Who Will Have ALL Men To Be Saved!

Temple Baptist Church - 6-17-2012

1 Timothy 2:4-6

A. As one of the Pastoral Epistles, the Holy Spirit sets forth the proper and expected way that a local church is to be operated. I find it of no little interest that people with spiritual “agendas” will recognize the importance of first Timothy in the organization and running of the local church and, yet, will overlook or try to explain away perfectly clear doctrinal teaching found within it.

B. These 3 verses that I just read correspond with Matthew 28:18-20. We often call this the Apostolic Commission, the Great Commission, or the Great Command.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Notice the two parts of the commandment: lead them to Christ and then teach them the doctrines of faith.)

C. These verses clearly refute some of the false teachings that we are well acquainted with by making it clear that God wills all men to 1) Be saved 2) To come unto the knowledge of truth. This refutes:

1. The “election” of a few.

2. The “predestination” of a few.

3. The false perception of a God who loves or hates individuals based upon divine sovereignty alone.

D. Can we, as Bible believers, agree with any precept of the TUPIP? The answer is “No.” Why would we not agree?

T – Total Depravity – Calvinist Theology teaches this as Total Inability! Total depravity I can agree with but God has given man both ability and choice. Man has the power to choose both right and wrong in the Scripture.

U – Unconditional Election – Calvinism teaches that the sovereignty of God demands unconditional election. The Bible believer cannot agree with this tenet either. I find conditions for salvation all through the Bible in such words as “except” a man repent or be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God. There is the condition of believing, coming to Christ, etc.

L – Limited Atonement – Calvinism teaches Christ’s sacrifice for only a few who are elect or predestined. Neither can the Bible believer agree here but I will deal with this later.

I – Irresistible Grace – Calvinism teaches that man cannot reject the drawing of the Holy Ghost. We certainly know better than that as much is said in the Bible with such wording as “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye!” “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”

P - Perseverance of the Saints – Calvinism teaches that if a man is saved, he will persevere. Bible believers know that eternal life is an act of God, not the faithfulness of man and we do not persevere, we are eternally saved through the blood of Christ.

E. I am not going to deal with election and predestination in detail as that is a study within itself but I do want to say that there are no individual elect before they come to Christ and predestination has to do with those with the body of Christ being conformed to the image of Christ. Both election and predestination have to do with foreknowledge.

F. What I want us to see is this: these verses are “stand alone” when it comes to salvation. There is no election or predestination mentioned within the context nor are they implied. This is a simple statement of fact that Christ died for all mankind and wills them to be saved and taught right. That is the work of the local church! Timothy needed to know nothing else.

G. Let us look at these two things that God wants for sinners and I believe that the Bible will be very clear. Most who get into false doctrines such as Calvinism try to explain simple, clear verses such as John 3:16 and our text with much harder to understand verses. Always explain the hard verses with the simple ones, not the other way around.

Who will have all men to be saved!

1. God Loves All Mankind And Gave His Son - John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

2. God Wills All To Be Saved - 1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

3. God Does Not Will For One To Perish - 2 Peter 3:9 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 come to repentance.

4. Christ Died For The Sins Of Both Saved And Lost - 1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

5. God Has Made Salvation Free To All - Isaiah 55:1-3 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. (3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

6. God Has Made Salvation Available - Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

7. God Has Given Man Responsibility And Choice In Salvation - Isaiah 45:21-22 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. (22) Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

8. God Takes No Pleasure In The Death Of The Unsaved - Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?