Why does the Bible talk about God's patience and long-suffering in regard to salvation? If indeed, God is the one who "effectually calls" his elect to be saved, isn't He just waiting on Himself to do the work?
How do you reconcile that with His being patient and longsuffering with mankind? If salvation is truly "all of God" what exactly is he waiting on?
Patience, in our language as well as in the original, denotes a willingness on God's part to withhold his wrath in order to wait on something. What is that something?
Let's look at some scripture related to this question:
2Pe 3:9 -The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Rom. 10:21 -But concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."
Mt 23:37 - "O Jerusalem! Jerusalem that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, yet you were not willing!
Each of these verse express God patience and desire for men to do something. What is that? To repent, right?
Now, if God is the sole cause of repentance in men through the effectual work of regeneration, then He is not waiting on anything outside of Himself, is He? If not, why does he express Himself as being patient with man? Any thoughts?
NOTE: I put the term "Sovereign God" in quotes because scholars from the various views might define the term "sovereign"differently, but here I'm asking about how the more Calvinistic approach to Sovereignty aligns with God's expressions of patience and long-suffering.
