Universal Love Versus Universal Salvation

I get emails and questions from time to time. One question I attempt to answer in part here because many, not just the person putting it to me last week, wonder “How do you explain [the clause] ‘who is the Savior of all men' in 1 Timothy 4:10 if all people will not be saved?” (Brackets mine). Some people think "Savior of all men" means all mankind will be saved. I will show that this verse does not mean all people WILL be saved, but that God offers salvation to all mankind, and those who appropriate salvation do so only because of Jesus. There is a difference. In short, the salvation of all mankind, eternal life for all mankind, and heaven for those passing from this life is God's preference among other things, and Jesus (Yeshua) is the only way for anyone in the human race to enter into life eternal (John 14:6). The choice to embrace or not embrace this one means for life eternal, to persevere in belief by grace through faith in this one means or not is yours. It isn't an issue of God's love. The alternative of abiding in Jesus is eternal death, which is not God's preference. 1 Timothy 4:10 affirm this and more.

1 Timothy 4:10

(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

Harmonizing 1 Timothy 4:10 (if read out of its context), 1 Timothy 2:4 with Revelation 20:15 can seem problematic, and are among many reasons why theologians make the distinction between God's expressed will and his permissive will.  The Holy Bible reveals that God has good will toward all mankind, He does not desire or take pleasure in the death of sinners, He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  Not only that; He has a plan, purpose, hope, and future for each one (Jeremiah 29:11; Jeremiah 18:3-8).  His banner over you and yours is love, love, love.  That doesn't mean His banner over all we did or even do now is one of approval.  Yet, His attitude towards you and yours was love and compassion while you were yet a sinner (Romans 5:8). How much more confident and secure can you be in this unconditional love of God if you are son or daughter of God through reconciliation of the precious blood of Jesus? God being Savior and His love before/after becoming sons/daughters through Jesus and Him alone is constant, and I personally believe the Lord Jesus will also wipe away His own tears following set judgment (Rev 21:4). 

Jesus being the only qualified Savior for mankind doesn't mean all mankind will be saved, or redeemed. Paul makes this qualification "especially of those who believe" in 1 Timothy 4:10 itself indicating that not only is Christ their Savior because He provides the only means of their salvation, as he does all mankind, but it is especially true because, as a result of their belief they are actually saved.   In other words, Jesus is the only Savior for mankind, and only those who follow/persevere in following Him by grace through faith are/will be saved.  Note that Timothy too must persevere by grace through faith even though he is already saved by grace through faith in the immediate context (1 Timothy 4:16; See also 1 timothy 4:1).  What Timothy did/didn't do did not change Jesus' status as being the only sufficient Savior for all mankind, and that included being the only qualified savior for Timothy. What Timothy did/didn't do did not change God's love for Timothy.    What Timothy did/did not do as it pertains to 1 Tim 4:16 had to do with him persevering in his salvation by grace through faith.  Interestingly, Caesar presented himself as god and savior of all men according to Roman history during the time this letter to Timothy was penned.  Could Paul, moved by the Holy Spirit, be using the idiom of the time to redirect to God in Christ redeeming? In any case, the deity of Jesus is also affirmed in the immediate context of 1 Timothy 4:10 where “God is the Savior,” or God is in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (1 Timothy 2:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:17-6:1ff).

I think there is still even more to this passage, though, when considering that 1 Timothy 4:10b clause within the immediate context of verse 10- “training in godliness,” laboring and striving lawfully, watching your life and doctrine (Perseverance).  One day those redeemed Jews and Gentiles who are God's people through Messiah Jesus' redemptive blood will rein with him in the joy of His kingdom when Messiah Jesus returns to the Earth for the second time in power and glory as presented by the ancient Jewish prophets, and how that will translate for the individual has a lot to do with our way, our stewardship, and our faithfulness under Messiah Jesus' kingship in the present age (1 Timothy 4:8, and many others). It also seems to indicate that heirs of salvation have a real hope of redemption/being recompensed of and for all things by a more than sufficient Savior. So, we are not merely persevering, but learning to rein or let God's kingdom rein through us rather.

Paul gets a bad rap sometimes for being difficult to understand or being heady, but like so often elsewhere, he has to affirm God's deep love and compassion for all on one hand while affirming only one means of Salvation through Jesus the Messiah, and the need to embrace/persevere in that means on the other for young Timothy, who, like Paul (1 Timothy 4:10a), was under some pressure in his partnership with the Lord Jesus in the practical ministry of reconciliation at the time.  There really is a lot sandwiched around that verse, but I don't really think it teaches universal salvation in the context of the chapter, context of this epistle to Timothy, the context of the other Pauline epistles, the other New Testament scriptures, and the teaching of Messiah Jesus in the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John for all of the reasons stated. And, this is in harmony with the TANACK (Daniel 12:2 among others). It teaches a universal Savior for mankind extending his arms for all, Jews and Gentiles, who will to come and be saved.  His name is Yeshua, or Jesus. He loves you, and wants to redeem you-your past, present, and future. P ut your “hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men and especially of those who believe.” In Him alone can you be redeemed (John 3:36; John 6:37 & John 12:32).