I have been reading and thinking quite a bit lately about the idea of Univeralism (Universal Salvation), which is an argument that
all people will be ultimately saved. The idea is rooted in the belief that a loving God cannot and will not send people to hell. There are numerous positions on this issue among people from the argument of logical and rational thinking (a loving God letting people go to hell being illogical), to the idea that the word "forever" (eternal) doesn't really mean forever and everyone will get an opportunity to go through a
short period of "hell-like" experience and then they will eventually bow their knees and confess with their tongue that Jesus is Lord.
Honestly, I too want to believe in this idea because I have a lot of friends and family who have not accepted Christ and it concerns me, so I started exploring the idea with great enthusiasm but eventually came to a realization that without tossing out a whole bunch of Scriptures, it is impossible to establish a case for Universalism.
I am a believer in God's grace and His unconditional love and I am passionate about it and the good news of it. I am also encouraged to see people questioning and challenging the traditional beliefs of institutional church (which I am also doing). But, when it comes to this issue, the argument is seriously flawed.
My attempt here is not to address each and every arguments, but some of it.
1. No Scriptural support.
There are no Scriptural support of evangelism offer to the unregenerate after their death and that they will be released from hell after their 'pruning time'.
2. Freewill is critical.
If God is going to force people to accept him, it is a violation of freewill and if God was going to violate the freewill in the "future", He could have violated it in the Garden of Eden by stopping Adam and Eve from eating the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. God never violated the freewill and He never will.
3. Being a universalist is not necessarily a sign of "open mindedness" or "thinking outside the box".
People posses a fear of being seen as a religious bigot (subtle influence of secularism?). They want to appear as "open minded" because they think that's kind of cool and modern. They ask the question "Did God really mean it that way?". Well, that's the same kind of question Satan once asked Adam and Eve: "Did God really say...?".
4. If something is not mentioned in some places, that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.
Universalists argue that since there aren't a lot of occurance of the word "hell" in the Bible we shouldn't believe that it exist, or it exist in an eternal sense. There are an overwhelming number of passages in the Bible that it is very clear about a
separation of believers and unbelievers such as the parable of 10 virgins, where 5 of them being left out in the dark and the parable of separating sheep from the goats. Though the world hell is not directly used in any of these places, it clearly shows us that there is going to be a seperation of believers and unbelievers; and unbelievers are going to be left out. Another example is, Jesus telling
"I never knew you, depart from me". There is no reference to hell here, but you can see that He rejects the people who never KNEW him (believed in Him and had faith in Him). Another example is the older brother in the story of the prodigal son that he
chose not to join the party
though his father invited him.
Another argument is, Apostle Paul being silent on the issue of hell. It is true that Aposlte Paul is not bringing that issue a lot in his epistles, but isn't it because he is writing to churches (believers)? Why would he keep on reminindng those who have already "passed from death to life" about hell (eternal death)?
5. Satan was an archangel and was created by God, but it is ludicrous to believe that Satan will be saved.
One question I would ask a universalist: Do you believe that Satan and his demons will be reconciled to God? I would assume that their answer is "No", now consider this: Anyone who rejects Christ is
anti-christ.
6. "Forever" DOES mean forever.
The argument that "forever" doesn't really mean forever has a huge flaw. If you are going to posit that hell is temporal because of the Greek word used to describe it, you must also be willing to posit that heaven is temporal. The same word that is used to describe the length of hell (aionios) is the same word that is used to describe the length of heaven (aionios). [
Matthew 25:46]
7. We are NOT created in the image of God, in the first place.
Universalists also believe that salvation is nothing but forgiveness of sins and Jesus forgave the sins of the WORLD, then it must mean that the entire world is (or will be) saved. While it is true that the entire world is
forgiven and reconciled to God, forgiveness alone is NOT salvation. Forgiveness is only a
prerequisite to salvation. Salvation is receiving LIFE from God (receiving Jesus). Jesus said ,
"I am the way, the truth and the LIFE". "I am the resurrection and the LIFE". "I have come so that you may have LIFE".
We are born into this world spiritually
dead (inheriting adamic nature) and in need of
Life.
[This is contrary to many people's belief that we are created in the image of God, which is
not true. Only Adam was created in the image of God (fully alive to God) and all the people who are born thereafter (after Adam sinned) are born in the image of Adam (
Genesis 5:3). Remember, God told Adam that if he eat that fruit, he will DIE, but we all know that he did
not die
physically as bible says he lived for 930 years, so the death he died that day was
spiritual death].
Jesus came to give us that life which we didn't have (which we lost in Adam) when we were born into the world, but in order for us to recieve that life we have to be fully forgiven of all sins for God's life (spirit) cannot be dwelled in a sinner. So Jesus brought forgiveness to the entire world (through His death on the cross) making us ready to receive life (through His resurrection) [This is the experience Jesus explained to Nicodemus that unless you are born of water (natural birth)
and spirit (born again OF God), you cannot inherit the kingdom]. However, receiving the life is a choice - you can either accept it (by faith) or reject it and hell is a place or a state of remaining spiritually dead, for those who reject
life by their free will.
"For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him (forgivenss) through the death of his Son , how much more, having been reconciled (forgiveness being a prerequisite), shall we be saved through his life (salvation)! - Romans 5:10
So, I believe in universal forgiveness,
not in universal salvation. There is a huge difference.
8. Believing in a loving God and believing that hell do exist is NOT paradoxical, and God is NOT sending anyone to hell.
Universalists think believing in hell and believing in a loving God are somehow paradoxical so they attempt to build a case against hell. It is a noble desire and I understand where they are coming from but the fact is God is
not sending anyone to hell, people choose hell (death) by their will. When they reject Life offered by Christ, they
remain dead. Remaining eternally dead is nothing but hell.
9. God is Love, but He is also just.
God punishing sin on the body of Christ is something we shouldn't take lightly as it was an act of
justice and because of His immeasurable love for us, He chose His own Son to receive the wages of sin (death). But He raised Jesus from dead and is offering us the
same resurrection
life so that we may be raised with Him from our state of spiritual death.
Those who reject this resurrection life, simply remain dead.
10. It's all Grace, but faith matters.
There are numerous passages in the Scripture where it shows that we receive Jesus (resurrection life) by
faith and faith is never compelled upon on anyone.
