a case for universalism

8/13/2019 A Case for Universalism

1/15

A case for Universalism

In this writing we will examine many statements from

Scripture as they relate to the destiny of mankind. We will see there

are many Scriptures that teach the love, grace and goodness of God

the Father is extended to the whole human race unconditionally andwithout exception. Most hristians largely misunderstand the

teaching of !niversalists. We make no claim that all mankind in the

present world system will finally "e converted and redeemed whilein their physical "odies. Many are led to "elieve only those who

accept hrist, #as their personal Savior,will finally "e saved in

the next world. $his is something %esus never taught or mentioned& hristian !niversalists "elieve the 'i"le teaches all souls will

finally "e reconciled to God the Father. $hat God the Father in (is

)ove and "y (is Grace and *ower will raise the dead into anincorrupti"le spiritual "ody suita"le for the new sphere of existence

in the Spirit world that is generally called heaven. $he +postle *aulhas the following to say to the orinthians concerning the

resurrection, #As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be

made alive.(1stCor. 15:22) It is o"vious the allwho die in +dam

are the same all that shall "e made alive in hrist& o pre-

reuirement is mentioned for the all that are made alive in hrist

Jesus is introduced as Savior of The World. %ohn the 'aptist introduced %esus "y saying, #Behold! The

Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

$hen *aul said, God sendin is own "on in the likeness of

sinf#l flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh$ (Rom.

8:3AS) We also read, e %Christ&a''eared to '#t away sin bythe sacrifice of imself$ /(e".01234 $hese verses make the

redemption of hrist universal. $his is strongly confirmed in 5st

%ohn, e 'aid for o#r sins, and not for o#rs only, b#t for the

whole world$ (1st John 2:2) /William 'eck trans. 50334 %esus said,!"he #rea$ o% &o$ is 'e ho omes $on %rom heaven an$*ives

li%e to the orl$,%esusplaced no limit upon the world he gives life

to. When %esus on the cross (e prayed to the Father saying, (

5

5


2/15

have finished the work yo# have iven me to do$ (John 1+:)$hisis strong evidence that %esus accomplished (is mission and

therefore (e is !the Savior o% the orl$,6ust as the Scripture so

clearly states.

Jesus introduces the Heavenly Father All thins have been delivered to )e by )y *ather, and no

one knows the "on e+ce't the *ather$ or does anyone know the

*ather e+ce't the "on, and he to whom the "on wills to reveal

im$ (-atthe 11:2+ /0e 1:22) $he scripture here makes itvery clear7 the(eavenly Father wasnot known until %esus revealed

(im. $his esta"lishes the fact7 the (eavenly Father was unknown in

the 8ld $estament, nor was (e known "y did mankind until %esus

revealed (im. $herefore all we know a"out God the Father isrevealed in the ew $estament.

%esus had the following to say in (is introductory sermon7 The

"'irit of the Lord is #'on )e, Beca#se e has anointed me to

'reach the os'el to the 'oor$ e has sent me to heal the

brokenhearted, To 'reach deliverance to the ca'tives, andrecoverin of siht to the blind, To set at liberty those who are

o''ressed$ (/0e :18) +ccording to )uke %esus used Isaiah

351592 for (is text in this sermon. (e said nothing a"out going to

heaven or how to get there7 nor did (e say anything a"out (is God"eing 6udgmental or wrathful. *lease take note7 %esus completely

ignored the last few words of Isaiah:s verse 2, which reads, To'roclaim the day of veneance of o#r God.; (e ignored this

"ecause it did not descri"e the nature oftheHeavenly Father whois very muchunlike Israel:s god of vengeance.(4o$0s 2:5, 3:1)

$he %ewish leadership wasoutraged in anger at this sermon, and the

people were astonished at is doctrine$ (/. :32) %esus had amessage of love, hope and healing for the "rokenhearted and

deliverance to those who were captives of religion, especially of

%ehovah:s law and the religion of the %ews. (e made it clear (ismessage was from the (eavenly Fatherand not from%ehovah.

In the #Sermon on the Mount; recorded in Matthew, %esus

nullified %ehovah:s laws including


3/15

ebrew law of lovin yo#r neihbor and hatin yo#r enemy$

%esus replaced this law with, #B#t ( say #nto yo# love yo#r

enemies- - . that yo# may be sons of yo#r *ather in heaven/ fore makes is s#n rise on the evil and on the ood, and sends rain

on the 0#st and on the #n0#st$ (-att.5:335) again The 'eo'le

were astonished at is doctrine$ (-att. +:284 $he people were

astonished "ecause %esus taught things which were opposite to their

%ewish religion. (is message was a"out the God who loves (isenemies and eually supplies human needs to "oth the evil and the

good and is no respecter of persons7 $he God %esus was introducing

to them was very much unlikethe god of their religion.


4/15

!God was in Christ, reconcilin the world to imself, not

im'#tin their tres'asses to them$ (2 Cor. 5:19)

That in the dis'ensation of the f#llness of times, e miht

ather toether in one all thins in Christ$ (ph. 1:1)

As thro#h one man1s offence 0#dment came to all men,res#ltin in condemnation, even so thro#h one )an1s rihteo#s

act the free ift came to all men$ %Romans 5:18)e is the 'ro'itiation for o#r sins/ and not for o#rs only, b#t for

the sins of the whole world$ (1stJohn 2:2)

And we have seen and do testify that the *ather sent is "on to

be the"avior of the world$ %1 John :1)

Christ 2es#s, who ave imself a ransom for all, to be testified

in d#e time$ (1st"imoth 2:6)

#$he grace of God has appeared, "ringing salvation to all men;.($itus 2155Amerian Stan$ar$ ersion)

The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondae of

corr#'tion into the lorio#s liberty of the children of God.; /Rom.8:21)

$he a"ove Scriptures giveoverwhelmingevidencethat %esus isindeed the Savior o% the orl$, # #rin*in* salvation to all men

The final salvation of all is not a new teaching !niversalism was a well-esta"lished doctrine in the early hurch.$he Salvation of all was taught "y %esus, the apostles %ohn and *aul,

then later "y the evangelist Marcion, 52> - 5?> +@, $heopholus

'ishop of +ntioch 53> +@, lement of +lexandria 5A> +@, 8rigen

22> - 2B> +@, and Gregory 'ishop of yssa =A> +@, and manyothers during that period of time.

$heophilus (1 A.7.) had the following tosay, 2#st as a vessel,

which, after it has been made, has some flaw, is remade or

remodeled, that it may become new and riht, so it comes to man

at death$ *or in some way or other he is broken #', that he may

come forth in the res#rrection whole, ( mean s'otless, and

rihteo#s, and immortal$#Gregory of yssa offered three reasons

why he "elieved in !niversalism. $he first school in hristendom

was in +lexandria, and taught !niversalism from +@ 5C> to ?=>.)ater there were six hristian schools, four of these six strictly

?

?


5/15

taught !niversalism and only one of the six taught endlesspunishment;. (;lain &0i$e to estern Christianit$

('eretis # 7avi$ @erot) (e was the enemy of universalism and"rought the pagan hell into hristianity. (e taught all without

"aptism would suffer in the "urning hell for an eternity, he said, war

can "e holy and there is no forgiveness outside of the atholichurch. (e said practices and teachings of the +postles no longer

apply to hristians and it is proper for hristians to persecute

heretics. +ugustine:s great apostasy within the atholic hurchcontinues andhasfound its way into


6/15


7/15

Many preachers today are secretly !niversalists "ut are afraid togo pu"lic with their convictions.


8/15

$hose who "elieve the physical "ody will "e raised and "e6udged for the sins it committed in the material world are not "eing

consistent with the teaching of Scripture. $his false teaching only

serves to control people out of fear. The waes of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23) In death the physical

"ody pays for its sins. If it were true that the resurrected "ody will

again "e charged with the same sinful deeds done in the flesh, this

in6ustice is called do#ble 0eo'ardy$%urGod, the eavenly *atherwo#ld never commit s#ch an in0#stice$

$he resurrection applies to the spiritual "ody that is fashioned

like #nto is lorio#s body.8ur future life in the Spiritual world ofthe resurrected is a gift and is not affected "y what we "elieve, say

or do in this life. God was in Christ reconcilin the world to

imself, not im'#tin their tres'asses to them$ (2 Corinthians5:19)

The achieve"ent of &hrist #*or it was in im that the divine *#llness willed to settle

witho#t limit, and by im and to reconcile in his own 'erson allon earth and all in heaven alike$(Col. 1:192 -o%%itt) %esus said,( came not to 0#de the world, b#t to save the world$(John 12:+)

Seeing the Scripture clearly states,!The *ather sent his "on to be"avior of the world, (1st Jn. :1) we might ask, is anyone "oldenough to say %esus was una"le to complete this task and therefore

failed (is missionH +ccording to the Scripture, %esus at the cross

defeated the angelic gods /alle$ the prinipalities an$ poers4whowere the archenemies of the souls of mankind. %esus, avin

disarmed 'rinci'alities and 'owers,e made a '#blic s'ectacle ofthem, tri#m'hin over them in it$ (Col.2:15) $hese principalities

and powers are said to "e, #The r#lers of the darkness of thisworld$(ph. 6:12) %udaism is a religion founded "y %ehovah who

was one of these ruling angels. $he 'i"le is very clear on this,

saying #An anel a''eared to )oses in the b#rnin b#sh on

)o#nt "inai$ $his angel called out to Moses saying, #( am the

God of yo#r father, .. the God of Abraham, the God of (saac and

the God of 2acob$(4o$0s 3:26, also Ats +:335, 38 53)Stephenused this 8ld $estament passage in his defense against the %ews

A

A


9/15

who martyred him. $he %ews never uestioned Stephen when hesaid their god was an angel&

$he (e"rew tri"e as well as other tri"es all lived "y laws issued

"y angelic demigods. $hese laws depicted gods demanding to "efeared and were a curse to mankind rather than a "lessing. hrist

redeemed mankind from the curse of these angelic laws. (&al. 3:13)

$he Scripture therefore tells us, Let no one defra#d yo# of yo#r

reward, takin deliht in false h#mility and the worshi' ofanels. (Col.2:18) *aul makes it clear #God was in Christreconcilin the world #nto imself, notim'#tin their tres'asses

#nto them$Many who claim the inerrancy: of the Scripture teachthe opposite, that trespasses will beimputed and 6udged in a final

6udgment.

Most hristian groups teach one must accept hrist in order to "efinally saved in heaven. $he 'i"le tells it very differently, (e

accepts us and not we (im. /See ph. 1:6) $he Scripture also makes

it clear we were chosen in hrist "efore the foundation of the world,so it is much too late for us to make that choice now. +nother

uestion under the o0 m0st #elieve sstem,: 6ust what is to"elieved, and how much in order to "e saved:H 8f course this

varies depending upon the doctrine of those who make this demand. $he Scriptures tell us un"elief does not change God:s purpose.*or what if some did not believe6 7ill their #nbelief make the

faithf#lness of God witho#t effect6 Certainly not! /Eom.=1=9?4

$he Scripture does not stop there, (f we believe not, yet e abides

faithf#l, e cannot deny imself. (2n$"im. 2:13) $he redemption

of mankind is "ecause of the love and faithfulness of God ourFather, and does not depend upon our faith, actions or choice.

What:s more, there were some who were even #enemies of the

os'el,"ut according to Scripture they are "eloved. (Rom. 11:28)God:s purpose in the final salvation of all will not "e foiled.

!niversalis" honors 'od the Father

And ives the believer 'eace and s'irit#al comfort$$hose who have come to terms with the 'i"le teaching of the finalsalvation of all have "een rescued from the lies of organiDedreligion. $hey have "een saved from the shackles of fear and

0

0


10/15

anxiety of religion:s treadmills of servitude and have "eendelivered from the dou"ts and fears that religion had imposed upon

them.

When hrist:s achievement of redemption and reconciliation isunderstood, this knowledge will "ring into ones life 6oy, peace and

the spiritual freedom %esus promised when (e said, #And yo#shallknow the tr#th, and the tr#th will make yo# free$+nd (f the "on

makes yo# free, yo# shall be free indeed$ (John 8:32 38& (e alsosaid,( am come that they miht have life, and they miht have itmore ab#ndantly(John 1:1)

$he !niversalist places his faith, hope and complete trust in Godthe (eavenly Father not only for the life that now is, "ut also of that

which is to come. $his hope is said to "e #an anchor for the so#l,

both s#re and steadfast$ ('e#. 6:19)

The rewards for (elieving $he 'i"le teaches there is a special "lessing for the "eliever.Godliness is 'rofitable for all thins, havin 'romise of the life

that now is and of that which is to come$(1st"im. :8)$his verse

gives assurance of our salvation now, and the promise of life in thenext world. $he "eliever is "lessed in having "een beotten aain

into a livin ho'e$ (1st;eter 1:3)$he rewards for "elieving are well

descri"ed in the following writing7 #"hose ho have tr0l non

the Jos o% e4periential reli*ion, in the seet peae o% #elievin* inJes0s an$ tr0stin* in &o$, ill sarel reD0ire an instr0tion as

to hat onstit0tes the proper rear$s o% %aith. "he have the

testimon in their so0ls, an$ %0ll 0n$erstan$, !"he in*$om o% &o$is ithin o0 an$ is Ri*hteo0sness, ;eae an$ Spirit0al Eo. /From$heology of !niversalism, "y $homas '. $hayer 5A3=.4

&onclusion. We have now considered and evaluated numerous passages in the

ew $estament, all ofwhich not only imply, "ut also clearly declare

the achievement of hrist to include the final salvation of all

mankind.

I ask in all honesty and fairness, can we trust our )ord and (isapostles to mean what they sayH When they say all men, theare

5>

5>


11/15

to "e understood to mean all men, and not 6ust some men. Whenthey speak of all thins they mean all thinsof the context and

not some things, when they speak of life and salvation as given to

the world, it isivenand notoffered.When the Scripture says, #e

chose #s before the fo#ndation of the world.; $his does not mean

that it is up to us to make this choice..

%esus said to (is disciples, 3o# have not chosen me, b#t ( have

chosen yo#$ We should understand %esus to "e truthful when (esaid, ( came to save the world. When the Scripture says,*or it'leased the *ather that in im sho#ld all f#llness dwell$ And

havin made 'eace thro#h the blood of the cross, by im to

reconcile ALL T(G" #nto imself/ by im, ( say, whether

they be thins on earth, or thins in heaven$(Col. 1:192) +nd

again *aul says, (n the dis'ensation of the f#llness of times e

miht ather toether in one ALL T(G" in Christ, both which

are in heaven and on earth$ (ph.1:1) When *aul said all thingsI take him to mean all things andnot )ust so"e things&

$he Father sent %esus to8save the world,1 and%esus said to the

Father, ( havefinished the work yo# have iven )e to do1$ (John1+: an$ 3:1+) (e said of those the Father gave (im (e would lose

nothing. $he only logical conclusion that can "e drawn from these

Scriptural statements is to "elieve Jesus was nota failure, (ut Heactually redee"ed all of "ankind*

$he su"6ect of !niversalis" is seldom if ever addressedamongst the Fundamentalists and


12/15

'leas#re of is will$ (ph.1: 54 $he Scripture again makesthis very clear, "o then it is not of him, who wills, nor of him that

r#ns, b#t of God who shows mercy$ (Rom. 9:16) and Thro#hone )an1s rihteo#s act the free ift came #'on all men, res#ltin

in 0#stification of life$ (Rom.5:18)an$Christ 2es#s ave imself

a ransom for all, to be testified in d#e time$(1st"im. 2:6)

In due time: 9very knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and on

the earth and every ton#e shall confess that 2es#s Christ is Lord,to the lory of God the *ather$ (;hil.2:111).

!>hen the Fe "estament teahin* o% the %inal reoniliation

o% all is 0n$erstoo$, e ill then have $isovere$ one o% the*reatest es %or o0r $istin*0ishin* tr0th %rom error. "his is

#ea0se no other $otrine is entere$ more on the love, *rae an$

mer o% &o$ the Gather than this. t $isplas the ver #asis o%&o$=s s0preme love, is$om an$ poer in ation ("homas @,"haer1863)

When the true nature of God our Father is understood, (e isworshipped out of love, in Spirit and in $ruth, and not out of fear.

God is love$andThere is no fear in love/ b#t 'erfect love castso#t fear, beca#se fear involves torment$ (1stJohn :18)

'y (is grace and the gift of faith, we have great comfort, 6oy and

peace in "elieving God:s plan for the salvation of all mankind.

$he !niversalist marvels and re6oices in knowing that, every

knee shall bow and every ton#e shall confess that 2es#s Christ is

Lord, and The creation itself will be delivered from the bondaeof corr#'tion into the lorio#s liberty of the children of God.(Rom.8:21) And every creat#re which is in heaven and on the

earth and #nder the earth and s#ch as are in the sea, and all that

are in them, ( heard sayin, Blessin and honor and lory and

'ower Be to im who sits on the throne(Rev. 5:13)$his Scripturepictures every creature that ever lived to "e praising God for their

final redemption.

$he Final Salvation of all, theologically called !niversalis", is a

Scritural sound doctrine and a revalent teaching of the early

&hurch.

ow may!The God of ho'e fill yo# with all 0oy and 'eace in

believin, that yo# may abo#nd in ho'e by the 'ower by the oly

"'irit$ (Romans 15:13)

52

52


13/15

cr" C202>>0

7ill God save all, or only some6By 2ose'h 9$ :irk

*aithf#l is the sayin and worthy of all acce'tation$ *or to this

end we labor and strive, beca#se we have o#r ho'e set on the

livin God, 7ho is the "avio#r of all men, es'ecially of them that

believe$ These thins command and teach$ (1 "imoth :911, R)

#$hink of it-the )iving God is the "avio#r of all men! ot the

#preserver; of all, as some would have us to "elieve. $he Greekword used here is soter$ It occurs twenty four times in the ew

$estament and is correctly translated #Saviour; every time. /(ere helists the twenty-four references4

or does the text say God is the #provider; of salvation for all.

$his would not make (im the Saviour of all. (e is only the Saviour

of those (e saves. In order to "e the Saviour of all, (e will save all.

$(< )IJIG G8@ IS $(< S+JI8!E 8F +)) M


14/15

of the rest. /) ote, please, the text says, #God is

the Saviour of all men


15/15

5B

5B

a case for universalism

Documents