Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Timothy 4:10

"For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe." — 1 Timothy 4:10 (ASV)

For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, in making this truth known: that all might be saved, or that salvation was offered to all. The labor was chiefly experienced in carrying this information abroad among the Gentiles; the reproach arose chiefly from the Jews for doing it.

Because we trust in the living God. This does not mean, as our translation would seem to imply, that he labored and suffered because he confided in God, or that this was the reason for his sufferings. Rather, this trust in the living God was his support in these labors and trials.

He means, "We labor and suffer reproach, for we have hope in God. Through him we look for salvation. We believe that he has made this known to men, and believing this, we labor earnestly to make it known, even though it be attended with reproaches."

The meaning is that the belief that God has revealed a plan of salvation for all men, and invites all men to be saved, will make his friends willing to labor to make this known, even though it is attended with reproaches.

Who is the Saviour of all men. This must be understood as meaning that he is the Saviour of all men in some sense that differs from what is immediately affirmed: specially of those that believe. There is something pertaining to them regarding salvation that does not pertain to "all men." It cannot mean that he brings all men to heaven, especially those who believe—for this would be nonsense.

And if he brings all men actually to heaven, how can it be especially true that he does this for those who believe? Does it mean that he saves others without believing? But this would be contrary to the uniform doctrine of the Scriptures . Therefore, when it is said that he is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe, it must mean that there is a sense in which it is true that he may be called the Saviour of all men, while, at the same time, it is actually true that only those who believe are saved. This may be true in two respects:

1. As he is the Preserver of men (Job 7:20), for in this sense he may be said to save them from famine, war, and peril—keeping them from day to day .
2. As he has provided salvation for all men. He is thus their Saviour and may be called the common Saviour of all; that is, he has confined the offer of salvation to no one class of men, he has not limited the atonement to one division of the human race, and he actually saves all who are willing to be saved by him.

Specially of those that believe. This is evidently designed to limit the previous remark. If it had been left there, it might have been inferred that he would actually save all men. But the apostle held no such doctrine, and he here teaches that salvation is actually limited to those who believe. This is the speciality or the peculiarity in the salvation of those who actually reach heaven: that they are believers. (See the notes on Mark 16:16.)

Therefore, all men do not enter heaven unless all men have faith. But is this so? What evidence is there that the great mass of mankind die believing in the Son of God?