2 Peter 3:15 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.
The delay in Jesus’ return has a reason. God’s patience and waiting to send Jesus back again provides more time and opportunity for people to come to faith. In our world today, there are billions of people who have never heard about Jesus. These people live in the darkness of sin and have been deceived by false religions. The world has offered promises that it cannot fulfill. People have stumbled into the darkness of their own folly and self-destruction. Paul wrote about this in Romans 1:18-32. The human heart is sinful and gets worse as people continue to walk away from the light of God. The message of salvation must go out into all the world. Not everyone will respond. Some are so set in their ways that they will not change. Others will distort the truth so that it fits their own situation. The biggest religion today is the religion of self. Humanism in many forms dominates people’s thoughts and lives. Man-made religions are based on humanism, though they may claim revelation and special insight. God’s patience will one day end and people will be called to account. The Book of Revelation contains many insights into the events that will precede and surround the close of history. Although this books is difficult to understand, its message is clear enough. Every reference to Jesus’ second coming should cause the readers of the New Testament to confess their sins and walk in the light of God. Peter mentions in this verse the letters of Paul. If this letter is indeed written by the Apostle Peter, this is a remarkable statement. Both Peter and Paul were martyred by the Emperor Nero in the mid 60’s AD. They were likely in Rome near the same time. Paul’s letters had already begun to circulate by the mid 60’s. Peter recognized in this verse the authority and wisdom in Paul’s letters. God used Paul as an instrument to get the gospel out. Paul was a very learned person. He studied under the greatest rabbi of his time, Gamaliel. Paul knew the Old Testament well. He also knew many other things and was able to converse with scholars and debated throughout his travels.
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