This is a long-overdue Part 2 to What Is God’s Will?…
Our text is 1 Tim. 4: 10-11– “For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Prescribe and teach these things.”
As we discussed earlier, Paul clearly states in chapter 2 that God’s will is that all be saved…He now goes on reiterate that, calling Jesus the Savior of ALL men, ESPECIALLY those who believe. And this is the full gospel message that he (Paul) is exhorting Timothy to preach.
I see many beautiful things in this passage: God is the Savior of all. This is the message we are to give to the world. And Paul says this is what he labors and strives for. What else could be more satisfying to labor and strive for, than to give the message of God’s redemptive love for all men to all the world?
Once again, the question inevitably arises as to how all men are saved, since obviously not all believe in this life. In the NASB, the word “especially” gives us a hint that some are saved for something more than others. I believe Paul is referencing the overcomers, who are saved in this life and will rule and reign with Christ in His kingdom on earth. These are “especially” saved. But that does not mean that God is excluding the rest of humanity from His salvation. “Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.” The first Adam brought death to all. The second Adam brought life to all, but it will come each in his own time: “But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power….and when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.” (1 Cor. 15:23, 24, 28)
God has always had a plan of salvation in mind. He has an order in which He will accomplish it. He will save some in this life, and some in the ages to come. And He has a right to do as He pleases in this, because He will be completely fair in the process. Jesus shows us the Father’s mind in this with the parable of the landowner (Father), in Matthew 20. The man hires workers (men) at all hours of the day, but each receive the same pay (salvation). Those who were hired last (not saved in this life) missed out on the benefit of being in the landowner’s field (God’s kingdom/family), but did he neglect them? No, He brought them in throughout the day (ages to come) and gave them the same wages as those hired first….God is completely just in his dealings with men, as the entire plan of salvation is His.
So, back to our original text… Paul clearly states that there is a “special” salvation for believers in this life. But part of that privilege is to labor and strive to tell about who our Father really is, not the god that the world has made Him out to be, one of anger and condemnation for most of His creation. No, His love is the essence of His character, and all He is and does comes out of His love for humanity. THESE are the things we are to prescribe and teach. As soon as we do, the world will turn in masses to the Living God, who is indeed the Savior of all mankind.