Paul’s first epistle to Timothy is one of the Paul’s seven post-Acts epistles written during his second ministry and final missionary journey. Paul’s second ministry was to the saved believers to expound the superlative gospel given to him concerning the mystery of the dispensation of the Body of Christ.

All Men to be saved

At the end of the Book of Acts, Israel as a nation had refused to acknowledge that Jesus Christ was their promised Messiah, Saviour, and King. In fulfilment of Hosea’s prophesies in 1:9, 3:4, and 6:2, God pronounced the condition of Lo-Ammi on Israel. Paul recited their condition of spiritual blindness from Isaiah 6:9-10 and announced a major change in Acts 28:28: Be it therefore known unto you that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles (all nations) and that they will hear it.

The Gospel of John was also written after the end of the Book of Acts and is the gospel of salvation to the world (all nations). It has always been set apart from the other three “synoptic” gospels to Israel. Although John 3:16 is often quoted for salvation, there are also John 5:24, 6:40, 6:47, 17:3, and 20:30. Salvation is the first step, but not the only step for the members of the chosen Body of Christ.

Second to the theme of salvation, “the truth” is an important accompaniment in claiming real freedom in Christ. Read the emphasis on the truth in John 8:32, 8:36, 14:16, 17, 26, 15:26, 16:12-14, 17:17.

To come unto the knowledge of the truth

The “all truth” of John 16:13 points in that same verse to “things to come”. At the end of the Book of Acts the Apostle Paul was given a second ministry which prompted the writing of his second set of seven epistles: 1 Timothy, Titus, Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and 2 Timothy. Ephesians and Colossians bear the burden of the doctrine of the dispensation of the mystery of the Body of Christ. The word of God and all His truth is completed by this final ministry of Paul as he states in Col 1:25, Whereof I became a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given to me for you to fulfill (complete) the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but is now made manifest to His saints (saved believers). These were the “things to come” concerning all truth.

The words “knowledge of the truth” in 1 Tim 2:3-4 means “acknowledgement of the truth” or “to have true knowledge”. The Greek epignosis means full discernment or acknowledgement. The true knowledge of God’s revelation of a dispensation kept secret and only to be divulged after Israel failed to acknowledge Christ is for the discernment of only the members of His chosen Body of Christ.

Salvation in Christ Jesus will secure eternal life for many out of all nations. There is also a superlative calling and hope for those who God chose to be the members of the Body of Christ with Christ as the Head of the Body. The Gospel of John and the Gospel of Paul are truth for today in this two-step calling to anyone. The first step must be the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as one’s Lord and Savior. The second step is to acknowledge that the risen Christ Jesus is the Head of a called-out body, which is the fulness of Christ. This Body has a heavenly hope and calling separate from all other saved companies.