The following is part 2 of a 2 part answer.
HOWEVER, in the SECOND Place, I am going to perform, what is for these threads, a pretty irregular form of Argumentation: I am going to FULLY extend to you what is called "the Principle of Logical Charity". That is, I am going to COMPLETELY GRANT your assumed reading of 1 Timothy 2:4 and 1 Timothy 4:10 as, "every single man without exception", rather than the more common "all manner and sorts". And I will show you how, IF your reading is entirely correct, it serves to reinforce the Calvinist position -- and utterly annihilates the diverse heretical readings which both the Wesleyans, and Universalists, would impose upon this verse. There will be no
possible reading remaining, save the Calvinist.
The reason for this is simple:
God is Trinity.
We shall now attend to the reading of 1 Timothy 2: 1- 6 --
- I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
And to the reading of 1 Timothy 4: 5 - 11 --
- If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. These things command and teach.
Now, of whom does Paul speak, in
both of these passages?
Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Godhead... the eternally begotten Son of the Father.
But the Election is not established by the Son.
The Election is Established by the Father.
The Election is Given to the Son.
- ***John 6: 37 - 38 -- All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
When we speak then, of the Will of Jesus Christ towards men, who "will have" -- (the Greek term
qelo having the sense,
"will take delight in", as opposed
energeo, "will efficaciously cause", found in Phillipians 2: 13, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure") -- we speak necessarily of the PERMISSIVE Operation of God's Will. For the Son does not will EFFICACIOUSLY of Himself, but only does the Will of His Father.
- ***John 4: 34 -- Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
***John 5: 30 -- I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
***John 5: 37 - 40 -- And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
The Son Will PERMISSIVELY Have all men who come to Him.
But the Election is not established by the Son.
The Election is Established by the Father.
The Election is Given to the Son.
The Son PERMISSIVELY offers Life to all who will come:
- ***Matthew 11: 28 - 30 -- Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
But only those in whom the Father has GIVEN to the Son and EFFICACIOUSLY brought to the Son (Phillipians 2: 13,
energeo) ever Come to Him.
- ***John 6: 44 - 35 -- No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
It was the Son's
specific preaching of this Truth which drove many away from Him!!
- ***John 6: 60 - 66 -- Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
***John 8: 43 - 48 -- Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
The Son Will PERMISSIVELY Have all men who come to Him.
But the Election is not established by the Son.
The Election is Established by the Father.
The Election is Given to the Son.
- ***Ephesians 1: 3 - 5, 11 -- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will... In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh (energeo) all things after the counsel of his own will.
*** Thessalonians 2: 13 -- But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
The Son Will PERMISSIVELY
(qelo) Have all men who come to Him.
The Father EFFICACIOUSLY CAUSES
(energeo), both to Work and to Will, all whom He has Predestined, to come to the Son.
And those whom the Father has not EFFICACIOUSLY Predestined to come to the Son?
- But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
What God-pleasing Actions do they, who have not been EFFICACIOUSLY
(energeo) brought to the Son, by the Father?
- ***Romans 8: 5 - 8 -- For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
***1 Corinthians 2: 14 -- But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
None whatsoever. They never
want to do anything pleasing to God, and so they never Will and God-pleasing actions -- even to reach out to the Son.
Your friendly neighborhhod Cordial Calvinist
Woody.