1 Timothy 2:3-6 (A Calvinist Defense)

 (1 Timothy 2:3-6)"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time."  (ESV) 

We see the phrases, God desires all people to be saved and Christ gave himself as a ransom for all.  But Calvinism or Reformed theology teaches that God has chosen some people to be saved but not all people.  And it teaches that Christ died only for the sins of the elect, not for the sins of all people.  So is this passage a refutation of Calvinism?  

At issue in this passage is the meaning of the word "all."  In 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Paul gives instruction to pray for all people including kings and those in high position that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life.  It seems unlikely that the Apostle Paul is giving instruction to pray for every single person in the world.  Instead he means to pray for all kinds of people including government officials who might even persecute Christians.  A similar use of "all" is found in Titus 2:11 with the phrase, "bringing salvation to all people."  It is clear that Paul is not saying that all people will be saved but that all kinds of people will be saved.  

So this same meaning of "all" continues throughout this passage.  When we read that God desires all people to be saved, we understand it refers to all kinds of people, such as Jews and Gentiles.  When it says that Christ gave himself as a ransom for all we see that it again means all sorts of people, not every single person.  For further evidence we refer to Matthew 20:28 & Mark 10:45 which say that Christ gave his life as a ransom for many.  Also Hebrews 9:28 says Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  

So we see that this passage does not contradict the teaching of Calvinism after all.  God is not trying to save all people and failing to do so.  He is actually saving the elect and accomplishing his purpose.  The death of Jesus on the cross did not just make salvation possible for all people, instead it accomplished salvation for the elect.  God is sovereign even in salvation.