First Timothy Lesson 10

All right, we are in lesson 10 of the First Timothy series. And the verses we're going over today are verses 4, 5, and 6. But I always like to, do you guys need, have you got a lesson 10 back there? Did you get? Okay, good. I was like, for context, just to read the verses around it. So, I'll read 1 Timothy 2, 1 through 7. And this is out of the NASB.

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers and petitions and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all men. Again, just thinking about all these issues we just prayed for. We are to pray. Paul is giving us instruction to pray in this instance for all men for different things. We are to pray, and that's an important part of our relationship and just the intimacy with the Lord to be able to come before him. So, I urge the entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator, also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. So, again, we've gone through the first three verses, and quite a lot just unpacking those.

But now we're getting into verse four, where we say, or question one, what desire or will of God is mentioned in verse four? So, beginning with verse three, this is good and acceptable in sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. So, first of all, who is desiring this? Who is it that's desiring? Is this Paul desiring it? It's God. It's God. So God is the one desiring it. So that should be the first and foremost of importance, that it's God that's desiring this. If God's desiring it, that's pretty important, I think. So we look at the word, so God's desiring, so we'll look at the word desire.

The Greek word for desire is thaleo, and Zodiatis puts it this way, to will, wish, desire, implying active volition and purpose. I like that part of it, implying active volition. So it's a matter of volition, wanting this to occur. And then the second is to will, to have in mind purpose, and ten, please.

So when you're thinking God is doing this, he's actively wanting this to happen. So Mike had a definition as speaking of a wish or desire that arises from one's emotions. So again, this is very strong, and again, putting it in perspective, this is God doing it. So all those things, this is God wanting this to happen.

He's saying, I desire this. This is what I want. I want this. And this is the purpose, and with a purpose in mind. So, so we know from this that God is desiring something. What is he desiring? So he has a strong, what? It all may be saved. Yep, that's the first. And the second part? The knowledge of the truth. So, salvation and knowledge of the truth.

So, desires for the salvation of lost sinners, it arises pontific spontaneously from the love of god for a lost race he wants the desire is that all men be saved not a part not it not this he desires all men that strong desire is that all men are uh... to be saved and in the little greek is who who wills all men it it marks a determinative purpose That's what he wants. That's what he desires. That's what he, in his heart of hearts, that's what he wants.

So, is there other verses who express that same thought? Can you think of other verses? Because I think it's important that this isn't just a small thing. This is God wanting this for all people. Is there another verse you can think of? Yes, that's exactly where God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. So again, his will is that all come to the knowledge of life in Christ. That's his desire. Is there another one? I have another one that's similar offset, but that's what I always think of besides these verses where he desires all men. So I had Ephesians 2, 4 through 8, but God being rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us. So again, it's the desire, the love of him is to have us know his son.

Even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the surpassing riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you've been saved, through faith that is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Any other verses you guys can think of? I think in Romans 5, 8, that God demonstrates his own love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Very similar to the Ephesians. And in 2 Peter 3, 9, the Lord is not slow in keeping his promises. Some understand slowness. He's patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Perfect. Good one. Others? Any others?

So I bring these up, too, because one of the things, what do these verses tell us about election and free will? I know in the Brethren shirts, that was a hand grenade that I just threw out there. That split things. But what does that say? I don't know if I'm there just yet. Maybe I'll save that bomb for a minute.

I think the word desires is interesting because it does carry the definition of willing. But this is not something that happens to all men, though God desires it. So I'm curious about... how I might understand this based on the will of God versus the desiring of God, and maybe they're not that much different, and maybe I'm not understanding what that word desires really means versus his willing to do something. I mean, when we say I'm willing to do it, it's like I'm willing to go do that, but I may or may not do it, but I'm willing to do it. But is this the sovereign will of God, or is this the love of God being expressed in a situation that it doesn't happen to all men? though he desires it, it doesn't happen.

So, sorry to unpack that little bomb. Oh, well, yeah, I mean, and you said he had another bomb, or is that part of the bomb you were going to drop? That was the first one, yeah. The other one was what you talked about with election and all that. Yeah. Okay. A couple of things here.

This verse only describes God's desire, His will. It doesn't, there's no information about how he's going to carry it out. It just describes his desire. Now, he's got a problem because there's a lot of impediments to, he just can't say, well, I'm going to just save, I'm going to just save everybody, willy nilly.

So he's got all of the elements that go into providing the salvation. he has to do. Man can't save himself, so God has to do it. So he sets up a system where he takes care of every impediment, every hurdle between him and man, and then he goes to man and he says, by the way, I created you with a will, so you have to make the decision to accept what I've done. But then you find out, like in Romans 9, that God has mercy on who He'll have mercy and He'll have compassion on who He will. And that goes back to the idea that not one single human being deserves or is qualified for salvation until God picks them.

Any other thoughts before I expound? No, go ahead. I think for that, though, his mercy is expressed in that he allows everybody to come. That's right. That's his mercy. The door's open. The door is open. Yep. And he's allowed that. Yep. And those who choose are in. Those who don't are not. They just stay where they are. And they stay where they're at. Yeah. And so in this, I really see that, and it's that desire. If he has desire, this is God. That's what I wanted to bring up. This is God desiring it. Yeah. You think God has the power to go, yeah, all of you. But he's allowing free will. He doesn't. He does not have that power. Without the cross of Christ, he can't just say, I'm going to save all of you. Well, he can eliminate all of us, which would be the other side of it.

But what he's done is that he's brought up this system. Because he's righteous. We don't frustrate the grace of God. Quite frankly, he could. He's just chosen a path where the payment was done through his son. He could have said, he's God. I mean, he literally could have said, payment's done. No, he couldn't. He's God. Because he's righteous. He can't just let it go.

Well, this is where some of this comes in. He set up a system that we... That's right. He did. He did. That's his process. That's what he did. As God, he set that system up. He did. His desire went to the, well, okay, if I want to desire all men to be saved, then I've got to pave the way so that man can... Well, yeah, he allowed a way. Otherwise, we all are... Well, we would never come. We're all condemned. Yeah.

So so I mean yes, but yes, he did set up. That's his way. He did it Yeah, so I mean he could have set up other ways possibly. Oh, yeah, that's my point is he could have set up a lot of Existence it started. Oh, that's what I'm saying. That's I mean still he'd have to deal with that right and right that I'm just saying he this he could have done a million things he's God the system he set up is through Christ and and and then It's from the election versus free will.

How do you get around saved? You're saved by grace. What? Through faith. That's the process. It doesn't say that God, you, you, you, you. It's ultimately by faith. And that's the system. So it's not election. It's by faith. Now, once you're in, You're chosen. Well, once you're in, you're predetermined. Because your history is now Christ's history. But the point I'm just saying is that when he has desire, it's his desire that all of you come. But it's up to you and your free will to make that choice.

Because he set up this system through his son from the eternal covenant that says, you're going to go, you're going to die, pay for all the sins, That's great, but then I'm going to offer graciously salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus. God's sovereignty versus man's responsibility. Yeah, I mean, that's His process. That's what He set up. And that's the only way to a relationship with Christ. That's the only way.

And so, you know, I just say, I look at it as these are verses that I think really show that We do have a free will, because God desires that He can make it happen. Somehow make it happen. And the way He makes it happen is through faith in Jesus Christ. That's really one of the premises of the Romans 9 verses, is that God was being accused of not being righteous because He didn't save everybody.

No, he gave us the choice. That's the choice. But his desire is that every one of us comes to know. That's his desire. That's the point I want to make in here. He doesn't want to condemn anybody. I was just going to say, I think if you think about his desire and his provision, they're perfectly in sync. He desired to save everybody, and he provided for the salvation of everyone. Correct.

Because if He did that and didn't offer a path, then it's like, wow. I mean, He could act righteously and kill us all and take us away and start again. Let me add another element. The other element is that the work of the cross was between the Father and the Son. And when it was done, there wasn't any God wasn't under any covenant to offer salvation to man.

He was satisfied about sin. And the reason that's so important is because He offers it on a grace basis. He doesn't offer it on a contract basis. And that's why I think it's so important, the Ephesians verse, saved by grace. It's a gracious offer. He didn't have to do it, but it's by faith.

That's the process. It's graciously offered to us, and by fainting, you receive it. And again, it's the perfect solution, what he created, for us to come to have a relationship with him. So he does hold us responsible. Yeah, that's ours. And nobody can say they weren't offered it. No. And nobody can say that they never heard it. Yeah, exactly.

Well, the Romans one, I think, is the one that everybody knows there's a God. And if there's a hungry and a hard, God is unequivocally able to get the gospel to anybody who has a hungry heart. And Romans 4, 16 makes it very clear that faith is the only thing consistent with grace anyway. If it's a gracious gift, it has to be received by faith, not nothing else, right?

Yes, you can't obtain, Galatians, no works are associated with grace. And the favorite word, unmerited. There's nothing that we can do Get this great. Yeah, and I think to the the Calvinistic idea of irresistible grace. They say well, you know because God Provided grace to you you you were saved like it or not basically and here all saying no You had to put your faith in in Jesus Christ You know so so there's there's there's no such thing as an irresistible call of grace right that that Grace is extended to all mankind and only those who? Receive it by faith The faith to receive the grace that's one of the problems with Arminianism There was a problem with Calvin. Yeah.

But I mean, he, you know, and I think the one that the Holy Spirit is working on every one of us, all of us, unbelievers, you know, the Holy Spirit is working on every one of you that are everyone who's an unbeliever. He's still now he's, you know, indwelling us as believers, but he's he's working on everyone.

And it's the willful, disregard or rejection of the Holy Spirit's direction that every believer does until a certain point. And then again, the hungry heart, then he'll begin to bring the gospel to you. And if you have a hungry heart and desire, the Holy Spirit will direct the gospel. And it's up to you to reject it or accept it.

That's what we have. So, but, and it's graciously offered. It's not by force. You know, the Holy Spirit just doesn't, you know, you know, get me in a headlock and say, believe. He graciously provides more and more information until such point that I say, I agree. Isn't that what the cross did though? How so? What do you mean? The old man, that's the only place he can rest. Well, he's gone. Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, but again, the Holy Spirit's working all the time on everybody. And he's in dwelling us too. So, you know, it's, it's that, that, you know, constant, you know, he's to convince and convict us of who we are in Adam and what we, what we can be in Christ. So I started this and I started it and I propagated it.

I think what's interesting here is that we're talking about prayer. We're talking about praying for authority. Those that are in authority. The context is Paul is talking to Timothy about about what is acceptable in the sight of God versus what is acceptable in the sight maybe even in Rome at the time.

And then he goes into this, this verse 4 is really interesting to me because this speaks of God's love in a way that is very intentional. And he's reminding Timothy that everything that you see that is out of kilter with the authority that you're under, you pray for them. And I want you to know that God desires that those men be saved, all men. And not only be saved, but also come to some knowledge, right? So learn something. We're going to get there. This is a really cool word.

So in in the mind of God his intention his purpose his his desire is that all men be saved and like when I think about that, you know with all the you know, the sovereignty of God and just because he desires something doesn't mean that that is willfully going to happen based on his sovereignty. So he has a love that is universal. And I'm just thinking about, like, whoa. I don't even know if I have that kind of desire in my mind sometimes. It's like, you've gone off the path. You're on that end. So just keep on heading down that road and see what it does for you. But God doesn't do that. because he's he's a loving God and he desires that person that I just write off. No, he doesn't write them off. He still desires them to be. And why are all the bombs flying? Because it's in nature.

Well, that's that was kind of the the the thought here is that God's desires and his willing even though this word has very heavily to do with his will, his desire, there's a difference between what... because he allows man to operate by faith. He allows human volition.

And that is... that willing and that desiring is... it's... it's unique. It's God. Well, again, that's why I started out. I think it's so important that we know who's doing the desirings. And just think of that. God, the God of the universe, desires this. That's Jesus. That's mind-blowing to me. That's His desire, His love.

When we said about all men, in the beginning we're talking about authorities, but now I'm just looking at the word all. It's all, all men, not just authorities in this. It's all men. Pray for all men. And we'll get to our role in that too. the amount every person in the world, that they would have a relationship with Him.

And it kind of comes down to the question, your will or God's will? Because God's will is that you receive by faith His gift of grace, and yet most of the world has said, no, not your will, God. I don't want to have anything to do with you. So really, same kind of issue. You know, which when you put it in that way, I also think of that too sometimes. So this is God of the universe who created all things, maintains all things, is desiring to have you to have an intimate relationship with him.

And so many people reject that. And I think, do they really know what they're rejecting? And it shows how strong the sin nature is. That they're willing to give up a relationship with the God of the universe for eternity. for their self. That's how strong the sin nature is. And that, when I started studying this, just how strong that point is, that people are willing to reject this when God's wide open arms desiring to come into relationship with them, and the sin nature is so strong it says no. And that is just, yeah, it's mind-blowing. Keep saying it, and we'll get to what J.D. was saying, what's our responsibility in that? So, let's get that.

I'm seeing this verse in a new light. This is a gospel verse. Yes. I mean, I could say this to any man on this planet. God desires that you be saved and come to a knowledge of truth. This is good news. the gospel right here. And it's packaged a little differently, but it's universal. The way you can also bring it, he wants all men. So when you go down, you know, it's like, it's not just for, you know, the rich people in Douglas County, it's all men. Those who have drug problems, those who have criminal records, those who have anything, he desires all of you to come.

All. It's not parsed by race, class, gender, anything. It's all. And so that's the beauty of the gospel message here. His desire is for all. He doesn't say, just for you who don't drink, or you who are pious, or you who whatever. Or you whities. Yeah, you whities, whatever. There is no qualification on it. I was just looking up the word all in the Greek. It's all. It's all. It's no parsing of, you know, you who are really good, you who are whatever. There is no parsing of that. It's all, he wants all to come to him.

And a beautiful example of that, we got to stay with Dennis Roxer in Georgia, and some of you know his daughter, I believe it's cerebral palsy, non-communicative, can't really speak a word, and yet she knows the gospel. And Dennis was telling us when she hears a false gospel, she hangs her head. And she's saved. The gospel is for her as well.

Anyone can receive it. And God can make it available to anyone, regardless of whatever. And to those who are on their dying bed can still receive at the last minute. So it's not there. And again, just the importance of the thought of that God is desiring this. And if the God of the universe desires this, that's pretty amazing. So it's a very gospel message. I think how off I am with that. I don't align myself with God's thinking here sometimes, and so this is personal too.

Yeah, we'll get to that in a little bit, but I hope that's one of my questions. So moving on a little bit here, and sorry for the rabbit trail, but I just thought there was so much of how those verses really say, you know, physical desire, it's, it's ultimately up to us, our choice, because he desires, he wants us there.

All right, how does the verse 4, question 2, how does verse 4 tie in with verse 1? So I'll read verse 1. First of all, then, I urge that in treaties, prayers, petitions and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all men. Verse 4, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. So what is the linking direction in both of these? Which leads to verse five. All right, don't go to five. Don't jump ahead. So what is the link in both of these? What is it that you see in both of these?

All men. Be made on behalf of all men, in verse one, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. So, this verse picks up on the words of all men and ties back to the same words in verse one. We pray for all men, verse one, because God desires salvation for all men, verse four. Prayer is based on sensitivity to the heart of God. Our prayers are to echo what He desires, which we're gonna touch on kind of whip whip.

J.D., we're getting to, yeah. I think it gives the answer to two and three, too, that when I pray for the rulers, what do I pray about? I pray for their salvation. Well, and it's also, well, kind of praying for what system he set up, that we have on earth, we have authorities. God set it up that way. Sure did. And we're to pray for them. And they're part of the All-Men. It's cool in verse 4 that he links two things together. It's not just salvation. Yeah. That is a really important and. So I'll not bust the... We'll get question 3. begins here, so explain why the phrase save and to come to the knowledge of truth is more than just salvation. So, that's where we're getting to. Well, there you go. There you go.

So, verse three and four, this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, so that's our savior. So, this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. First for perspective, it is God who desires this. Again, so it's all underlayed. The foundation is God desires this. That's the first thing. So what is the second thing here? His first priority is that he desires it, or the first thing. What's the second thing in this verse in priority? He desires it, but what does he desire first? Salvation so number one that he desires all men to be saved so that's the key because Knowledge of truth than that.

I mean you have to have truth whatever those Someday, I'm gonna have to memorize that thing and the tracks and the facts and whatever you need to know for right here I know you can read it It's behind me, I can't even see it. You need to know that you're lost and you need a savior. You need some truth to come to the knowledge of your need for salvation through Christ.

There's that. But salvation is the first thing. He wants salvation, but you need some. So the second thing, or the third thing in this, God's desire, salvation, and then the third thing is? Well, the word to come to, it means to move or pass through. So this is more than just a gospel message. This is a sanctification message as well, packed into the very smallest amount of words ever. But salvation is obviously the prerequisite.

You can't come to the knowledge of truth without salvation. And that's true here, and it's also quite interesting to think about how that works, but it is. a person cannot come to the knowledge of truth about who they are, they cannot come to a personal knowledge about where they, all the philosophical questions, where did I come from, where am I going, why am I here, you know, those questions don't get answered outside of salvation, ultimately. There is no knowledge of truth outside of salvation. Now, that's not That's not an arrogance. It's quite simply what God is saying here. Salvation is a prerequisite to coming to the knowledge of truth.

And that is a progression. To move forward through something and to grow into something and when I think about the things that we talk about With identification truths and and so forth. I do believe that that those are the coming To a knowledge of truth about your history. You mentioned that earlier.

So anyway, I There's some there's a lot packed into this one. Yes Salvation's the miracle I just wanted to maybe ask a question that will help understand. When he talks about the full knowledge, does he just mean that I need to know all the facts of the Bible? Is that what he's after? Yeah, that's what I'm doing. Mike. I'm still. Memorize in chapter 5 of. No, or or is it something else? Yeah. Yeah. Unfortunately, we're close and I don't want to get. Yeah, yeah, we'll stop. We'll continue on. Um, we'll bring it back up because there's there is a lot to unpack on here.

Um, you know, about, yeah. Coming to what is that, what process, what is knowledge, as Mike said, what is truth? There's a lot packed into this work. So I think, yeah, instead of getting started with 945, I think we'll start it up next week. Because there is so much just in this one little section. Salvation, then the second part, which is to come to the knowledge of truth. what does that mean, and how, and all that kind of stuff. So we'll tackle that next week, as we'll start there. All right, let's close. Heavenly Father, we thank you. Again, we thank you.

Again, when we realize it's your desire, your heartfelt emotional desire, And your wants, you want all to come to the knowledge of your son and salvation through your son. And that's your desire. And it just shows the strength of the sin nature in our flesh, to reject that, those who reject that, that they are willing to reject that personal knowledge, that personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, and to be placed into the heavenlies, and to be blessed with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. They reject that, and yet you still fight and desire through the work of the Holy Spirit to convince and convict all of those who don't know that to come to the saving knowledge of your son. It's your desire. That's what you want. We thank you for that. We marvel at that with how much rejection there is, and yet you still desire to bring them to that salvation knowledge.

We just we thank you again just for your word and how powerful it is and how Important it is to each and every one of us and we as we see in our relationship to pray for all men As we'll get to that and how important that is so we just we thank you again for this time We pray for Rogers his message in the next meeting and may again all that we say and do honor and glorify you Jesus name we pray amen