This is the final devotion in a 4-part series on Universal Salvation - It's important that Christians understand the ramifications of Universal Salvation.
It sounds loving to talk about God saving all men, whether they repent and turn to Christ or not.
But it's perhaps the cruelest trick of Satan.
It requires unbelief in Scripture. It makes a mockery of God's perfect grace and justice. It requires a low view of God, and it produces false hope.
Tell an unsaved person that Christ will save them no matter what they believe, and they'll have no reason to repent and turn to Christ.
Whether we fully embrace this heresy, tell others we "hope it's true," or keep silent when people promote it, we become part of Satan's efforts to deceive men and separate them from God.
Jesus warned men of hell and we must do the same. Not only because it's the most loving thing to do, but also because Christ’s final instructions on earth were to make disciples, teaching them everything He taught (Matthew 28:16-20).
See What Jesus Said About Hell
Read the first 3 in this series:
Why Believing All Men Will Be Saved is a Sign of Unbelief
Why Believing All Men Will Be Saved is a Mockery of God's Justice and Grace
Why Believing All Men Will be Saved Requires a Low View of God
-------------------------
Where can I find the first three?
ReplyDeleteI linked them in the third paragraph, but I will put them in links at the bottom since they are easy to overlook.
DeleteGod bless you.
Hi Gail.
ReplyDeleteIn the last several months I've come to embrace the idea of Ultimate Reconciliation (I prefer this term over Universal Salvation).
I don't expect other Christians to agree with it or embrace it as I have, however, it's a shame that so many Christians view it and explain it in the superficial way that you have. As someone who has participated in apologetics's for numerous years, I find your explanation similar to that of an atheist describing Christianity.
I tried to post a rebuttal a few days ago but I'm afraid the post was too large. I'll try again breaking it up into smaller bits.
I'd be glad to have you post your rebuttal, Kelley.
DeleteI don't believe my explanations are superficial. I have a Masters from seminary, and I have studied the Scriptures thoroughly before writing on this subject. I have studied the explanations of the Greek, the historical background, and read multiple explanations of Bible scholars.
The explanations I have read from those who embrace your belief either involve a low view of Scripture (i.e. Scripture isn't God's Word and/or contains mistakes) or they involve interpreting the many, many passages about hell in ways that ignore the context, history, and Greek or use alternate explanations that are not accepted by thousands of years of Biblical scholarship.
But I welcome you to share your views.
I believe Christian Universalist actually believe more Scripture that Eternal Conscious Torment believers. Jesus is the Savior of the World, just as Scripture says. It is only when we know we are truly loved, we can begin to love as He first loved us. My view of God is He is far to wonderful Holy Perfect and Loving to imagine.He is Creator and Savior. His kindness leads to repentance.
ReplyDeleteCathy,
DeleteYou are right about one thing: Jesus is beyond wonderful and loving, far more wonderful than we can imagine. And because of that, we can trust His words about hell as well as the rest of Scripture:
Words of Christ:
Matthew 5:29: If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Matthew 7:13: Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
Matthew 10:28: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 13:36-43: – This link will take you to the Parable of the Weeds
Matthew 16:26-27: What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
Matthew 23:33-34: “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.
Matthew 25 - This link will take you to three parables in which Jesus highlights eternal rewards and punishments.
Luke 12:4-5: I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
See also Luke 16:19-31
From the Epistles:
2 Thessalonian 1:6-10: God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
Jude 1:7: In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
2 Peter 2:4-9: For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man,living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
Revelation 20:14-15: Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.