that no one should perish. His desire is for everyone to come to repentance. So, everyone goes to heaven? No. You may rightly say, “God’s will is always accomplished.” Yes, it is, but God is telling us that His intent is for everyone to come to repentance, but true repentance is an act of faith. God doesn’t make anyone accept Him.
Cannot Repent Without Jesus
We are incapable of true repentance. We possess no ability to turn away from our rebellion against God. Only through the act of salvation and the Holy Spirit coming to live in us can we fulfill the confession of repentance we make when we are saved.
At its core, Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is redemption, regeneration, reconciliation, relationship, and, someday, resurrection. God desires that we receive Jesus; that’s why God is patient with us.
Cleaning out the Dust
While it’s still autumn, let’s reaffirm our standing with our Lord. Let’s clean out the dust and grime that may have been tracked into our souls. We need to feel the urgency.
Image by Valentin from Pixabay
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