The Longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.

2 Pet 3:15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

2 Pet 3:16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

The reason given by Peter as to the "apparent delay" in the judgement of God coming, is not really a delay at all, but rather, it's called "the longsuffering" of God. That is, He is very patient. And, He does not want anyone to perish, but that all would come to salvation. 

So, Peter here in 3:15 picks up this truth about God again, having mentioned it there in 3:9, and says, that because God has been longsuffering, or patient, it means that many have been saved in the meantime. God has waited, and waited to bring His final judgement on the world, and in doing so, it has provided a chance for people to be saved. 

Peter then refers to Paul, as a beloved brother ( by the way, Paul was the one who rebuked Peter in the past for Peter's failure to stick to the truth of salvation by grace, and was caving in abit to peer pressure by legalists, See The Epistle to the Galatians ) the point is, that Peter was humble enough to receive the rebuke, and here, he calls Paul "our beloved brother". Peter was far from perfect, as we all are, but, he was humble enough to receive what was given to him by way of rebuke. 

Anyways, Peter, says that Paul had also written about the longsuffering of God and the salvation of God in his letters....and then, adds, that some of the things that Paul has written about are not easily understood, or that they are hard to understand. How true. But, the point being made by Peter here, is that it's the irresponsible people, who do not know what they are talking about, who take and twist the Word of God every way that they want to, and in doing so, ( as they do with other scriptures as well ) they twist them to their own destruction. This is no doubt a ref to the false teachers he had mentioned earlier. 

So, in summary, the Lord wants us to consider that the longsuffering of the Lord is salvation. Right now, God is being patient, and think of how many people you know who need to be saved. This is their opportunity, this opportunity is being provided for them by the Lord in His great patience. 

And, also, back to Paul for a minute. Paul's letters dealt with the same truths as did Peter's letters, albeit from different perspectives, but essentially explaining the same truths. Some portions of the Bible are not easily understood, but, they are also not meant to be twisted and turned into false doctrines that encourage ungodly behavior and filthy lifestyles as was being taught by the false teachers. 

Good and true Bible teaching and explanation, leads to good and true living, according the righteousness of God and the examples given to us in Scripture. Our lives are to be measure by the Word, rather then trying to take the Word and make it fit into our lives, and what we might want to do etc. 

God has given us His Word to save us not to destroy us. 

May God greatly bless you today with His peace, and His grace, and His mercy. 

Pastor Bob Grenier 

Calvary Chapel Visalia