Sunday, August 21, 2011

Bible Truth #227 - 2 Timothy 2:10

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Here is another example of Paul identifying a specific group of people for whom he is suffering. He is enduring everything for the sake of the Elect. The Elect is that group of people chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He is not enduring everything for the sake of those not chosen. At the time Paul wrote this, most of the Elect were either still lost or not yet born. So Paul was enduring everything even for the Elect not yet born.

He is enduring everything so that ALL of the Elect will obtain salvation. Is there even a hint that he writes that he is enduring everything so that every soul who ever lived, past, present, and future, may obtain salvation? The answer is clearly NO, he did not.

Bottom Line: just as Paul endured everything for the sake of the Elect, Jesus suffered, died, and was resurrected also for the sake of the Elect, those chosen by God for salvation (Ephesians 1:4), the many (Mark 14:24), His church (Ephesians 5:25); NOT every soul who ever lived, past, present, and future.

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