I. Whether we take the words, "the living God," in our text to apply to Christ Himself, or to the Father acting by Christ, it is equally asserted that Christ is the Saviour of all men, that the salvation which He wrought is, in and of itself, co-extensive with the race of man. What He did, He did for, or in the stead of, all men. Christ, being the Divine Son of God, and having become the Son of man, was no longer an individual man, bounded by the narrow lines and limits of His own personality, but was and is God manifest in the flesh: a sound and righteous Head of our whole nature, just as Adam was its first and sinful head. Hence it is that, whatever He does, has so large a significance. Hence that, when He fulfils the law, His righteousness is accepted as ours. From the vicarious work and sacrifice of the Redeemer, consequences not only possible, but actual, flow forth to every member of our common race, in virtue of that common membership, in virtue of their physical union with Christ in their common humanity. Whether these consequences will be to them an advantage or a disadvantage, a gain or a loss, must, from the very constitution of our nature, both physical and spiritual, depend on further considerations, involving the exercise of their own spiritual faculties and capacities. "Christ is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe."
II. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." He is the Saviour of all men, in that He included them all in that nature which He took on Him, and bore the whole world's sin, and made a way for all to God. He is specially the Saviour of them that believe, in that in their case only does this His salvation become actual and come to its ripeness and perfection; in them only does His Spirit dwell; they only are changed into His image; they only shall be with Him and behold His glory where He is and be perfectly like Him, seeing Him as He is.
H. Alford, Quebec Chapel Sermons,vol. vi., p. 108.
References: 1 Timothy 4:10. R. W. Dale, Discourses on Special Occasions,p. 121; W. C. E. Newbolt, Counsels of Faith and Practice,p. 88; J. T. Stannard, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xi., p. 136. 1 Timothy 4:12. J. Thain Davidson, Sure to Succeed,p. 207; R. Tuck, Christian World Pulpit,vol. v., p. 224; Ibid.,vol. xxxii., p. 18. 1 Timothy 4:13. C. Babington, Church of England Pulpit,vol. viii., p. 20; W. G. Horder, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxi., p. 107.