Podcast Summary

Podcast: Deepen with Pastor Joby Martin
Episode: S18E5 – Understanding God's Desire for All
Date: February 3, 2025
Host: Pastor Joby Martin (A)
Co-hosts: Pastor Adam (B) and Pastor Chris (C)
Main Theme:
A theological deep dive into 1 Timothy 2: God's desire for “all people to be saved,” the role of Christ as mediator and ransom, and gospel-centered assurance, evangelism, and prayer.

Overview

This episode unpacks the complexities and pastoral implications of Paul's teaching in 1 Timothy 2, which asserts God’s universal desire for salvation, the unique mediation of Jesus, and the call to intercessory prayer. Pastor Joby, supported by Pastors Adam and Chris, seeks to balance theological tensions around predestination, human agency, God’s character, and practical faith. The discussion weaves biblical exegesis, reformational theology, personal anecdotes, and reflections on church history—all maintaining an inviting, candid conversational tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context: God’s Desire for All People (01:13–06:13)

• The segment focuses on the phrase "God desires all people to be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4) and the potential misinterpretations—universalism vs. exclusivity.
• Theological Ditches:
  • Downplaying “all people” (exclusivity) or assuming all will be saved (universalism).
  • Joby (A) [02:27]:
    “Just because God desires a thing does not mean that thing is actualized… there's still human agency.”
    • Explains his “reformed” soteriology—not full-blown Calvinism: God initiates, humans respond.
• Balancing Human Agency & Divine Desire:
  • Faith as God’s gift yet requiring individual response.
  • “It’s a really good idea… to just let the biblical Jenga be what it is.” (A) [05:06]
• Memorable Analogy:
  • “MacArthur… You can freely choose all the sin you want to, but… you can’t will yourself to be 7ft tall. So you don’t have free will—there’s extreme limitations. A better, more complete word is agency.” (A) [04:25]

2. God’s Heart: Love, Wrath, and the Nature of Desire (06:13–09:06)

• Love & Wrath: God must be "stirred to wrath," but God is love.
• Joby (A):
  • Critiques “cage stage Calvinists” who hesitate to declare God’s love to all.
  • “God’s desire is that all people would be saved… the people that God desires to be saved are actually in active open rebellion… And to that person, God’s heart is: man, I wish he’d surrender to me…” (A) [08:01]
• The radical grace in God’s desire extends to those hostile to Him.

3. Jesus as the One Mediator – The Priesthood of Believers (10:32–18:01)

• Scriptural Basis:
  • “There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5).
• Significance:
  • No longer any human mediator needed; every believer now has direct access to God—prayer, repentance, and supplication.
  • Chris (C) [12:19]:
    “Because of Jesus, right now… our world is holding together because Jesus is doing this mediation right now. And if he stops, it all unravels.”
• Contrast With Catholicism & Tradition:
  • Critiques systems that add other mediators.
  • “When Jesus… said ‘tetelestai’—that was paid in full. Therefore, penance is not required…” (A) [13:00]
• Confession—What the Reformation Lost:
  • While freeing believers from priestly absolution, Protestants lost the practice of confessing sins for healing and accountability.
  • “We are supposed to confess our sins one to another… you’re not confessing that you sinned; you’re confessing the blood of Jesus over your sin.” (A) [18:02]

4. Ransom, Atonement, and the Work of Christ (21:57–30:39)

• Ransom Defined:
  • C (22:00):
    “A ransom is a payment to buy back a captive into freedom… You are in a situation in which you can’t get yourself out of. Somebody else… pays the price to set you free.”
• Notable Clarification:
  • Ransom is not paid to Satan but to satisfy God’s justice against sin—the “propitiation” aspect.
  • “We are saved by God. Yay. We are saved to God. Yay. We are saved from God.” (A) [23:31]
• Universal Offer, Particular Redemption:
  • Christ’s atonement is sufficient for all, effective for those who believe.
  • “If one person ever rejected Jesus, then the atonement was limited. It was all of humanity minus one.” (A) [29:16]
• Illustrative Analogy:
  • Free subs offered to all, but only atoned for those who redeemed the coupon.

5. Testimony at the Proper Time; God's Sovereignty & Personal Assurance (30:39–41:01)

• Testimony:
  • Paul says the gospel is the “testimony given at the proper time,” anchoring the message in God’s perfect plan (cf. Gal 4:4).
• The Cross as "Perfect Timing":
  • God was sovereignly at work in what looked like the world’s greatest tragedy.
  • “If God had a purpose and a plan… in the death of his Son… can you trust him with what's going on in your life…?” (A) [33:31]
• Practical Assurance:
  • Even in suffering, God’s sovereignty is trustworthy. Personal stories (cancer diagnosis, families with special needs children) reinforce real-life application.
  • “The alternative is… [that] he doesn’t, which is terrifying.” (C) [34:55]

6. The Function of Gospel Testimony and Witness (41:01–52:10)

• We Are Witnesses:
  • Believers give "testimony"—their story and Christ’s work—without needing to be judge, mediator, or accuser.
  • “When the judge calls on you, you give testimony as a witness.” (A) [50:33]
• Evangelistic Posture:
  • Preparedness, prayer, readiness to present, but never pushing beyond where the Spirit has readied a person.
  • “Our job is not to push people beyond where they’re ready to respond… just trust the Spirit of God is the prompter to make change.” (A) [51:10]
• Personal Experience:
  • “If this doesn’t happen, we’re not here. We’re gentiles…” (C) [52:10]

7. The Call to Action: Prayer, Evangelism, and Living the Gospel (53:09–55:57)

• Sovereignty Frees and Motivates Our Witness:
  • Evangelism isn’t “closing a deal”; it’s faithfulness and trust in God’s timing.
  • Sometimes the Spirit calls us to press for decision; other times, to wait: “[S]ometimes the Spirit of God is like, close the deal, dude…” (A) [53:13]
• Response to Gospel:
  • The “normative right response” is prayer: “Men should pray lifting holy hands.” (A) [55:11]
• Closing Charge:
  • “If you can put them up for the Jags game, then you can for sure put them up for prayer…” (B) [55:42]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Just because God desires a thing does not mean that thing is actualized… you do have agency and responsibility to respond to God.” (A) [02:31, 04:29]
• “God’s desire is that all people would be saved… They might be nice at Publix, but spiritually speaking… in active open rebellion…” (A) [08:01]
• “You do not have to act on every desire, even every good and wholesome desire.” (C) [07:43]
• “He is actively holding [the world] in his mediation right now. And if he stops, it all unravels.” (C) [12:19]
• “You are not the judge. There is one, and it ain’t you.” (A) [15:26]
• “We are saved by God. Yay. We are saved to God. Yay. We are saved from God… you are saved from God’s wrath on you that you earned.” (A) [23:31]
• “Christ’s atonement is unlimited in its offer, limited in its effect—it is for all, but effective for those who believe.” (A, paraphrase; see [29:16])
• “If God had a purpose and a plan… in the death of his Son… can you trust Him with what’s going on in your life and trust that He has perfect timing even when you don’t understand?” (A) [33:31]
• “When you know Christ is your mediator, you’re like: call dad!” (A) [21:17]
• “If one person ever rejected Jesus, then the atonement was limited. It was all of humanity minus one.” (A) [29:16]

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:13]–[07:00]: Exegesis and dangers of misinterpreting God’s “desire for all”
• [10:32]–[18:01]: Christ as the one mediator, priesthood, and confession
• [21:57]–[30:39]: Ransom, propitiation, and the nature of atonement
• [31:53]–[39:41]: Testimony, God’s sovereignty, suffering, and assurance
• [41:01]–[51:10]: Witnessing, practical evangelism, trusting the Spirit’s timing
• [53:09]–[55:57]: The call to men to pray, living out the gospel response

Final Reflections

• God’s heart is for all—no one is outside invitation, but salvation is received by faith.
• Christ is the only and perfect mediator; through him, believers have direct access to God.
• The call to prayer and testimony flows naturally from understanding God’s saving action.
• God’s timing is perfect, even in pain or uncertainty; the cross proves it.
• The gospel compels us to witness, pray, and live confident, expectant, surrendered lives.

(All speaker attributions: A = Pastor Joby Martin, B = Pastor Adam, C = Pastor Chris. Timestamps included for major sections and representative quotes.)