Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

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In the previous post, we looked briefly at the acronyms 5 Sola’s and T.U.L.I.P. often associated with Calvinism and Reformed Theology. Let us take a closer look at these titles:

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Looking back at our featured text (v.4), the 1st BIG knock against “Calvinism” is that Calvinists, or those holding to Reformed Theology, do not believe, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. As usual, CONTEXT is everything when we study the Bible. Those who oppose Calvinistic or Reformed ideals fail to take CONTEXT into account:

Context is the surrounding literature of the Bible that helps to determine the meaning of a passage¹². Context is important for biblical interpretation because it can prevent wrong interpretations, faulty theology, and confusion³. Context can also help to realize the full meaning and application of God’s Word³⁴. Context has different layers, such as the sentence, the paragraph, the section, the book, and the author, and the nearest context should be given the most weight in interpretation¹².

So let us break down the context of 1 Timothy 2:1-8:

King James Bible Par ▾A Call to Prayer

1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6.Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7. 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. 8. I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

As we see the theme or overriding CONTEXT of this passage is PRAYER! One can try and argue and say the theme is the salvation of all mankind, but taking verse 4 out of CONTEXT is false teachings. Paul, here writing to Timothy, expounds not on Universal Salvation, but on the duty of all true believers to PRAY for the lost. For all the lost, rich, poor, kings, and peasants. The people (Object of Prayer) in Verse 1 are the same as those in Verse 4. For it is by prayer and hearing the Word, that God’s elect are saved.

Context Summary First Timothy 2:1–8 provides a perspective on prayer. Christians are not only supposed to pray but to pray for all people. This even includes kings, rulers, and government officials. The basis for this is that God wants to see such people saved; His love for them is as great as it is for anyone else. The earthly hope of a believer, then, is the ability to live in peace. Preaching one message was Paul’s primary service to God: that all men are saved in the same way, which is by faith in Christ. The men of a church, then, should lead prayer with an attitude of cooperation and love.

Verse 4 Context/ Commentary

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It should be clear to all readers that being a Calvinist does not eliminate the beliefs of these verses. Likewise, it should be clear that the theme of these verses is man’s (Christian) obligation to pray for the unsaved and not God’s plan of salvation. Yet far too many “evangelicals” today infer here that God would have everyone (all mankind) saved. As Matthew Poole comments above, how can this be with so many in Hell?

The rub so to speak that many modern evangelicals have is they want God on their terms, I call it Burger King Theology. They believe they have something to do with Salvation, it is up to them to “accept” God/Christ. The first two tenets of Calvinism represented in T.U.L.I.P., Total Depravity, and Unconditional Election turn that idea on its head.

T = Coming to Christ by A.W. Pink

U = Is There Really No Biblical Support for Unconditional Election? – Tom Ascol

In Part III we will look further at some knocks against Calvinism and Reformed Theology.

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Further Reading Suggestion:

The Bondage of the Will – by James Montgomery Boice