Burkitt:

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

As if the apostle had said. Let all sorts of men, servants and masters, children and parents, old and young, discharge their duties faithfully to God and one another; for the grace of God,  discovered in the gospel, has appeared to all men, teaching them to deny all doctrines and practices which are ungodly, and all worldly lusts of sensuality, and that we should live soberly, with respect to ourselves, righteously and charitably towards our neighbor, and holily towards
God, in this present world.

Note here, 1. A choice and excellent description of the gospel; it is the grace of God, that is, the doctrine of God’s free grace and gratuitous favor declared in Christ to poor sinners.

Note, 2. The joyful message which the gospel brings, and that is, salvation: the gospel makes a gracious tender of salvation, and that universally, to lost and undone sinners.

Note, 3. The clear light and evidence that it doth hold forth this message in and by; it has appeared or shined forth like the day-star, or the rising sun.

Note, 4. The extent of its glorious beams, how far they reach, to all indefinitely. The grace of God bringing salvation has appeared unto all men; that is, it is tendered to all without restriction or limitation.

1. As to nations, Jew or Gentile.

2. As to persons, rich or poor, bond or free;

3. Without restriction, as to the number and greatness of their sins;

4. Without restriction, in reference to the degree of their graces.

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[Hulse’s prefacing remarks:]

One of the readers of Reformation Today has pointed out that John Owen, a foremost and respected theologian, restricted the meaning of 2 Peter 3:9 to ‘the elect’. The text reads as follows, ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness: but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’

In seeking to refute Arminianism Owen became intolerant of the Arminian interpretations and said, ‘I shall not need add anything concerning the contradictions and inexplicable difficulties wherewith the opposite interpretation is accompanied.’ He also said, ‘That to believe that God has the same will and mind towards all and everyone in the world is to come not far short of extreme madness and folly’ (Owen’s works vol. 10, p. 348ff.).

We do not believe that God has the same will and mind towards all in the world in as much as he has by sovereign election determined to save a people for himself. We are dealing now with the question of his revealed will, in which he will have all to be saved. This Owen himself, and all the Puritan divines, maintained. The question before us is whether 2 Peter 3:9 should be included as one of the passages which either directly state or infer that God’s revealed will is for all to be saved. Under pressure Owen sought to restrict it, but was it necessary to do so?

Since this issue arose from the article by Bob Letham, ‘Theology well formed or deformed?’, we have asked him to give us an exposition of 2 Peter 3:9. He has responded as follows:

[Letham’s answer:]

The particularity of redemption is not endangered by adopting a more inclusive reference than Owen would allow. Indeed, Calvin himself understood Peter’s language in precisely that way. However, we would all agree that our ideas should not rest on human authority or tradition, but on biblical exegesis.

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Clifford:

Footnote #42 reads:

William Cunningham (1805–61) flies in the face of the evidence in denying that Calvin taught universal atonement (The Reformers and the Theology of the Reformation (London, 1862; fac. London, 1967), 397. Although he denies that it is conclusive, he cites Calvin’s isolated reply to the Lutheran divine Heshusius as ‘a very explicit denial of the universality of the atonement’ (p. 396). Calvin says, ‘As he adheres so doggedly to the words [‘this is my body’], I should like to know how the wicked can eat the flesh of Christ which was not crucified for them, and how they can drink the blood which was not shed to expiate their sins?’ For a discussion of this see Daniel, ‘John Gill and Hypercalvinism’, p. 818 ff. Alternatively, once it is seen that Calvin is opposing the theory of consubstantiation, an otherwise problematic statement makes sense beside his numerous universalist statements. He is virtually asking how unbelievers (or anyone for that matter) can feed on a crucified Christ simply by eating and drinking consecrated elements; for they themselves were not actually crucified as Christ was. Calvin is simply ridiculing the idea that unbelievers feed on Christ by feeding on mere symbols. See Tracts and Treatises, ii. 527.

A. C. Clifford, Atonement and Justification (Clarendon Press: Oxford, 1990), 87.

Bastingius:

1)

21. What is true faith?

Answer.

It is not only a knowledge, by which I do steadfastly assent to all things which God has revealed unto us in his word, but also an assured affiance kindled in my heart by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel, by which I rest upon God, making sure account, that forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness and life is bestowed, not only upon others, but also upon me, and that freely by the mercy of God, for the merit and desert of Christ alone.

Exposition.

We have declared that there is but one means of deliverance, to save us from so miserable destruction, the Mediator and Redeemer, by whose hand the heavenly Father according to his exceeding goodness and mercy having compassion on us, would succor us, if so be we be engrafted into Christ by true faith, and do apply all his benefits unto ourselves. Now we must consider what manner of faith this is, whereby men receive the possession of the Kingdom of Heaven, who are by nature condemned in Adam, for that not every opinion or persuasion is able to bring so great a matter to pass; and so much the rather, because the devil is so hot an enemy to the saving doctrine of faith: for because he was not able to hinder the decree of God touching the redemption of mankind, therefore he employs all this skill about this, how either to take away, or to corrupt, or to weaken this instrument whereby we apply the same unto ourselves, for he knows that which is written, “Whosoever believes not, upon him, abides the wrath of God,” [John 3:16.].

The definition of
true faith is here
further expounded.
John, 6:69. John 17:3.

1. Therefore true faith is defined first to be a knowledge, which although it be common to it with the historical faith, yet true faith can neither be, nor continuing without it, according to the confession of Peter, “We also have believed and known, that thou art Christ that Son of the living God.” He joins knowledge with faith, even as ignorance is the greatest enemy to wit.

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