…” who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4 (ESV).
“The context of today’s text is 1 Timothy 2:1–3 (ESV) which says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.”
What did the Apostle Paul mean when he wrote God desires all people to be saved? This concerns the sovereignty of God. Is the Lord, as some gospel songs portray Him, a passive, wishful and waiting God who hopes people will turn to Him, repent of their sins and trust Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord? Or, is He purposefully sovereign and the Lord of heaven and earth? This debate regarding the very nature of saving grace, and the character of God, continues to be debated and discussed among believers in Christ. Let’s examine the text in detail.
The word desires (θέλει; thelei) is a present, active, indicative, singular verb. In the context, it is an emotion God possesses. It means to take pleasure or delight. In other words, God takes great pleasure and delight in something. In what does the Lord take pleasure or delight?
Paul said the Lord takes pleasure and delight in all people to be saved. The word all ( πάντας; pantas) refers to all of every kind. People (ἀνθρώπους; anthropous) refers to humans, whether male or female, young or old, rich or poor, slave or free. The phrase to be saved (σωθῆναι; sothenai) is a past tense, passive verb. It refers to deliverance and acceptance God gives to sinners. This saving is by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
Therefore, Paul wrote the Lord takes pleasure and delight in delivering and accepting all kinds and types of sinners. He is not passively waiting for sinners but rather actively seeking to save the lost from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin. This compliments what the apostle wrote in I Timothy 1:15.
God’s delivering sinners from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin coincides with coming to a knowledge of the truth. To come (ἐλθεῖν; elthein) means to actively come. Knowledge (ἐπίγνωσιν; epignosin) means recognition, discernment and understanding. Truth (ἀληθείας; aletheias) refers to what corresponds to reality and trustworthiness.
Paul wrote of sinner actively arriving, in their minds, emotions and will, to an understanding of the truth. The truth concerned the existence of God, the reality of sin, the nature of salvation along with person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ; Savior of sinners.
“The purpose of prayer for all men, without distinction of rank, race or nationality, is that they may be saved and may come to ‘full knowledge’. This is a knowledge in which not only mind but also the heart partakes,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen. “The purpose of such praying corresponds with God’s own sovereign desire.”
Pastor J. Ligon Duncan writes, “The point of this passage is not to say that God has willed all to be saved, and so if they’re not, God’s will has failed. The point
of this passage is to make the exact same point of Ezekiel. Remember what
Ezekiel said about the Living God? Over and over he repeats it in his book: “I,
the Lord your God, do not delight in the death of the wicked, but I delight when
sinners turn from their wicked way and return to Me.” That’s exactly what Paul is saying here. Paul is telling us something about the delight of the heart of God: that He does not delight in the destruction of the wicked; He is not some ogre in the sky that loves to see people ruining their lives and being cast into Hell, although He will punish the wicked. But His real delight is when sinners are saved. We believe that, and Paul says that impels us to pray! Because God has this desire to see the world coming to Jesus Christ, we pray for the world.”
Let us resolve to be praying for the salvation of sinners, knowing the Lord delights in faith coming by hearing and hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). May we be the instruments God uses to bring sinners to faith in Christ. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 