Page 53 - Pastoral Epistles I & 2 Timothy, Titus

Identify some of the qualities that you have observed as evident in any man or woman who is a mature
believer, with scripture references.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Bible reading, church attendance, personal devotions, prayer, concern for other people,
calm spirit, tithing, loves his wife, loves her husband, cares for his/her children, etc.
10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the
Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

NLT. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is
the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.
NASB. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God,
who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
CSB. For this reason, we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is
the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
GW. Certainly, we work hard and struggle to live a godly life because we place our confidence in
the living God. He is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Much is made of 1 Tim. 4:10 by Universalists to claim that Jesus will redeem all people, whether or not they
accept or reject Christ as Savior here on earth. Eventually, they say, all people will repent (either here or in the
afterlife) and come to a saving relationship with God. 1 Tim. 4:10 is used as their proof. Unfortunately, the verse
does not prove what the Universalists hope it does.

Can God be called the Savior of all men and yet not redeem all? Yes.
All people are, by nature, born under wrath (Eph. 2:3) and should go to hell. Why? Because God is holy, and we
are sinners.
Ephesians 2:3. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh
and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
Yet, we have hope in Christ. The Christian is saved by faith (Eph. 2:8) and will join the Lord in heaven.

Ephesians 2:8. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God.

But the unbeliever is under judgment.
John 3:18. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands
condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Why does God not simply destroy them as is His right? God is being patient with the unbeliever, allowing them
to enjoy the blessings of life in this world without the rightful condemnation of God falling upon them. This is
what the Bible states:
Romans 9:22-23. What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power
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known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he

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