I Timothy 2:3-5 "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
Throughout the centuries Christians of diverse theological views have understood these verses in very different ways. The King James Holy Bible is consistent within itself and is its own commentary. If my understanding of a verse is not in accord with what is clearly taught in other parts of the Bible, then it is my understanding that is at fault and not the Bible. I believe in the doctrine of election. Jesus Christ says in John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit..." As a result I am often asked to explain these verses here in I Timothy chapter two.
Much of modern Christianity pictures God as a grandfatherly figure wishing so badly that his errant creatures would heed his pleadings and decide of their own free will to accept his offer of salvation. I do not believe the Scriptures support this view of God .
I think it crucial to properly understand is what is meant by the phrase "all men". But first let me point out that many modern perversions create a contradiction and contribute to the helpless grandfatherly caricature of God.
The King James Bible, as well as Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, Bishops' Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, Youngs, Douay 1950, Webster's 1833 translation, the Revised Version 1881, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible 1902, the Third Millenium Bible and the 21st century KJV all correctly translate God "WILL HAVE all men to be saved", or "wills" all men to be saved. The verb is thelo and, when used of God, means to will to do something and since he rules over all, what he wills he does.
The NKJV and NASB say God "desires all men to be saved " while the NIV says he "wants all men to be saved". This rendering contradicts passages where this same verb or noun form is used in referrence to God. He "worketh all things after the counsel of HIS OWN WILL" Ephesians 1:11; "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth WHOM HE WILL" John 5:21; and in Romans 9:16, 18 we read: "So then it is NOT of him that WILLETH, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Therefore hath he mercy on whom HE WILL have mercy, and whom HE WILL he hardeneth." Again with a different word but with the same thought is James 1:18 "OF HIS OWN WILL begat he us with the word of truth."
It is God himself "which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" Philippians 2:13. One of my favorite verses is Daniel 4:35 "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and HE DOETH ACCORDING TO HIS WILL in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"
Now comparing scripture with scripture, what does "all men" mean? I believe it means all men without distinction of national heritage, social standing, wealth or intellect. It does not mean all men without exception.
In the Old Testament God chose only the nation of Israel to be his people. "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth." Deut. 14:2. But now the Messiah has come and he is to be the Saviour of his people which are taken out out every nation, tribe, kindred and tongue. "God did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name." Acts 15:14.
Even in the Old Testament times a Gentile could come to Israel and learn of the true God. Notice carefully the expression used in Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple in I Kings 8:41-43: "Morover concerning A STRANGER, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when HE shall come and pray toward this house; Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that THE STRANGER calleth to thee for; that ALL PEOPLE of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people of Israel."
Notice that this prayer refers to one Gentile who comes to pray to the true God. "All people of the earth" therefore does not mean every individual but all men without distinction of nationality, be they a Jew or a Gentile. Again in Isaiah 56: 6, 7 it says: "Also the sons of the stranger (Gentiles) that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD...Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer...for mine house shall be called an house of prayer FOR ALL PEOPLE." Obviously this does not mean every individual without exception will join himself to the LORD, but all without distinction of nationality.
When the apostle Paul relates his conversion experience we can see how this same thought is expressed. In Acts 9:15 the Lord tells Ananias concerning Paul: "But the Lord said, Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." Yet in Acts 22:14, 15 Paul himself tells us that Ananias came to him: "And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shoudest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto ALL MEN of what thou hast seen and heard." Do you see it? All men = the Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel. All men without distinction of nationality or social standing. Obviously Paul did not speak to Noah's sons, the Cherokee indians, Genghis Khan or Bill Gates.
There are many other scriptures I could mention, but I don't want this to be too long. At the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the devout Simeon came by the Spirit into the temple, took up the babe in his arms and said: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of ALL PEOPLE; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." Obviously not every individual Gentile or Jew would be lightened by this salvation, but the Messiah will save all people without distinction of nationality, not all people without exception.
This is why Paul continues in I Timothy with these significant verses after saying that God will have all men to be saved. In verses 6 and 7 he says: "Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity." Why does he say he is not lying but telling the truth that he was a preacher and teacher ofthe Gentiles? Because now in the New Testament dispensation Christ, the Jewish Messiah, is gathering from the heathen Gentiles a people for his name and together the elect Jews and the elect Gentiles are what make up the "all men". This I believe is a consistent, Biblically defined use of the term "all men" or "all people".
Will Kinney