In the AV, 2 Peter 3.12 reads: "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God", while Darby’s translation reads: "Waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God". The RV gives: "Looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God". Can we in any way hasten that day?
It is easy from these different versions for a believer to be somewhat confused as to the meaning of Peter’s words here. I confess to being rather surprised that Darby renders it in the way he does, as it would seem to support the thought that a believer can hasten that day.
In the term "the day of God" we have the eternal state. It points to that uncharted period when time is no more and when God shall be all in all. It will be one perennial day when the sun will never set. The beginning of this day is fixed by God and the first act in it is the dissolution of the heavens and earth. In 2 Peter 3 we have the day of God as it concerns the believer (v.11), as it concerns God (v.12), and then as it concerns the world (v.13).
It is interesting that the word "haste" occurs five other times in the New Testament, as for instance in Luke 2.16: "They came with haste": and Acts 20.16, "For he hasted, if it were possible…", (see also Luke 19.5,6; Acts 22.18). The meaning appears to be plain in these passages. The words "earnestly desiring" could be substituted for the word "haste" without doing violence to these terms. Indeed we are told there is equal authority actually so to translate the word.
There is no passage in the word of God which teaches that we can in any way hasten the date of the "day of God". That we should earnestly desire the day is suggested in a few New Testament passages. We judge that the Revised Version seems to be more in keeping with other Scriptures. We do not as believers "hasten" that day, but we are "hasting unto it".
John J Stubbs
We continue to invite to speak at our meetings a handful of brethren who are in assemblies which have drifted away from New Testament patterns, as we judge. They do not agree with these changes of direction in their respective fellowships. One of our brethren is urging that we should stop inviting them to our meetings. Is he justified?
It is vital in these days of departure and declension that "assembly principles" are taught, followed, and maintained in each company of the Lord’s people. It is one thing to say that these brethren do not agree with these changes of direction in their respective fellowships, but one would like to ask whether the brethren referred to in the question teach "assembly principles" in their particular local churches. If such are respected teachers of the Word, surely they should be able to have some influence for good in the assemblies to which they belong. Indeed, do these brethren teach "assembly principles" when invited to speak to the assembly of which the questioner is a member? Sadly, there are some brethren who appear to accommodate their ministry to "suit" their congregation. There must be consistency of teaching. One of the requirements of a deacon (a ministering servant) is that he should not be "doubletongued" (1 Tim 3.8), i.e. taking one point of view in one place and a different point of view in another.
Another matter which should be considered is to what degree these assemblies referred to have "drifted away from New Testament patterns"; e.g. Do the women wear head coverings at all the meetings? Do the sisters take a public part in the gatherings? Is there a full-time elder who is paid a fixed stipend? Does the questioner any longer regard these companies as local churches meeting according to the Word of God? If not, there are serious implications.
The brother who is "urging that we should stop inviting them to our meetings" has made his position clear, presumably to the overseers. He should leave the matter there. It would not be appropriate for him to refrain from attending meetings at which the aforesaid brethren have been invited to speak. We should do all within our power to maintain unity among the Lord’s people; Paul speaks of "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph 4.3).
David E West
