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1 Tim 4:10
10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
NASB

The bolded part is a qualifying phrase which many interpreters carelessly or conveniently overlook when giving their interpretation. But before getting to that clause, we have another "universal" phrase to deal with first: "all men".

Did Paul mean "all men" without exception, or "all men" without distinction? If the first, then that would mean each and every person in the world; and this would contradict numerous other scriptures. But if the latter, then this would mean "without regard for [covenantal] status" before God. In other words, God is the Savior of Jews (his Old Covenant people) and now also the Gentiles (who at the time of Paul's writing were being brought into the New Covenant relationship with God). And this latter interpretation would harmonize with the rest of scripture.

This phrase "all men" is used elsewhere in scripture, too. A passage that comes immediately to mind is this one:

John 12:32-33
32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
NIV

Yet, we know that "all men" without exception are not drawn to Christ today, nor historically have they ever been! So...did Jesus have this all wrong? Or did He mean that he would draw "all men" to himself in the without distinction sense? In other words, in the general sense of the two classes of people in the world: Jews and Gentiles? If this latter sense, then Jesus had it right; for there are and have always been Jewish and Gentile believers in the world, i.e. "all men".

But what did Paul have in mind when he wrote to Timothy? Does the context of 1 Timothy help us out? Yes, it does!

1 Tim 2:1-7
2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle — I am telling the truth, I am not lying — and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
NIV

For what purpose was Paul appointed a "herald and an apostle"? Was it not to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission and His specific commission to Paul, as well, to take His Gospel to "all men", i.e. the Gentile nations? Moreover, when Paul went out on his missionary journeys, it was his habit to first take the Gospel to the Jews in their synagogues throughout the Roman Empire and then to the Gentiles. Paul literally preached and taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ to both classes of humanity -- Jews and Gentiles, i.e. all men without distinction of status.

So, now when we come back to our original verse under consideration, it can indeed be said that "God is the Savior of all men" because he is the Savior of both classes of peoples in the world -- Jews and Gentiles. And this interpretation is further reinforced by that bolded text in 4:10 "especially believers" or as some translations read, "especially those who believe". The reason why this bolded part is so important is because of the verb tenses in the first and second part of the verse.

Paul said in 10a. that he and others who have preached "have fixed" (past tense) their hope on the living God; but then tells Timothy in part b. God is the Savior especially of those who believe (present tense). The reason this is so important is that true biblical faith is not just a one time act -- it is a lifelong, lifetime, ongoing act -- a faith that believers take to the grave with them!!! (See Mat 24:13, Jn 8:31; 15:19; Acts 14:21-22; Col 1:22-23; Heb 3:12; 10:38; 1Pet 1:10-11).

Therefore, what Paul has done in this one verse is go from the general sense in part A to the particular sense in part B. He goes from "all men" without distinction of status to very specific kind of men without exception, i.e. especially [and only] those who believe right now! Those who made some kind of profession of faith in the past but are not now living out that faith on ongoing basis have no biblical basis to claim that God is their Savior! This is what Paul is really telling Timothy in a very succinct way. This is the purpose of the qualifying phrase in part B of the verse.

In closing, then, universalists cannot use this verse to teach universal salvation of all men without exception. Universalism is nowhere to be found in this passage. Rather, this text harmonizes with the rest of scripture when so-called universal terms are understood properly in their general, limited and, therefore, biblical sense.