“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15)
God has always lamented the death of the wicked. “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye” (Ezek. 18:31). The saddest fact of human existence is that so many perish unnecessarily. “… For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Mt. 7:13,14).
Although only a minority of humankind will be saved, God did not sent His Son into the world to save only some. Christ’s atonement is not limited. The provision has been made for all to be saved. “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:2). Here is the will of God: “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all …” (1 Tim. 2:4-6)
The lifeline has been thrown out to all who are perishing. God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9) The way has been laid out. Jesus is the Way to the Father. He is mankind’s Savior. But He specifically saves those who believe, who “grab the lifeline.” “… We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Tim. 4:10)
All who perish, will not have done so because they had to, by the will of a God who was unwilling to save them; they will have perished because they chose to. God’s lifeline was refused.