I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions
and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all who
are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of
God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to
the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator
between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a
ransom for all, to be testified in due time
(I Timothy 2:1-6).
Practicing what this passage teaches will get you persecuted by “Christians” if they don’t
notice that you are referencing God’s Word (but sometimes even if they do realize it). Th e
mere suggestion of putting these things into practice will start arguments among churchgoers.
Here are some you can try at your nearest “church”:
- We should be thankful for our President.
- God will have all men to be saved.
- Th ere is only one God.
- Jesus was a man.
- Jesus has not only paid the purchasing price for believers, but for all.
The biggest truth that this passage teaches is the sovereignty (the unshared, matchless authority)
of God over all things, and that He is the responsible party of it all. (If He is not responsible for
all men, why then are we urged to give thanks to God for them?) It is the denial of this truth that
requires us to deny the other truths in this passage and fi nally leads us to believe in mythological
polytheism.
Scripture says that there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ
Jesus. Man says that there are two rivaling forces in the universe jockeying for control. One party
consists of Satan and his angels, and the other consists of three beings that are all 100% God; God
#1 – Th e Father, God #2 – Jesus, and God #3 – A Ghost.
Scripture says that we ought to pray for all men and give thanks to God for them; but because man
has already concluded that there is more than one controlling force – multiple gods in the universe
– man says that we ought to pray for those who are under the “control” of Satan and his angels and
give thanks only for those of whom God has control.
Scripture says that God will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Man says that Satan will have most men not come to the knowledge of the truth before they die and
that, because Satan will succeed with this goal, God will ultimately fail with His goal to have all men
saved and will be able to win only a few.
Scripture says that Christ Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all. Man says that because Satan will win
more people than God will, Christ only actually paid for those who believed before they died.
God’s good news has always been accepted by just a few, but we must remember that the percentage
of believers in the truth never has an eff ect on the amount of truth that is actually in it. It is either
true that God will have all men to be saved, or it is false. It is either true that Jesus was a man, or it
is false. It is either true that there is only one God, or it is false. It is either true that Christ Jesus gave
Himself a ransom for all, or it is false. Let’s either accept as truth what Scripture has to say on these
matters, or deny them – but let’s not continue to consider ourselves Bible believers if we consider
it to be a lie.
B I B L E S T U D E N T ’ S P R E S S ™
Study Shelf, PO Box 265, Windber, PA 15963
1-800-784-6010 / www.StudyShelf.com
Taken from the Bible Student’s Notebook™, a weekly Bible study publication available in two
formats (electronic and printed)
www.BibleStudentsNotebook
