Paul began chapter two by laying out some of the basics of worship, specifically pertaining to prayer. In this week’s passage, we see that thought continued as he explains just why God wants us to pray. You can see the passage at 1 Timothy 2:3-4:

Paul starts off by stating that this is good. Prayer is good. For all the reasons he laid out in verse 2, prayer is good. And it pleases God.

The phrase “God our Savior” isn’t used by Paul outside the pastoral letters. It’s much more reminiscent of several Old Testament writings, and carries some subtle flavors of Paul’s fluency in the Judaical, Old Testament theology of God.

The next phrase has been a source of controversy for several centuries, at least since the seventeenth century, between Calvinists and Armenians. It’s obvious that God wants all men to be saved, but what does that mean? Does God save all men, or just a select few? Or is that even the issue here?

I think we can get a clear sens of what Paul is trying to communicate by taking a closer look at the word “wants”. God wants all men to be saved. Paul does not state that God wills all men to be saved. The fact that God wishes all men to be saved doesn’t mean that all men will be saved. Man has a choice in the matter, whether or not to follow God. God’s desire in no way obligates him to do something contrary to his nature, by saving those who choose not to place their trust in Christ.

God also has a secondary desire, according to Paul. He wants all men to come to a knowledge of the truth. The Greek word here is aletheia, and Paul uses it frequently in the pastoral epistles. By this Paul means simply this: God wants all men to have a knowledge of and be obedient to the gospel message.

We have to remember, Paul started this letter to Timothy by instructing him against false teachers. He reiterates that idea here by stating that God wants us to have a knowledge of the truth, not the falsehoods that Timothy was trying to eliminate.

How do we get such a knowledge of the truth? By continually investing ourselves in the Scriptures. In fact, in another of Paul’s letters, to the believers in Colosse, Paul gives us some very clear instructions about just this idea. In 3:16, he states:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

So, this needs to be our prayer for all people: that they come to a saving faith in Christ, and that they come to a knowledge of the truth.

What could be more important than that?

Do you regularly pray for all people to come to know Christ? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.