“1 Timothy 2:3-4 says that God desires all men to be saved. Yet, not all men are saved. Does that mean 1) God will not do what He wants to do, or 2) that God cannot do what He wants to do? It has to be one of these two options, right? How do you square this?”
— Anonymous
This apparent contradiction raises deep questions about God’s will and omnipotence, and presents a theological question that has long been a subject of debate among scholars and theologians, touching on the nature of God, human freedom, sin, and redemption.
Below are five possible explanations, though different doctrinal stances and traditions may emphasize different aspects of this complex issue.
Prayerfully consider the following:
- Free Will and Human Agency: One common explanation is the coexistence of free will and divine sovereignty. This perspective holds that God’s desire for all to be saved is genuine, yet He allows humans to exercise free will. According to this view, the fact that not all are saved is due to some individuals choosing to reject God’s offer of salvation, not a limitation of God’s power or willingness to save.
- Two Aspects of God’s Will: Another possible approach suggests that there are different types of “wills” in God—His prescriptive will (what God commands us to do, such as His moral laws) and His decretive will (what God decrees, or what will ultimately happen). In this case, God’s desire for all to be saved could be understood as His prescriptive will, while the reality that not all are saved aligns with His decretive will.
- The Mystery of God’s Plan: Some suggest that the tension between God’s desire for all to be saved and the reality of some not being saved is a mystery beyond human understanding. This approach acknowledges the limitations of human comprehension regarding the complexities of divine justice and salvation.
- Different Understandings of ‘All’: There are interpretations where ‘all’ in “God desires all men to be saved” is understood in a specific sense, such as all types of people or all those who believe, rather than every individual without exception.
- God’s Justice and Mercy: Another interpretation considers God’s justice and mercy. While God desires all to be saved, He is also just and righteous. The reality of not all being saved is then seen as a reflection of God’s just nature in response to human sin and rejection of His grace.
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [His] ways higher than your ways, and [His] thoughts than your thoughts.”
— Rom. 11:34; Isa. 55:9, KJV
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