Note several verses quoted from one of the last Epistles written by the Apostle Paul.

“God our Saviour; 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. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not); a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.” I Timothy 2:4 to 7.

Let us emphasize the fact that God will have all men to be saved. Christ Jesus is the one and only Mediator between God and men. Christ Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all. “To be testified in due time.” To the Apostle Paul was committed this truth for Gentiles.

Note Paul’s testimony in I Timothy 1:11; “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”

Then note one other important fact, stated in this chapter; namely, that Paul was chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 12) to be a pattern for believers. “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.” I Timothy 1:16.

During the years that Christ Jesus was on earth He was Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God by miracles, in the midst of Israel. Acts 2:22. Just before the Lord Jesus went to the cross He said “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me. This He said, signifying what death He should die.” John 12:31 to 33.

Some years after the Lord Jesus died on the cross and went back to heaven, these messages were written to the Lord’s people concerning the once-for-all sacrifice of the Son of God

“But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Hebrews 2:9.

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:12.

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Hebrews 10:12.

“And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:20.

“And He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2.

This message of grace was sent out to all men, Gentiles as well as Jews:

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Titus 2:11.

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4 to 7.

Note Paul’s testimony written about 65 A.D., more than thirty years after the Lord Jesus, by the grace of God, tasteth death for every man:

“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world.” Colossians 1:5 and 6.

“The gospel which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.” Colossians 1:23.

Here we learn that the gospel had been preached to every creature under heaven. The great majority of those human creatures had rejected the gospel and refused to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved by grace. The religious people, who claimed to love and serve God, were responsible for Paul’s imprisonment. He was in jail at Rome when he wrote to the Colossians. He wrote from that jail to Timothy concerning, “My gospel: wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the Word of God is not bound.” II Timothy 2:9.

Note again Paul’s testimony: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.” Romans 11:13.

Note what the risen Christ said to the Apostle Paul—“And He said unto me, Depart; for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” Acts 22:21.

“That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:16.

“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Ephesians 3:8.

Now by way of contrast note what Jesus of Nazareth said to the twelve apostles while He was in the midst of Israel, in the land of the Jews, and what they agreed to do many years after Christ had gone back to heaven:

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5 and 6.

“And when James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” Galatians 2:9.

Therefore even the superficial student of the Bible knows that neither the Lord Jesus nor any of His accredited messengers proclaimed while the Lord was on earth—“The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Titus 2:11.

Note the attitude of the twelve apostles about seven years after Christ went back to heaven – “And He said into them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Acts 10:28

Later on something happened. Note Acts 13:46—Romans 10:12 and 13—Romans 11:30—Romans 11:15:

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”

“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

“For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief.”

“For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”

Thus we see when “the due time” came for the Gentiles. We see why salvation and reconciliation was sent to them. Because Israel put the Word of God from the .. Because of Israel’s blindness and unbelief, the casting away of Israel brought reconciliation for the Gentiles. Then Paul preached the gospel to every creature under heaven. Note the statement in Acts 19:10—”And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”

We have learned that Jesus Christ offered one sacrifice for sins and then sat down in heaven. We have learned that Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasteth death for every man. We have learned that by His once-for-all sacrifice and His once-for-all entering into heaven Christ obtained eternal redemption for us. We have learned that He made peace by the blood of His cross.

Now note those who experience this peace. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 Those who are justified by faith. What about those who do not believe?

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36

“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:24.

“The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.” II Thessalonians 1:7 to 9.

“That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” II Thessalonians 2:12.

But for believers, this blessed truth: “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 5:9.

Thus we see that God, Who will have all men to be saved, has provided salvation by grace, for any child of Adam who will be the recipient of His grace and receive Jesus Christ as his or her Saviour.

The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23.

“Being justified without a cause by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24.

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18.

“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might skew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6 and 7

“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:39

Settle the matter of your salvation now, according to the will of God.

For more articles by Pastor J. C. O'Hair, visit the J. C. O'Hair Online Library.