What does it mean that God is the saviour of all people, especially those who believe? So this verse puzzles me:


  1 Timothy 4:10, ESV: For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.


What did Paul mean by saying that God is the savior of all people and especially those who believe? How does being a believer make him more of a savior than he already is?
Just one week back I encountered the same question in my personal meditation.

I think the key is in understanding the term Saviour.

Saviour to all men: Originally all men ought to have been destroyed in Adam when he sinned. The Bible says,


  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8


So the reason why this world was allowed to continue was because of the fact that the Jesus took it upon Himself to save the human race. I Peter 1:18-21 clarifies it further.


  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. I Peter 1:18-21


So the fact that the world is continuing, that food is growing, that animals are living is all thanks to Christ. So God in Christ is the saviour to all men in giving them a probationary time to choose what they want.

Especially of those that believe: This refers to people who have made the choice to stand in the side of Christ, to accept Christ as the Son of God, believing on His name thereby becoming Sons and Daughters of God themselves:


  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12