# 1 Tim. 2:6



## cih1355 (Jul 10, 2005)

1 Timothy 2:6 says, "who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.". Does this verse mean that Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all of the elect or does it mean that Christ's atonement is sufficient to cover the sins of everyone?


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## Solo Christo (Jul 10, 2005)

Jew and Gentile.


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## Contra_Mundum (Jul 10, 2005)

Elect-of-every-race/identification

The Bible gives us no warrant to speak of hypothetical universalism (a universally sufficient atonement--but not universally efficient). This is a speculative doctrine, fraught with problems.

Reading the context:
Paul is speaking (v.1) about all kinds of men. Pray without exceptions (this would be wrong: "that guy/race/occupation I just thought of, I'm not praying for him/them!"). V.4 then speaks of "all men," which in the context surely cannot mean _every individual man,_ but rather a general will that mankind generally, all manners of men, might be saved (thus justifying an indiscriminate gospel call). Finally v.6 indicates that Jesus was given as a ransom for "all"--yes, wider than just Jews, Gentiles too; but I think that Paul is not thinking of "mankind without traditional distinctions" here, but more precisely of the elect-of-every-race. I think this because 1) the blood of Christ has particular application, not general; and 2) in the next verse he refers to his special calling to the Gentiles; the sending of God and the calling of God are each quite particular. We are sent to gather in the elect, we just don't know who they are.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Jul 10, 2005)

If you apply a universalistic hermeneutic to 'all' in the NT, then you have some weird things to explain elsewhere where 'all' is used.


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## Philip A (Jul 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Solo Christo_
> Jew and Gentile.





> _Originally posted by Contra_Mundum_
> Elect-of-every-race/identification






Notice also the parallel logic between 1 Tim 2:4,5 and Romans 3:28,29 -




> _1 Tim 2:4,5_
> who desires *all people* to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. *For there is one God*





> _Romans 3:28,29_
> Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, *since God is one.*


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