Today, as in times past, many people think that God will not fulfill His word. They are like those in Peter's day who scoffed at the idea the Jesus Christ will return and judge the world. "And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, ail things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (2 Peter 3:4). Peter tried, as we try today, to show and convince people that there is a God and that He will come demanding justice someday. "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 cometo repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). God is not slack, but is longsuffering. Why? Because He does not want anyone to perish. God does not want anyone to be eternally lost, but many choose to be so when they reject the love of God and refuse to be obedient to His will.
To many theologians this truth of the gospel is something they want to ignore. They want to speak of a loving God, one who will not condemn anyone to eternal punishment. We need to ask them and all people who believe this false doctrine, "Where is the scriptural evidence for this belief?." Have they not looked at scriptures such as Matthew 24:42-517 In verses 50 and 51, we read, "The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cat him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Many other scriptures such as the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, show the coming judgment. The writer of the book of Hebrews pointed out the judgment in very easy to understand terms in Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" These are just two of the many verses of the New Testament that speak of the coming judgment of mankind.
God is longsuffering, but we do not know the time of His return. So, God warns us to be ready at all times for His return. For if we are not, we will be like the people spoken of in 2 Peter 3:7, "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."
This should be enough to make us all want to get out and do the Lord's work so that none of our own family or friends will perish. Not only friends and family, but also all who are in the world who are lost and know not God and have not obeyed the truth (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Remember the Lord's word will stand the test of time and the judgment!