THE CHALLENGE OF 1 TIMOTHY 2:4

“[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”—1 Timothy 2:4

For many Christians, this verse presents a significant challenge to Calvinist theology. If God truly desires all people to be saved, how can we reconcile this verse with the Reformed doctrine of particular election—that God has chosen some, but not all, for salvation? The apparent contradiction has troubled theologians for centuries and continues to be a point of contention in discussions between Calvinists and Arminians.

In this post, we’ll explore this tension and offer a Calvinist interpretation that takes the verse seriously rather than dismissing it. Far from being an insurmountable obstacle to Reformed theology, we believe 1 Timothy 2:4 can, when properly interpreted, be understood in harmony with the doctrine of particular election.

 

THE CHALLENGE EXPLAINED

On its face, this verse seems straightforward: God wants everyone to be saved. Period. This reading naturally leads to questions about Calvinist soteriology. If God genuinely desires all people to be saved, why would He choose only some for salvation? Doesn’t this make God’s will self-contradictory? Or worse still, doesn’t it suggest God’s will can be thwarted, undermining divine sovereignty?

The tension exists between:

• This verse’s language of God desiring “all people to be saved”
• The Calvinist conviction that God has sovereignly elected some, but not all, for salvation

For many, this appears to be an either/or situation: either God wants all to be saved (suggesting Arminianism is correct), or God has elected only some (affirming Calvinism). But is this a false dichotomy?

 

UNDERSTANDING “ALL” IN BIBLICAL CONTEXT

To properly interpret this passage, we must examine the Greek word pantas (all) and its usage throughout Scripture. Biblical language, like our own, often uses universal terms in qualified ways depending on the context.

In Scripture, “all” doesn’t always mean “every single individual without exception.” Consider these examples:

• In Acts 10:12, Peter saw a sheet containing “all kinds” of animals—not literally every animal on earth
• In Matthew 3:5, “all Judea” went out to John the Baptist—not literally every person in the region
• In Colossians 1:23, Paul says the gospel had been proclaimed “to every creature under heaven”—clearly hyperbole to emphasize widespread proclamation

The immediate context of 1 Timothy 2 is crucial. The chapter begins with Paul urging prayers “for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions” (v. 1-2). This suggests Paul is emphasising the scope of people across social categories rather than every individual without exception.

 

REFORMED INTERPRETATIONS OF 1 TIMOTHY 2:4

Reformed theologians have offered several compelling interpretations of this passage:

The “All Types” View: Many Calvinists understand “all people” to mean “all sorts of people” or “people of all kinds.” In this view, Paul is emphasising that God’s saving purposes extend to every category of humanity—not just Jews but Gentiles, not just the common but rulers, not just one ethnicity or social class, but all types.

This interpretation fits perfectly with the context of 1 Timothy 2, where Paul specifically mentions praying for kings and those in authority—precisely the types of people one might assume were outside God’s saving purposes. The emphasis is on the comprehensive scope of God’s salvation across human categories, not on universal individual salvation.

The “Two Wills” View: Another approach distinguishes between God’s revealed will (or will of disposition) and His decreed will (or will of decree). God genuinely desires the salvation of all people in one sense, while sovereignly determining to save only the elect in another sense.

Here’s a simple way to understand this distinction:

• God’s revealed will is what He commands or expresses as His desire in Scripture. For example, God commands all people not to murder (Exodus 20:13). Yet murders still occur. This doesn’t mean God’s will has failed; rather, this command reveals His moral desire.
• God’s decreed will is what He actually ordains to happen in history. Nothing occurs outside of God’s sovereign plan. For example, while God didn’t morally approve of the crucifixion of Jesus (His revealed will), He sovereignly ordained it to accomplish salvation (His decreed will) as Peter declares in Acts 2:23: “this Jesus…was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan.”

In the same way, God can genuinely desire all people to be saved (revealed will) while ordaining only the elect to be saved (decreed will) without contradiction.

The “Genuine Offer” View: This interpretation emphasises God’s offer of salvation to all is genuine, even while knowing not all will receive it. The Canons of Dort, a foundational Reformed confession, affirms that the gospel promise “together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be declared and published to all nations, and to all persons promiscuously and without distinction.”

In simple terms, this statement from Dort means: The good news about Jesus should be announced to everyone everywhere, regardless of who they are or what background they come from. Everyone should hear both the promise of salvation and the call to repent and believe. This gospel invitation isn’t limited to certain groups or types of people—it’s for absolutely everyone. Calvinists fully embrace this universal proclamation of the gospel, even while believing God has chosen specific individuals for salvation.

 

CAN GOD WANT ALL TO BE SAVED? CALVIN’S OWN PERSPECTIVE

It’s instructive to see how John Calvin himself interpreted this passage: “The apostle simply means that there is no people and no rank in the world that is excluded from salvation; because God wishes that the gospel should be proclaimed to all without exception… the present discourse relates to classes of men, and not to individual persons.”

Calvin saw this text as teaching that God’s salvation crosses all human boundaries and categories. He understood Paul to be emphasising the universal scope of the gospel offer rather than making a statement about God’s decree concerning individuals.

 

THE LARGER BIBLICAL CONTEXT

Any interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:4 must be harmonised with other clear Bible teachings. Scripture consistently teaches:

• God chose individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-5)
• This election was not based on human choice or works (Romans 9:11-16)
• All whom the Father gives to the Son will come to Him (John 6:37-39)
• No one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him (John 6:44)

A robust theology must account for both God’s genuine desire for all to be saved and His sovereign election of some. These aren’t contradictory when properly understood.

 

CONCLUSION: CAN GOD WANT ALL TO BE SAVED?

1 Timothy 2:4 need not be viewed as contradicting Calvinist theology. Rather, it emphasises the universal scope of God’s saving purposes that cross all human boundaries and categories. God’s desire for all to be saved is genuine, while His sovereign purposes in election remain mysterious.

Charles Spurgeon, the great Calvinist preacher, put it well: “That God predestines, and yet that man is responsible, are two facts that few can see clearly. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory, but they are not. The fault is in our weak judgment. Two truths cannot be contradictory to each other.”

As believers, we can affirm both God’s universal saving desire and His particular electing love. We can proclaim the gospel indiscriminately to all while trusting God’s sovereign purposes in salvation. And we can worship the God whose ways are higher than our ways, whose wisdom surpasses our understanding, and whose grace extends more broadly than we could imagine.

 

CAN GOD WANT ALL TO BE SAVED? RELATED FAQs

Isn’t the “all types” interpretation just a way to explain away the plain meaning of the text? This interpretation isn’t avoiding the text but taking its context seriously. Paul begins the passage discussing prayer for different categories of people, particularly rulers and authorities. The focus on social categories in the surrounding verses (1 Timothy 2:1-2) provides natural context for understanding “all people” as referring to people of all types rather than every individual without exception.

• If God could save everyone, why doesn’t He? This question touches the mystery at the heart of election. Scripture teaches God’s glory is demonstrated both in showing mercy to some and justice to others (Romans 9:22-23). God isn’t obligated to save anyone, making His grace toward the elect all the more wonderful. We must ultimately acknowledge God’s ways are higher than ours, and His purposes in election reveal aspects of His character that would not be displayed in a universal salvation scenario.
• Doesn’t this make God’s revealed will contradictory to His secret will? God’s two wills aren’t truly contradictory but reflect different aspects of His character working at different levels. God’s revealed will expresses His genuine moral disposition toward all His creatures, while His decreed will accomplishes His sovereign purposes in history. This is similar to a judge who might personally wish not to punish an offender (revealed desire) but who nevertheless pronounces the just sentence (decreed action).

How does this understanding of 1 Timothy 2:4 affect evangelism? It actually empowers evangelism by assuring us God has His people among all types of individuals and communities. We can confidently share the gospel with everyone, knowing God genuinely desires all to come to knowledge of the truth. Calvinists can sincerely offer salvation to all people without qualification, knowing God will draw His elect through our faithful witness.

• Does this mean God has two competing wills? Rather than competing wills, it’s better to understand these as two aspects of God’s single, complex will operating at different levels. God’s revealed will expresses His moral character and what He finds intrinsically good, while His decreed will determines what He brings to pass for His ultimate purposes. These aren’t competing but complementary—rather like a tapestry with different threads serving different functions in one unified design.
• If God desires all to be saved, why did He ordain the Fall in the first place? While Scripture doesn’t directly answer this question, it suggests God ordained the Fall and its remedy to display the fullness of His attributes that couldn’t otherwise be known. God’s justice, wrath, mercy, and grace are all magnificently revealed through sin and redemption. As Romans 9:22-23 indicates, God’s purposes include demonstrating both His power in judgement and the riches of His glory in salvation.

How did other Reformed theologians besides Calvin interpret this passage? Reformed theologians have offered various nuanced interpretations while maintaining the doctrine of particular election. John Owen emphasised the “all types” view, arguing “all” refers to the elect from every nation and class. Jonathan Edwards focused on God’s general benevolence toward all while maintaining His special electing love. Augustus Strong developed the concept of God’s antecedent will (what God desires prior to considering all factors) versus His consequent will (His ultimate decree after considering all factors).

 

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