Some Calvinists interpret [texts such as 1 John 2:1-2] as saying that God has a desire to save only various ethnic groups in the world, not each and every individual within those groups; or that God’s desire to see men saved can refer only to the “elect” since they are the only ones eventually saved. Both interpretations take their liberties with the context that are simply not justified. The inspired author’s stress on individuals through the use of “everyone” and “anyone” in 1 Timothy 2:1 and 2 Peter 3:9 clearly indicates that God is interested in saving individuals and suggests nothing about ethnic groups. Moreover, to say that God’s desire to save applies only to the elect contradicts other passages, e.g., Ezekiel 18:21-32; 33:11; Acts 17:25-26, in which God sincerely pleads with all the wicked to turn from their evil ways. That such misinterpretations could persist in light of these contrary Scripture passages show how important it is to give Scripture its full weight and meaning, without dilution or misrepresentations, in understanding the subject of predestination and free will. It is much too tempting to “read into” each passage one’s particular bias or presupposed theology.
Robert A. Sungenis, Not by Faith Alone: The
Biblical Evidence for the Catholic Doctrine of Justification (Goleta,
Calif.: Queenship Publishing, 1997), 438 n. 30
