SPECIAL SALVATION

[lauriellen]

shared from dailey email goodies:

SPECIAL SALVATION
It is often remarked by those who oppose the doctrine of universal salvation, that if God is the Savior of all men, then there is no difference between the saint and the sinner, the believer and unbeliever. Those who make this remark seem to forget, that while God is declared to be the Savior of all men, He is also said to be ESPECIALLY the Savior of the believer.

Though it is true, that God is the Savior of all, yet a little more attention would teach you that all along, in Scripture, there is a salvation held forth as the SPECIAL PROPERTY of the believer, in which the unbeliever can have no part or lot. Though all shall be saved with an everlasting salvation, yet the believer ALONE can enjoy this special salvation.

Isaac Dowd Williamson
(1807-1876)
The Nature of Salvation (1840)

[Dave in Tenn]

The main difference for me is just 'timing', and perhaps 'setting'.  I don't see a day when God is going to save 'unbelievers' except when they are given faith (or sight) to believe.  "Salvation" (or healing) is FROM something.  Salvation from unbelief is 'belief' (or faith). 

Salvation from sin is forgiveness, repentance, and cleansing.  I can't see a day when God 'saves' sinners without actually saving us.

Was thinking about this verse the other day:

1Ti 1:13  Who (Saul/Paul) was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

The Lord converted Paul from being a blasphemer and a persectur and a hurtful individual, and saved him from his ignorance and unbelief by giving him knowledge and faith.  Problem solved.     At least those were.   

[arion]

I was thinking a bit along these lines the last few days as well.  I've run into a number of Christians on different forums that are deathly afraid of Islamics...and actually they hate them and think they should go to hell.  Islamics can kill for their religion in the same way that deluded Protestants and Catholics have killed each other in the past.  All for 'God' in the name of their religion.  What Christian would think that the Apostle Paul should of gone to hell?  And yet Saul, before he was converted murdered for his religion the exact same way that some of the Islamics do today and take great pleasure in it.  It's good to remember that God can turn a Saul into a Paul whenever he chooses to and that in the end we are no better than any of the religious nuts who think they do God's service when they wish to kill you.

[lauriellen]

i think that has been the main objection to the "salvation of all" that i have seen.....it seems people read these verses and automatically think that UR means that God will give salvation to all without all actually repenting and becoming believers(an attitude of THATS NOT FAIR! we had to do this or GIVE UP  that for OUR salvation...not fair that SOME might not have to GIVE UP ANYTHING)....they completely ignore the scriptures about the people LEARNING righteousness or it being Gods will that ALL come to repentance or all confessing Christ (the sum of Gods word).....the thought really never crossed my mind! lol....i guess i just naturally assumed that God would have to bring about some chaange in the unsaved before they would BE saved.....i never understood it to say that God would actually give salvation to unrepentant, unbelieving Christ rejectors.....guess that just shows how many people can read the same words and see an entirely different meaning.....
lauri

[Joel]

I can see how people that died in unbelief, and the worse sinners ever after being resurrected to face the judgement seat of the Lord Jesus Christ could do as Saul/Paul. "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do"?

Joel