The Calvinism Debate - Way of Life Literature

What does this verse mean? ere is no reason to believethat it means anything other than exactly what it says. It isGod’s sovereign will and desire that all men be saved.Obviously, then, God’s will is not always done, and God hasordained that man can thwart His will, because it is clearfrom other Scriptures that not all men will be saved. Ofcourse, the Calvinist has all sorts of means by which hereasons away the clear teaching of 2 Pet. 3:9 and 1 Tim. 2:3-4,but only a committed Calvinist would interpret Scripture insuch a manner. For example, some Calvinists claim that Godhas two types of wills, “desiderative and decretive.” oughHe does desire all men to be saved, He has only decreed thatthe elect be saved. us, when 2 Pet. 3:9 and 1 Tim. 2:3-4 saythat God is not willing that any should perish and that Hewill have all men to be saved, this is merely His “desiderative”will, whereas only those elect sinners who fall under thecategory of His “decretive” will can actually be saved becausethey are the only ones who are sovereignly regenerated andgiven the “gi of faith.” When I told one Calvinist professorthat this is mere “mumbo jumbo,” he was very offended, but Idon’t see what else it can rightly be called. Of course, thisstalwart attempt to reconcile 1 Tim. 3:3-4 and 2 Pet. 3:9 withCalvinism actually creates more problems than it solves,because it admits that God’s desiderative will is notaccomplished. us, God’s will can indeed be thwarted byman--not His decretive will, mind you, but His desiderativewill--which would mean that God has a will that is notsovereign.JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS-- “is is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; ofwhom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy,that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth alllongsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereaerbelieve on him to life everlasting” (1 Tim. 1:15-16).67