I wrote a brief article on 1 Timothy 4:10 for a friend of mine, [name]Amethystisagem[/name], back in May of 2005. I'm going to post the complete article here for the Original Poster.
"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." (1 Tim 4:10; Greek eis touto more correctly phrased "For to this end"; cf. v. 8 "godliness")
Two things need to be noted about this verse: "God" and "Savior." As to the former, Paul is not referring specifically to the Lord Jesus, who is one person of the Trinity, but rather to God as a whole. Whenever Paul refers to salvation proper, his reference is either about Jesus Christ and his work specifically or he speaks about those who are "in Christ." But in this passage he refers to "the living God." This context is given weight by the opening of this epistle to Timothy, where Paul refers to "God our Savior" in juxtaposition with Christ Jesus: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of
God our Savior and of
Christ Jesus our hope" (1 Tim 1:1). A.T. Robertson confirms this, referring to 1:1 as the grammatical context, where we find "
soter applied to God as here." He goes on to add, "Not that all men 'are saved' in the full sense, but God gives life to all" (Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament; cf. 1 Tim 6:13, Act 17:28). The remaining question, then, is what Paul means by God being "the Savior of all men, especially of believers."
First, a thought experiment. It seems obvious to me that Paul cannot be referring here to salvation proper because scripture knows nothing about multiple spheres of salvation. If Paul was talking about salvation proper, he would be suggesting that there are multiple spheres of salvationall men are ultimately saved in one sphere, but believers are "especially" saved in another sphere. Is there not one Christ only? One atoning sacrifice only? One complete and sufficient redemption only? Is there not one glorification, one kingdom in heaven only? Those who are saved are redeemed by one Lord, who offered himself one time, whose sacrifice was fully and finally sufficient and effectual, completed and finished, and there is only one family of God in one eternal kingdom with God in heaven. Paul's use of the phrase "especially of believers" implicitly informs us that he is not talking about salvation proper, for there is only one salvation and one state of ultimate glorification in Christ Jesus. Another hint of the actual context is shown by Paul stating that God is the Savior of all mennot that he
could be the Savior of all men if they would only let him, not that God is
potentially the Savior of all men, but that God
is the Savior of all men. This, likewise, should inform us that "Savior" here is not in the redemptive context (eternal salvation) since not all men in fact are redeemed.
What, then?
Matthew Henry writes that "he is thus far the Saviour of all men [in so far as] that none are left in the same desperate condition that fallen angels are in." With an eternal purpose in mind, God determined not to annihilate his creatures the moment they sinned, which would have been his just and righteous prerogative. Instead, he let them livebut under curses and promises. This, in the breadth of its scope, is referred to as "providence." And this is what Paul is referring to here; specifically that which we call "common grace" which all men, without exception, undeservedly benefit from.
God is the Savior of all men in so far as God is he "who gives life to all things" (1 Tim 6:13) despite that none deserve it; "for in Him we live and move and exist" (Act 17:28), even those who persistently rebel against him, deny him, hate him; God also "causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matt 5:45); all of these facts giving the psalmist cause to praise, "Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD." (Psa 36:6). Obviously "save" here is not in the context of eternal salvation. God is the providential Savior of all men in a temporal salvation, which is to be viewed as utterly different from eternal salvation. John Gill confirms this, stating that God is the Savior of all men "in a providential way, giving them being and breath, upholding them in their beings, preserving their lives, and indulging them with the blessings and mercies of life," and rightly rejects the idea that this passage is referring to a spiritual and everlasting salvation. About the phrase "especially of believers," Gill affirms that here, too, temporal or providential salvation is being referred to. That is, even in the context of believers, Paul is not talking about eternal salvation; "but of a temporal salvation [a general providence], which attends all mankind, there is a special one which relates to the elect of God."
[T]hese are regarded in Providence, and are particularly saved and preserved before conversion, in order to be called; and after conversion, after they are brought to believe in Christ, they are preserved from many enemies, and are delivered out of many afflictions and temptations; and are the peculiar care and darlings of providence, being to God as the apple of his eye.
Whether of sinners in general or "especially of believers," when Paul refers to God as the "Savior of all men" he is referring to that 'common grace' that extends from God's sovereign providence, which exists for the sake of his purpose for his chosen ones in Christ.
