Here are a few excerpts from my study of 1 Timothy. The complete study, along with others I have completed thru this date, can be found at http://www.graceevangel.org/Other/BibleBooks.htm
God’s
will … the salvation of all mankind (2:4)
Consider closely these verses, for they are
clearly contrary to the common orthodox belief in eternal torment.
… God, Who wills that all mankind be saved and come into a
realization of the truth. (v. 4)
For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and mankind, a
Man, Christ Jesus, (v.
5)
Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all (the
testimony in its own eras), (v. 6)
For which I was appointed a herald and an apostle … (v. 7)
So it is God’s will that all mankind be saved.
Remember also that God is operating all things in accord with His will
(Ephesians 1:11). That being the case, what can prevent the salvation of all
from happening? Some say it is man’s stubborn, free will that stands in the
way; but are we saying that the Creator is unable to lead every last one of mankind into a realization of the truth, if
that is His will? Remember that Paul refers to the Lord’s grace as overwhelming, and Paul himself was most
certainly led in a very overwhelming way to the truth on the road to Damascus.
Some say that if all are saved then Christ’s
death upon the Cross becomes unnecessary. Far from that … it is not only
necessary, but far more effectual than orthodoxy would claim. For Christ gave
Himself as a correspondent Ransom for all
(not just for some). Just as death came to all mankind through Adam, so life
comes to all mankind through Christ, the correspondent, one-for-one Ransom for all. Correspondent
ransom differs from the simple notion of ransom. The thought expressed in
the Greek is the idea of equivalence. It is a one-for-one (i.e. “correspondent”)
ransom of all mankind.
What is meant by the testimony in its own eras (1:6)? I believe this means that the
realization of the truth by all mankind is a progressive thing. Some of us have
been gifted with faith in this present age, but others do not yet see. But they
will see in a future era. As Christ’s Ambassadors we are to proclaim the
correct evangel … pleading with mankind to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians
5:18-21). But many within Christianity today spend all of their time preaching
Old Testament wrath, warnings of eternal torment, observance of the law, and
multitudes of teachings that are not intended for this present era. We mix the
law and grace and distort the truth. Thousands of different churches teach
thousands of different and contrary things, breeding confusion.
Satan, the Deceiver, has done a good job of
hiding the truth that is so clear in the Scriptures. Orthodoxy is often his
instrument for hiding the truth and breeding confusion. Rejoice … for it is
God’s will that all mankind be saved and come to a realization of the truth,
and nothing can prevent that from
happening.
“King
of the eons”
In verses 16-17 the Greek aion is used in a variety of interesting forms.
Those believing will find life eonian. To translate this eternal
life would be an incorrect manipulation of the Greek. The point here is
that believers will experience life in the eons to come. This does not mean
that life will cease once the eons have concluded. The believer will put on
immortality (1 Corinthians 15:54) and will therefore continue to live at the
conclusion of the eons. But the point of this present passage is that the
believer will have life in the eons to come. Let us not alter the Greek by
injecting our theological understandings. Let us instead seek to render the
Greek accurately, lest we fail to correctly handle the Scriptures and hinder
our ability to understand God’s revelation to us.
In verse 17 Paul uses the phrase King of the eons. Some say this proves
that eons (plural) must mean forever, since Christ is immortal.
Again; let us not inject our theological understandings into the translation
effort. I have five children … Cris, Dusty, Chad, Kari and Scott. When I find
myself in the midst of Chad’s friends I may say, “I am the father of Chad.”
Does this mean I am not also the father of my other four children? No … it is
simply that in that context of Chad’s friends I seek to identify myself as his
father. So also in the context of the eons … these finite periods of time in
which man’s history is recorded in the Scriptures … Christ is the King of the eons.
Lastly, in verse 17 we see the phrase for the eons of the eons. If eon
(singular) or eons (plural) means eternity, then what purpose would there be in
saying eons of the eons? If we fail
to notice the distinctions in the various forms of aion as used in the Greek, and if we simply inject our theological
understandings regardless of the form … saying eternal when that seems to fit and age when eternal clearly does not fit the context … then we will
fail to grasp the rich meaning of God’s revelation to us.
A close study of the Scriptures seems to tell us
of five distinct eons or ages in the history of mankind. Eon (singular) is
speaking of one of these periods of time. Eons (plural) speaks of more than one
of these periods of time. Eons of the
eons is like saying “two or more ages in particular, in the context of all
five ages” (if five is the correct number … that is simply my observation). The
last two eons are those following the return of Christ to the earth. Paul is
emphasizing these two glorious eons in his benediction … Now to the King of the eons, the incorruptible, invisible, only, and
wise God, be honor and glory for the eons of the eons! Amen!
