BrotherJoseph
Well-Known Member
1 Timothy 1:15- Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners....
Let me tackle the next verse you posted to argue for your argument of universal atonement. Yes, it was God's mission to save sinners, but was it all sinners he came to save? If the answer is yes, but he didn't save all sinners, then He and His mission was a failure. That is not the God I serve, as my God was a 100% successful on saving those He came to save, this is why we read, "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." Did he lose any of those? What saith the scripture, "thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21).
Now then, what specific sinners did Jesus come to save, it is those who under the Spirit of God recognize they are sinners and in need of a savior, this is what Jesus means when he says, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32). He said this to the self righteous Pharisees in Luke 5:30, in other words he has not calling the self righteous to repentance, but those who know they are sinners, these He can and will save-all of them. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.(John 9:41).
Finally, I would point you the the Pharisee and the publican both who came to pray to God and thanks God he is not a sinner like the publican, the Pharisee prays naming all he has done for God, "11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. (Luke 18:11012), but the Publican prays, "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). Jesus tells us the Publican was justified. God came to save sinners, and by this He means all who through the Holy Spirit's power believe they are sinners, need a savior, and recognize they cannot save themselves. All of these sinners he can and does save and this is what 1 Timothy 1:15 means when it says He "came to save sinners", however He did not come to save sinners who are self righteous and do not recognize they are sinners like the Pharisees.