Listed in 1 Timothy 2:4 is God’s desire for all mankind: “Who would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” The use of the word “truth” as Paul is instructed to write occurs in various forms throughout the epistles of the New Testament. In 1 Timothy alone note 2:7, 3:15, 4:3 and 6:5. In 2 Timothy notice 2:15 and 3:8 as key verses. In other letters, he wrote of the ‘truth of the gospel’ (Galatians 5:7), ‘obeying the truth’ (2 Corinthians 4:2), ‘refusing to love the truth’ (2 Thessalonians 2:10) and ‘wicked men who suppress the truth’ (Romans 1:18). Why the importance of the truth as it deals with application to any subject?
Is the importance written due to Jesus’s prayer for ‘our sanctification to be by the Father’s truth’; “thy word is truth” (John 17:17)? Can you think of any better reason for the truth to be emphasized?
When seekers desire for dreams, happenstance and feelings to guide their decision for the Lord, are they not avoiding the prayer of Jesus and His teaching? Do we not see the examples of Acts 2, 10 and 22 emphasize the acceptance of the truth as they obeyed the Gospel and received the remission of sins?
[God wants all mankind to be saved, but He forces no one. Only those who voluntarily obey the truth of the Gospel will ultimately be saved. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV). “…He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). “[I]n flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]
