First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions,
that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 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. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
The baptism of our children, the reverent joy of our worship, the taking of bread and wine and the simple faithfulness of your life, the life of your brothers and sisters
is what moves the kingdom forward. Do not neglect what you might think are the small things, the everyday things: They are where most of the battles are fought and won.
Another reason that we are told to pray for all men, is that Jesus, the text says, gave himself as a ransom for all men. By praying for the salvation of all we align ourselves
with the heart and purpose of our Redeemer. For there is one Mediator indicating that all men must find salvation in Christ because beside him there is no possibility of salvation. Once again, Jesus is not just A mediator, He is THE mediator, just as
He is THE King, THE Lord, and the ONLY one through whom men might be saved.
A mediator is one who serves the relationship between two parties, usually parties that are experiencing some kind of strife between them. In this case the strife, the
broken relationship is between God and man that is why the emphasis falls upon the words: “the man Christ Jesus.” He is the ONLY mediator, the ONLY one who bridges the gap that our sin has created between us and God.
Now, so far, all of this is quite obvious. There is not much debate or disagreement among Christians as to anything I have said thus far. But now we run into a theological conundrum.
Paul says that God desires the salvation of all men and that Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all men. And as Reformed folks we are quick to run to other texts
that tell us that God has chosen only some for salvation…or that Jesus died for His sheep, his people, his bride, the elect, the few, His body, the church and the Bible says exactly those things and many more just like them.
There is much language in the Bible that seems undoubtedly clear that in salvation, the Lord has a specific people in mind. After all, Jesus promised to give eternal life to those
whom the Father had given Him…and he didn’t and doesn’t give eternal life to everyone. So, what do we do with this?
In case you are new to all of this, let me set the sides of this theological discussion. Some of our brothers and sisters believe that God, loving everyone equally and infinitely,
sent his Son with the purpose of saving everyone from his or her sins. It was God’s intention in sending his Son to bring everyone to salvation and eternal life.
But, he left the issue to us. The salvation is there for the taking,
that is what Christ has provided, but you must take it. God, in Christ, made salvation a possibility; you must make it an actuality. If you do not, what Christ has obtained for you will go to waste.
In this view, He did everything for the one who is NOT saved that he did for the one who IS saved. The difference between the one who is saved and the one who is not, doesn’t
lie in God, or in the will of God or the power of God or the grace of God. It does not lie in God’s provision of salvation through the cross. The difference lies in the person himself: As the old adage goes: God cast a vote for you, Satan a vote against you
and it’s now up to you to cast the deciding vote.
Our brothers and sisters who think this way will read our passage and say to those of us on the other side of the theological fence: “Where is your Calvinism now, my friend?”
Does it not say and say plainly that God wants all men to be saved and that Jesus Christ gave himself a ransom for all?
On the other side is the argument of the Reformed branch of Christianity, which argues that our brothers and sisters, as just described, have vastly understated and underestimated
the human condition. Man in sin is in a far more desperate situation. He would not and, in fact, could not choose for God. He is by nature an intractable rebel against God, a hater of God.
God’s grace does not merely offer to save him; if it did, it would prove no help. God’s grace must not offer salvation; it must place it in the man’s hand and in the man’s heart.
It must even close the man’s fist around it. God’s grace must help a person in every way he or she must be helped to get from this world to the next. God’s grace is more than the offer of the possibility of salvation; it is salvation. It is God
who decides who will be saved, not man, because God must do the saving, if salvation there will be,
all of it from beginning to end.
Thus, the two sides. Now, to be clear, we are a Reformed church. The later view is the view of our denomination and the conviction of your minister and elders. We do not shy away
from the theological understanding of God’s sovereign, electing, predestinating love. However, and I humbly ask that you consider carefully what I am saying; We are in deep theological waters here.
To be continued…
(How is that for a cliffhanger!)
Prayer: Father, over and over I read in your word about the life of the Savior and how I am to emulate Jesus in my living. Oh Father, I have barely begun to understand
how to do this, what it looks like! Help me, that such things would not only be with words, but that I would humbly embrace the life of the cross awaiting the day of exaltation at my Savior’s side, in His name I pray, Amen.
Hymn: Ubi Caritas. This is in Latin, but click the show more tab and the words are in English. This is as beautiful a piece of music as you are likely to hear for a
while!
