judgement | Cromhall Chapel

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially those who believe.

Here is an example of a seemingly unclear Bible verse—often used as a defeater verse[1]—which seems to teach many things which clearer verses utterly reject. Some have seen it as a verse that teaches general atonement (that Jesus’s work in His life, death and resurrection made salvation possible for all but certain for none),[2] whilst others go even further to see it as supporting some form of universalism (that Jesus died so that all people are or will eventually be saved). What does this verse actually mean? As ever we need to understand less clear verses in light of clear verses and also to remember CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT (historical, literary and theological).

Historical Context

Paul is writing to Timothy to persevere in being a good servant of Jesus Christ (v. 6); not to get side-tracked but to focus on the mission. What fuels personal perseverance for Paul and Timothy and also their going to such great lengths to preach the Gospel, but their saving hope in the living God (If all could be saved but none choose to be, or if all will eventually be saved regardless, it doesn’t exactly inspire missions!).

Literary Context

Central to this verses literary context is understanding words such as “all” and “especially.” “All” mustn’t convey that Jesus saves all people but rather that He is available to save anyone. Much the same as a garage might advertise it fixes all makes, it doesn’t mean all makes will be fixed (you have to go to the garage first!). “Especially” is perhaps a misleading translation here when ‘namely’ better reflects in English the original word sense. As such it is saying Jesus stands ready to save anyone, namely, those who believe.

Theological

This verse cannot teach universalism when the bulk of Scripture clearly does not teach this view. Consider just two basic examples:

Two verses after the famous verse of Jn 3:16 it says, Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because He has not believed in the name of the only Son of God (v. 18).
But to all who did receive him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. (Ro 1:12)

What 1 Timothy 4:10 is making clear is that the Gospel call (or offer) of salvation is universal but salvation itself is limited to those who believe in Jesus Christ.

The Lord’s Sweetest Blessings,

Pastor Chris

[1] A verse taken out of context to categorically strike down an opponents view.

[2] This contradicts verses such as “Christ died to save His own” (Jn 6:37, 10:14–5) and other verses which affirm limited atonement, that Jesus died for the elect (Eph 1), all those who would come to faith in Him. The folly of general atonement is that if Jesus died for all but not all are saved than His sacrifice was either insufficient or He is not powerful enough to keep those He died to save.

235959

The Doomsday Clock has been in the news quite a bit lately. The Clock, run by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, assesses what they believe to be the chance of human initiated world disaster (e.g. nuclear war). It has been frozen at the highest level since 1953 during the Cold War (it began keeping time in 1947). New rivalries between powerful nations, militarism, climate change, tensions in Europe, uncertainty in the USA, a lack of interest in facts; these are just some of the reasons they’ve left the clock at 2 minutes to midnight (midnight representing Doomsday).

Whilst these are real concerns, the clock is the opinion of a select group of scientists. What humours me, in the most serious sense of that saying, is a) the confidence placed in their timing, and b) what their clock fails to take into consideration.

Confidence: Their clock is always moving, when it is near mid-night some people tremble and when it is far away people lose all concern. We shouldn’t place our confidence in the subjective timing of mere humans, but rather the Lord’s clock-watch.

Jesus said, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour [of His return and the final judgement].” (Matthew 25:13).

The Lord’s Doomsday Clock is always set at 23:59:59.

This is not mean to engender fear or complacency, but rather to propel us to trust in Him for salvation and so be ready for that great day.

Shortcoming: All of the things that the Clock focuses upon are mere symptoms of the problem (i.e. sin). It is also curious that they didn’t name godlessness, immorality and vice. Sure we should look to apply what God’s Word has to say about modern issues, but more importantly we should seek to apply what it says about the disease of sin and the cure of Christ. It wasn’t because of symptoms that God judged the earth in Noah’s day but because of heart issues and wickedness:

“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. ⁷So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found Favour in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:5–8).

2 Peter 2 makes clear as well that when the Lord’s clock strikes midnight it will be at a time of His own choosing, and the Judgement will fall not merely on sinful deeds (many of which the world no longer consider sinful!) but rather upon ungodliness.

What shall we do to prepare ourselves for the day the Lord’s clock does strike midnight – for unlike the Doomsday Clock which can be reversed by human effort, nothing can retard the advance of God’s eternal clock?

“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near” (Isa 55:6)

The Lord’s Sweetest Blessings,

Pastor Chris