IT IS GOD'S DESIRE THAT ALL WOULD BE SAVED

Everyone is familiar with the verse in John (3:16) that states how much God loves the world: so much that He allowed His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cruel cross of Calvary. We can also see in the epistle written by Peter that it is God's hope that all men come to repent of sin:

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

1 John 4:9

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

The phrase, "that we might live through him", means through Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He made with His death on the cross. We live through Him in our obedience to the gospel. This is explained in detail in Romans 6:3-5.

Throughout Biblical history God had made His intentions clear, and they are not tied to the numbers of people, but to those who follow His holy Word. Jesus says that those who believe on Him and obey His commandments are in the love of God.

In the Old Testament we see that God's people were always few in number:

Deut. 7:7

The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

This was not because God liked small numbers, but because the history shows how few people were willing to obey Him and His commands. Whether one see this in the story of Noah and his family, or in Gideon's victory, or in the number who crossed over into the Promised Land, there are few who follow God's commandment. God wishes that this was not the case, and this is evident in the story that precedes the destruction of the cities of the plain (Sodom and Gomorrah):

Genesis 18:20-33

And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. 23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 30And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 32And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. 33And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

In this conversation Abraham begins by asking God if He would destroy the righteous with the wicked. This is a telling question in many ways. It foretells the separation in eternity, it shows the certainty of punishment for wickedness (sin), and it brings forth the love of God toward those who are righteous: they shall be saved. As we know from the rest of the story, the city was destroyed: there were none righteous to be found, but only after God answered Abraham's question in this way - the righteous shall not be destroyed with the wicked, and not one righteous person shall be overlooked. He is not willing that any who will be righteous should perish! If we follow the biblical instructions to obey the gospel call of repentance, baptism, and walking in the pattern of the "once for all deivered" faith, we are assured of the salvation that God wants us all to have.