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Context is also important in relation to other verses on the subject. God’s desire for everyone in the world to be saved in repeated in John 3:16-18, Matthew 13 and so many other verses. “Whoever” means exactly what it implies.
All these verses make it explicitly clear that God desire is coupled with man’s choice.
2 Peter is not the sole authority on this topic nor is it in isolation of its affirmation of God’s desire, which Scripture makes clear CAN BE THWARTED by man’s will (John 3:18-20; Matth 23:36-38)
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“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Mat 23:37
Clarification/Correction:
2 Peter is not the sole authority on this topic nor is it in isolation of its affirmation of God’s desire FOR ALL TO COME TO SALVATION- which Scripture RECORDS JESUS STATING CLEARLY- can be thwarted by man’s will. (John 3:18-20; Mat 23:36-38)
John 3:16-17 (in context) is particularly clear that God has scattered the seed (the Word) throughout the world and knows that it will bear fruit in soil that is prepared to receive it.
I think John 3:17 pretty much settles this matter for me.
But again throughout the Scripture God declares his Soverignty over all his creation. He declares his glory. Now for argument sake let’s look at the process required for anyone to choose God from a spiritually dead condition. What one has to realize is that we are spiritually dead. Unable to “choose” good and the things of God. Scripture is abundantly clear that there is none righteous no not one. We are dead in tresspass and sin. So any decisions we make concerning goodness are merely fitlty rags before God. Our very decisions are filthy before him and rendered unacceptable.
Now, even if the dead person hears the Gospel and is brought to the point of decision it is no more than proping up a corpse and taking him to the brink and then letting go and saying, “Ok Choose.” Of course they can’t. They are still dead to God and still the enemy of God. Until God does a work of Grace in the heart one cannot act outside of one’s nature. In our unredeemed state we are by nature the children of wrath. Unless acted upon by an outside force, we are incapable of doing anything good before God. That is the very reason God did not allow Abram to participate in the Blood covenant in Genesis 15. God established the covenant and carried it out himself, then gave it as a gift to Abram. Abram did as he was instructed to prepare the sacrifice but he was not allowed to willfully participate in the covenant ritual himself. Again God chose Abram, Abram did not choose God.
By insisting that we choose God, one takes away from God. It declares that man has power over God. If that is so, then God is no longer God. Scripture declares, What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. Roman 9:14-16
If my salvation depends on my choice, then it must depend on my attitude as well as my actions. How can I have any assurance in something that I have done while still in my sinful unredeemed condition? Yet, my salvation is not dependent upon me but the one who called me, the one who declared before the foundation of the world he would save me, and then actively brought about all the events and circumstances and in his time according to his pleasure gave me life, converted me and saved me from sin. I rejoice in that fact. I have complete confidence in Jesus Christ’s finished work regarding salvation and the Holy Spirit’s work in drawing me and doing the work of Grace in my heart. I can boast of nothing, yet I can claim all that He has given me. I am his son, not for anything I have done but because of everything he has done.
God in his sovereignty declared that whoever will be saved can be. He can use he sovereignty as he so pleases.
He dictates the terms of salvation and what that entails. In the end, he still judges.
He’s still the boss and his sovereignty is intact. He’s still God- it’s all good. 🙂