”...Who all men He is wanting to be saved and unto a full knowledge of truth to come.”
-Paul has told Timothy (and us) to be praying for all men and for our leaders, and we have suggested that this includes prayer for them as they would pray for themselves, as well as prayer for the progress of their spiritual journey towards Christ. But here Paul gives us the big why of this instruction. Why it makes God so happy. Why we should be praying for these others, and more practically, WHAT we should be praying. God, this God Who saved us, is wanting all men to be saved. ALL men. That word in the Greek means ALL. Every last one of them. Every man, woman, and child. Fully knowing the truth - about Jesus. Can’t have one without the other. We’re not just talking an awareness of facts about Jesus. Paul uses the word which means exact knowledge. Understanding and perception. True knowledge, to know thoroughly and recognize, an acknowledgment of Who Jesus really is - God our Savior. Knowing and acknowledging (i.e. believing) this truth is the essence of salvation, is it not? “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8.32). It is the opposite tack of the world, which knew facts about God, had knowledge about God (Romans 1.21) but did not see fit to ACKnowledge Him (Romans 1.28). In this regard, is not full knowledge of the truth both the means of salvation and the goal thereof (1Corinthians 13.12, John 17.3)? This is the administration of God which is to be furthered by Timothy (1Timothy 1.4) and by us. This is the beautiful use of the Law (1Timothy 1.8), of God’s Word - helping people wherever they are in their spiritual journey to journey towards Christ, to come to know that He is, and to know Him as God our Savior and to be constantly growing in this knowledge. Life-changing. Game-changing. Full exact knowledge, as opposed to speculation and fruitless discussion (1Timothy 1.6). Uncertainty. Doubt. Both feet firmly planted in midair. House built on shifting sand - that is no way to live.
-But let us not miss this awesome pseudo-promise of which we totally need to lay claim in our praying for those who don’t (yet) believe in Jesus. Altho not really a pseudo-promise - I suppose that would be a false promise. This is a near promise, almost but not quite. Well nigh a promise. Practically a promise. A cousin of a promise. Practically in the family, but not exactly. Paul tell us that God WANTS people to be saved. ALL men, he says. Technically, this isn’t really a full-blown promise, in that we’re not told that God WILL save all people. But this is a great jumping off point, isn’t it? “God, You WANT so-and-so to be saved. 1Timothy 4.4 - You desire all men to be saved and to come to fully know the truth about Jesus. Lord, please do that for so-and-so, please save them.” Take the Lord at His Word, and take it to Him in prayer. Remind Him of it, plead with Him over it, badger and bother Him with it in fact, like the old widow who wore out the judge with her incessant pleading. Isn’t that how Jesus taught us to pray (Luke 18.1-5)? Think about the context here - we’re talking about what is beautiful and well-pleasing in the sight of God our Savior. Is that not going to be engaging in the exact thing for which Jesus came in the first place - to save (Luke 19.10)? Surely there are few things which warm the heart of God more than when His people come to Him in prayer and pray for others to come to know Jesus. Kings, leaders, neighbors, friends, Romans, countrymen. That’s what this section is all about - the advance of the saving Gospel of Christ in lives and in our society as those who follow Christ engage in prayer and redemptive living for the sake of those who don’t yet know Him. It’s about discovering and going deeper into God’s heart, into what He wants and what He is all about. Fully knowing the Truth. About Him. Knowing Him. Make it so...
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