God Wants All People to be Saved

​Before Christ, God selected some under Abraham to Himself (Romans 9:6-7). After Christ, God shows mercy to and selects from all different types of people.
 
We are utterly blind and can’t go to God by ourselves. Our wicked nature alienates us from God (John 6:44, Romans 8:7). To be able to go to Him, we need God to give us a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19).
 
God chose to bestow special grace to some people (Deuteronomy 29:4, 7:6; Romans 9:6-7). He elected them as He pleased before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-5). In a way, this is similar to God sending rain to one town but not to another (Amos 4:7).
 
God lets the gospel take root and sprout in some (Acts 16:7). Through the Holy Spirit, He draws them in, opens their eyes, and turns them around. No one can take the everlasting elections out of the Father’s hand, and Christ shall lose none (John 6:39, 10:29). God will finish what He has started.
 
Since God’s election isn’t due to any of their works, virtues, or worthiness, they should be humble and give God the glorify for His choosing and enlightenment.
 
However, God also wants all people to repent and all to be saved (Ezekiel 18:23, 1 Timothy 2:3-5). All in here doesn’t mean all individually but all sorts of people, people of all different conditions.
 
We don’t understand why one is chosen and another is not. To accommodate our limited capacity, God used human terms, like He had ears and hands. Still, we can’t fully comprehend Him.
 
God shows us the parts of His will that we ought to know. For the many aspects we don’t understand, we need to have faith that God is just.
 
God wants all people to know Him and be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-5). He reaches out His hands inviting all to Him (Isaiah 65:2). Those who refuse Him are condemned.
 
So, don’t keep Him to ourselves. Instead, invite unbelievers in and pray for their salvation. Labor as much as possible to bring them to Him and wait patiently till He shows Himself to them, as He has to us.
 
A summary of a sermon by John Calvin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWqnTPh0ZAQ



神愿万人都得救
 
在基督之前，上帝拣选了亚伯拉罕的一些后裔归祂自己（罗马书 9:6-7）。在基督之后，上帝怜悯和拣选各国各族的人。
 
我们完全是瞎眼的，不能靠自己去到上帝面前。我们邪恶的本性使我们与上帝疏远（约翰福音 6:44，罗马书 8:7）。我们需要上帝给我们一颗新心才能够去见祂（以西结书 11:19）。
 
上帝选择赐给一些人特别的恩典（申命记 7:6, 29:4; 罗马书 9:6-7）。祂在创造世界之前随着自己的心意拣选了他们（以弗所书 1:4-5）。这就好像上帝选择降雨到一个城镇，但不到另一个城镇一样（阿摩司书 4:7）。
 
上帝还使福音在一些人心中生根发芽 （使徒行传 16:7）。祂藉着圣灵吸引他们，打开他们心灵的眼睛，使他们回心转意。没有人能从天父手中夺走祂永恒的拣选（约翰福音 10:29），基督也不会失去其中任何一个（约翰福音 6:39）。上帝会完成祂所开始的工作。
 
上帝的拣选不是因为人的任何工作、美德或价值，所以人要谦卑，为上帝的拣选和光照而将荣耀归于祂。
 
然而，上帝盼望万人都悔改得救（以西结书 18:23，提摩太前书 2:3-5）。在这里万人并不是指所有的人，而是指各种各样情况不同的人。
 
我们不明白为什么上帝选中这一个人而不是另外一个人。为了帮助我们有限的理解力，上帝使用人类的术语，就像祂讲到自己有耳有手一样。然而，我们仍不能完全理解祂。
 
上帝显示给我们的，是我们应该知道的那部分旨意。 对于很多不明白的方面，我们要相信神是公义的。
 
上帝盼望万人都认识祂并且得救（提摩太前书 2:3-5）。祂伸出双手邀请所有人归向祂（以赛亚书 65:2）。那些拒绝祂的人就被定罪。
 
所以，不要把上帝只留给自己。相反地，我们要邀请不信的人认识上帝，为他们的得救祷告。尽可能努力地把他们带到上帝面前，耐心等待直到祂向他们显示自己，正如祂向我们显示的那样。