PURPOSE: Daily Reading Plan #1
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
1 John 4:9
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
1 Timothy 2:3-4
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
What seems like a simple statement by Paul, that God wants to see "all" people find salvation, becomes very complex based on one's assumptions. The Greek phrase is pantas anthrōpous, echoing the same universal sentiment as in 1 Timothy 2:1, where Paul encouraged prayers on behalf of "all people." The terminology refers to mankind in general, including both men and women. The desire being expressed here applies to all people.
God has all wisdom and can sovereignly choose certain people who will believe (Romans 9:18) and also allow people to decide to believe in Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9). Jesus came to provide a way to know God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). However, not everyone will believe. God's desire is for all people to come to faith in Him, according to this verse and others (2 Peter 3:9). In basic terms, the Bible presents reasons to believe that God chooses us for salvation, and that He offers us a choice to be saved, and that not all people are saved.
Taken in a shallow sense, all of this can appear contradictory. And yet, all three concepts are presented in Scripture. The discussion on how these ideas relate to each other is beyond the scope of a short commentary. There are many competing ideas which seek to harmonize the concepts of free will and God's sovereignty. In the end, all we can or need to know is what we each face: a need for a personal relationship with Christ. The word "saved" used here is sōthēnai, which involves the idea of rescue or restoration.
Beyond simply being saved, God also wants people to come to the "knowledge of the truth." This includes the idea of understanding what is right about God, or the sound doctrine often mentioned by Paul in this letter. This same phrase is used by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:25; 3:7, Titus 1:1, and by the author of Hebrews in 10:26.
Reflection Questions
- What do these verses say about God's purpose for us?
- How does recognizing that salvation is God's purpose for my life call me to live as a result of taking these verses to heart?
