The Bible speaks of God’s love for the world and shows His goodness and desire for people’s salvation: He sent His Son so that the world might be saved, does not desire the death of the sinner, and desires that all people be saved. On this basis, we can speak of God’s love for people in general. At the same time, God’s love cannot automatically be equated with the salvation of every person.
What does the Bible say about this?
- God so loved the world that He gave His Son; He sent Him not to judge the world, but to save it (John 3:16–17).
- Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and says that the Father gives sunshine and rain to both the evil and the good, and to the righteous and the unrighteous (Matt. 5:44–45).
- Paul sees proof of God’s love in the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8); love consists not in our loving God, but in His loving us and sending His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9–10).
- God says that He does not desire the death of the sinner, but that the sinner turn from his way and live (Ezek. 33:11); according to Paul, He desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4).
- Conclusion: these passages speak of God’s love for the world, His goodness, and His desire for people’s salvation; therefore, we can speak of God’s love for people in general. God’s love, His desire for salvation, and the salvation of every person are not the same claim; the passages cited do not themselves settle whether everyone will be saved.
The brief answer was prepared by the editorial team; the verse texts are from the “Father’s Blessing” Bible.
Key Scripture Passages
6 Bible Verses · Father’s Blessing Bible
John 3:16–17
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Matthew 5:44–45
44 But I say to you: Love your enemies, [[bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you]] and pray for [[those who spitefully use you and]] persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Heavenly Father; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
First John 4:9–10
9 The love of God was revealed toward us in that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Ezekiel 33:11
Say to them: As surely as I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?
1 Timothy 2:4
Who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
