squirrelyguy
Well-known member
God desires "all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:4)
The Calvinist replies, the "all men" in this verse means "the elect only."
The reason? The context mentions specifically only certain types of men (namely kings and those who are in authority - vv. 1-2), so therefore this "all men" must be limited in scope.
The problem? This use of the context, if consistently followed, would do no favors for the Calvinist. For it is obviously not true that ALL kings are saved. "But" replies the Calvinist, "the 'all men' in v. 4 doesn't refer to all kings and all in authority, but to the elect among those kings and those in authority."
Say what? How is this not hopelessly incoherent? How can vv. 1-2 limit the scope of the "all men" to just kings and those in authority without requiring us to think that God wants all kings and those in authority (without exception) to be saved?
Thus it is not enough for the Calvinist to demonstrate that the "all men" is limited in scope to "kings and those in authority" (which is a tall order by itself). They also must somehow limit it further to the elect only out of all kings and those in authority. On what textual basis can they do this?
The Calvinist replies, the "all men" in this verse means "the elect only."
The reason? The context mentions specifically only certain types of men (namely kings and those who are in authority - vv. 1-2), so therefore this "all men" must be limited in scope.
The problem? This use of the context, if consistently followed, would do no favors for the Calvinist. For it is obviously not true that ALL kings are saved. "But" replies the Calvinist, "the 'all men' in v. 4 doesn't refer to all kings and all in authority, but to the elect among those kings and those in authority."
Say what? How is this not hopelessly incoherent? How can vv. 1-2 limit the scope of the "all men" to just kings and those in authority without requiring us to think that God wants all kings and those in authority (without exception) to be saved?
Thus it is not enough for the Calvinist to demonstrate that the "all men" is limited in scope to "kings and those in authority" (which is a tall order by itself). They also must somehow limit it further to the elect only out of all kings and those in authority. On what textual basis can they do this?