1 Timothy 4:10 – The Savior of Those Who Believe
Last week, we considered the qualities of a good pastor which Paul sets forth in this chapter. Before we move on, we need to consider a couple of important issues – the first of which is found in verse 10. Paul says God is “the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” Because the New Testament clearly teaches that there is no eternal salvation for any but those whose faith is in Christ, we know Paul cannot be teaching that, in the end, every last human being will be saved from God’s wrath and live forever in glory. So, what does he mean? There are a few ways to understand this Scripture:
1. The Gospel call goes out to all people. In that sense, God is the potential Savior of every human being, but He is the actual Savior only of those who, being brought to new life by the Holy Spirit, believe.
2. As we saw in chapter 2, “all people” can mean “all manner of people.” If that is the best understanding, then the word translated “especially” (chiefly, most of all, above all) might be understood as meaning something like “particularly,” “namely” or “by which I mean.” In other words, God is the Savior of all manner of people who believe in Jesus Christ.
3. The New Testament uses the verb “to save” in many ways, including rescue from danger, healing of diseases and injuries as well as spiritual, eternal salvation. In His common grace, God gives good things to all people, preserving life and withholding His wrath for a time. Everlasting life in glory, however, is given only to those who have faith in Jesus. Therefore, He is the Savior of all, but He is Savior of believers to a much greater degree.
Questions
1. Can there be everlasting salvation for those who never have faith in Jesus?
2. What difference might our understanding of the word “all” and “especially” make as we read this verse?
3. How might God be Savior of all while being Savior of believers to a greater degree?
Prayer Points
1. Praise God that He is Savior.
2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
3. Pray for family matters.