Statement #5 – God is not ashamed to be called their God.“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 11:13-16
The question is do we actually live in that type of faith today? I think that we often take for granted what God has promised us in His Word. Most of these saints only had small portions of God’s Word if any written in their lifetime. We have the whole canon of God’s Word full of His promises to help us through each day. Yet our faith can be so small. That is not God’s design for us. God gives us so many examples in His Word to follow. When your faith is tested, could it be said of you that God is not ashamed to be called your God?
Statement #6 – God is not slack concerning His promises.
Actually, we find both statements 6 and 7 of our study in 2 Peter.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
Realizing how God views time helps us to understand that God’s delay in coming back for His church after His promise made over 2,000 years ago is what explains the second half of this verse and the last point in our study – He is a longsuffering God!
Statement #7 – God is not willing that any should perish.
The rest of 2 Peter 3:9 goes on to describe a God who is longsuffering which allows for any who will come to Him to receive Him. Some people will argue that God determines who will be saved and who will not be saved. Although I don’t want to open a proverbial “can of worms” in dealing with this topic, I must say that this verse tells me that God doesn’t, wouldn’t, yea, cannot choose to send anyone to hell. His desire is that ALL might be saved. Paul states the same idea in these words — “Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God does not desire that anyone perish but that everyone who wants to be saved will be saved. One hymn writer said it this way – “Whosoever will may come.” God’s delay is not evidence that He isn’t going to fulfill the promise, but that He is waiting for all who will be saved. How I praise God for His longsuffering to you and to me to give us time to repent!
Dear friend, as we close this series of things the Bible says “God Is Not…,” can I ask you if you have experienced the longsuffering of our God? Have you come to Jesus, repented of your sin, and placed your faith in Him alone to save you? Jesus is the only way to reach Heaven (John 14:6). It would be horrible to study all these passages knowing about what “God Is Not…” and miss Heaven by the short distance between your head and your heart.
Do you know this God who gave Himself for you? If you don’t, please reach out to us and let us show you how you can know you are His child.
To my Christian friends reading this series, can I invite you to search the Scriptures to know your God better than you ever have before? God’s Word is the way Jesus has been revealed to us. Don’t stop at these seven “God Is Not…” statements. Be like those saints of old who believed God even before they saw His plan of redemption in Jesus. Go to His Word and learn what He is to you so your faith will grow. James 4:8a tells us to get as close to God as we can and then He will close the gap and draw closer and closer to us. You will never regret spending time getting to know your God![2]
[1] Gangel, K. O. (1985). 2 Peter. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 876). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Special thanks, again, to Bro. Steve Anderson for letting me develop this series from these points he shared in a sermon at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, VA, in May 2018.
This “People see time against time; but God sees time against eternity.” and this "God is not willing that any should perish." should really spur us on today (and every day) to tell His story—the Gospel, to all who cross our paths.
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