Why Did You Doubt?

By Gary Amirault

In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, Paul exhorts that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men because this was “good and acceptable in the sight of God our savior Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:4-6, KJV) The word for will is the Greek word thelema, Strong’s number 2307 which is translated “will” 62 times in the King James Version. Only two times do the King’s translators use a different English word for thelema; once the word “desires” in Eph. 2:3 and once “pleasure” in Rev. 4:11. Many modern English translations use the word “desires” or “wants” instead of “will” in this verse because they do not want to make it appear God’s will can fail. So they say that God desires or wants all to be saved but He can’t because Satan’s power or man’s free will is too strong for Him. (NIV, NLT, NET uses “wants”; NAS, NRSV uses “desires”)

In this same text, Paul exhorts the church to pray for all men, not some, because the Man, Christ Jesus have has become the Mediator between God and man and has given Himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time. The question becomes, would God ask His body to pray for something He has no intention or power to perform? He asks us to pray for all men; He gave a ransom for all men and yet, according to the traditional church doctrine, God ends up losing most of mankind. If God is omniscient (all-knowing) did He demand us to pray for what He knew in advance He couldn’t perform? Jesus said that if we pray according to His will, there is nothing He will deny us; it will be done. (Mark 11:22, 23) If we have faith in His will, He will perform what we pray according to Jesus. So the question becomes — who failed? God who couldn’t get what He wills, wants, or desires? Or the church who couldn’t muster up enough faith to come into agreement with God’s plan for the “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21, KJV) The poor god of the traditional church is so pathetic it’s a wonder anyone still believes in him. Think about it? The god of tens of thousands of denominations of Christianity supposedly came to try to save the world and scarcely saves anyone. Most Christians, themselves can’t really be sure if they make it into the pearly gates. After all, the “once-saved always-saved” part of the church is a small minority and they might just be filled with themselves instead of filled with true faith.

There are thousands of Christians throughout the centuries who have believed that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the whole world. They have believed God WILL have all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. They believe that in the fullness of time there will not be a single soul who died in Adam who will not be reconciled back to God. They have the faith OF Jesus Christ. They believe in universal salvation through Jesus Christ. Yes, some of them have been called heretics and shunned by the traditional church and its leaders. Some have been burned at the stake, some have been drowned, some have been tortured for believing that God truly is the savior of all mankind. Despite the persecution, they have remained faithful in believing God will save all mankind while most traditional denominations and their leaders have believed God will fall far short of His will, desires or wants. In Luke 18:8 Jesus asked “when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith?”

“This is FAITHFUL saying and worthy of ALL acceptance and to this end we both labor and SUFFER REPROACH, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe. These things command and teach.” (1 Timothy 4:9-11) Are you faithful and suffering the reproach that comes with it? Or will you hear, “Ye of so little faith, why did you doubt?”

Tentmaker Ministries has hundreds of articles, books, and videos to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the whole world and even beyond. Please, for His sake, the church’s sake and the sake of the world, avail yourself of the ample resources we have collected for you. https://tentmaker.org/ScholarsCorner.html