“…all men, especially…”

There are lots of other passages I can use as well, and I have in other places on this website, but I can show you, using two simple verses of Scripture, that God will save all humanity.

First, Galatians 6:10, where Paul wrote, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Now, did he write, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us potentially do good unto all men, but really only unto them who are of the household of faith”? No, he didn’t. He said in that verse to do good unto every human one has the opportunity to do so to, not just those who are of the household of faith. The word “especially” in that verse — μάλιστα/malista in the original Koine Greek — doesn’t mean “only” or “exclusively.” It means that those in the household of faith should be treated especially well, but every other human should still be treated well, according to that verse.

Likewise, in 1 Timothy 4:10, Paul wrote, “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.“ (The word “specially” there is the same Koine Greek word — μάλιστα/malista — as “especially” in the verse in Galatians.) Now, did he write, “…we trust in the living God, who is the potential Saviour of all men, but really only of those that believe”? No, he didn’t. In order for God to be the Saviour of all men, as Paul told us there that He is, He has to ultimately save everyone (you can’t be called someone’s saviour without actually saving them, so to be legitimately referred to as the “Saviour of all men,” He’ll have to actually save all men at some point). Once again, “especially” (or “specially”) doesn’t mean “only” or “exclusively.” It just means that those who believe get a “special” salvation, which involves experiencing our immortality and sinlessness earlier than everyone else, and also possibly getting to reign among the celestials in the heavens, but every other human will still eventually experience salvation, according to that verse.

To put it another way, if, at the end of the school year, a teacher were to say, “I’ve given everyone a passing grade this year, especially Lisa who got an A+,” we’d know that, while nobody else got an A+, they still all passed, since “especially” doesn’t mean “only” or “exclusively.” And for the same reason, we know that, while not everyone will get the “special” salvation that believers will get to enjoy, everyone will still be saved in the end.

Now, if you want to try to read your own presuppositions about salvation and “damnation” into the above verse, I can’t stop you, but it will be just that, you reading your own doctrine into what Scripture actually says.