There are three different words in scripture that mean ‘to will’. The first is thelo, this is the desire of God to see something done, but it can be thwarted and unfulfilled, it is more his pleasure and not a determination. Then there is thelema, this is a lot more firm, as Revelation 4:11 says, “For you created all things, and by your will(thelema) they exist and were created”. The final word is boulomai, and this is the determination of God, it will be done, nothing can stop it or hinder it. Now I want to draw your attention to 3 verses, the first is 1 Timothy 2:4,
"[God] desires(thelo) all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
This is the most quoted verse for support of UR and now you may see the flaw in any argument for this to mean that God will have all saved. Yet I still believe this as proof because God says that he will do all his pleasure, and it is his pleasure to save all. Moving onto Matthew 18:14, Jesus says,
"…it is not the will(thelema) of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."
This affirms a stronger will of God to save ‘these little ones’, and we must take this to mean all because everyone has been a child. In fact I think God looks on us a lot of the time as his little children, immature and stubborn and in need of correction. Lastly we must look at 2 Peter 3:9,
"The Lord is…patient toward you, not willing(boulomai) any to perish, but that all should come to repentance."
A more literal translation of this passage has, ‘not having purposed any to perish, but all to come to repentance’. Yet I will take it even a step further, “The Lord is…patient toward you, not determining that any perish, but that all come to repentance.”
Do you see now? His full and uninhibited will is for all to be saved, and he has ‘determined’ that all come to repentance, that none will perish. These 3 wills confirm it.
Anyway I just thought that this was interesting and just more amazing proof of UR’s truth. We serve an awesome God who will not leave us in the dark, he will lead us into all truth. Thank you Jesus.