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 HAT the truth
shall be made known to all men, is affirmed in the most positive
manner by the apostle Paul thus: "God our LIFE-GIVER; who would have
all men live (Syriac); and to come to the knowledge of the Truth." -
1Ti 2:3,4. What "Truth?" Let Paul continue: "For there is one God,
and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus: who gave
himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." - 1Ti
2:5,6.
Here is the truth which God wills all men shall come to the
knowledge of: He "will" have all men "live," and receive this
knowledge; for upon the reception or rejection of this "one
Mediator" turns the final state of all for whom He "gave himself a
ransom." On verse 5, Dr. Bloomfield says:
"This seems to have reference to what immediately precedes; q. d.
‘[God our Saviour will have all men to be saved and come to a
knowledge of the truth];’ for He is the God alike of all; and the
Man Christ Jesus is the Mediator between God and men, who gave
himself a ransom for all. Here it is implied that it is alone by a
recognition of the truth, as regards God and the Mediator between
God and man that can be saved."
The "recognition" can only be made from having the knowledge of "the
truth" to be recognized; and God "will have all men to come to the
knowledge of the truth." Who shall say, He cannot or will not do it,
because it has never yet been done? Is death an insurmountable
obstacle in the way of God’s will, or too mighty for almighty power?
Must His will be thwarted because we cannot comprehend the greatness
of His power? Are our theories too mighty for God’s promise and
oath?
On the expression, "And come to the knowledge of the truth," Dr.
Adam Clarke says:
"The truth, the Gospel of Christ, should be proclaimed to them...
and when it is made known, then it is the duty of those who hear it,
to acknowledge and receive it: this is the proper import of the
original word, that they may come to the acknowledgement of the
truth."
Dr. Clarke, on the expression. "To be testified in due time," quotes
from ROSENMULLER as follows:
"This is the doctrine which is reserved for its own time: the
doctrine which in its own time shall be delivered to all the
inhabitants of the earth."
So much for the testimony of the learned commentators. They,
probably, hardly comprehended the fullness of their own statements;
but the fullness is in the text, and thereby it is made certain that
all, for whom Christ gave himself a ransom, will, some time or
other, "come to the knowledge of the truth;" and, if they accept it,
will be saved, or have and endless life. But if they reject it, they
will die for their own sins, and "be as though they had not been."
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