A Potential Savior of All? of Some?

 Hello All,

You gotta love First Timothy 4:9-11 -

"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.  Prescribe and teach these things."

Every time "especially" (Greek: malista) occurs in the NT, it is inclusive, not exclusive of that which is in the context.

First Timothy 4:9-11 does not say:

1. That the living God is the Savior only of believers.

2. That the living God only saves some.

3. That believers are saved BEFORE everyone else.

4. That God is a POTENTIAL Savior.

But why the "especially" (Gr: malista)?  Because believers *believe* what is already true about ALL of humanity (pas anthrōpos).  Either Christ is the Savior of all, or he is the Savior of none, but he cannot be the Savior of some.  And if he fails to ultimately save all, and is only a POTENTIAL Savior of either some or all, then he is no Savior at all (or of all), and Savior is the wrong title to give him and the wrong name for the Holy Spirit to inspire us to call him.

Grace=Peace,

Jeremy