Saviour of All Fellowship
July 2004

Dear Friends in Faith,
     Tony writes: What is said about ransom in 1 Timothy 2:6 proves that God will save all mankind. Studying this word “ransom” one must come to this conclusion: in the Bible, all who were ransomed were freed. All Hebrews were ransomed who were held in bondage in Egypt and thus all were freed from Egypt. All animals which were destined for sacrifice but were ransomed were freed from being sacrificed. “And it came to be at the end of four hundred thirty years--and it came to be on this very day--that all the host of Yahweh went forth from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:44). All Hebrews who became the slave of another Hebrew were freed prior to the 7 year limit when a ransom was paid. While it is true that not all who were ransomed and freed from Egypt made it to the promised land, the point is that one who is ransomed is freed. Bringing this concept into the New Testament we see that “God wills that all mankind be saved . . . for . . . Christ is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all” (1 Tim.2:4-6). All mankind are in bondage to sin and death, corruption and mortality. Therefore, since all mankind have been ransomed all will be freed into God's salvation. God is so sure of this that He is called “the Saviour of all mankind” (1 Tim.4:10).
     It has been said that a person can refuse to be ransomed and so this proves that all mankind will not be saved. But is this correct thinking? If a Hebrew slave was given a wife by the master and his time for release came up either at the end of his 6th year or at the year of Jubilee and he wanted to remain a slave due to not wanting to leave his wife and children he could remain. Wives given by the master were the property of the master as well as the children of that wife. So if the slave wanted to leave he had to leave wife and children behind. In that sense he could refuse to be ransomed or freed when his time came up for release. But if someone wanted to ransom him he would be obliged to honor that ransom if he wanted freed. The important point is that all mankind have been ransomed. They cannot refuse to be freed. They will be freed.
     All judgments of the future are prior to mankind being freed from corruption and mortality. They do not disprove that all will be saved. They do not disprove that all mankind being ransomed will be freed. For instance, believers who are now cognizant of their salvation and being ransomed still endure “being judged; we are being disciplined by the Lord” (1 Cor.11:32). But nonetheless we are still saved.
     Also, our will, whether free or not, does not enter into the equation. However God's will does and that is what is important! God willed that all in slavery in Egypt be freed. God wills that all mankind be saved.
     “For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him Who subjects it, in expectation that the creation itself, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom.8:20,21). The freedom we will enjoy is glorious. It is this same glorious freedom from slavery we will enjoy that the rest of creation will enjoy as well.
     “When I find I'm in error, I change my mind. What do you do?” -John Maynard Keynes
     Greetings from Dean who is stretched a bit thin in time and strength because of a family wedding and his mother's illness.

Yours in God's grace and peace,
Dean Hough and Tony Nungesser

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