devotional

28JAN
2013

Universalism

 

     There are many types of universalism. One, the most commonly thought of today, is called “Unitarian Universalism.” These are the folks that believe that, “All roads lead to God.” To them, God is in favor of all religious expression (not really, but they'll claim it up front). To them there are almost no limits. It's likely that they'd say that whatever you believe is good to go with God.

     That sort of belief system is much easier to disprove if the Bible is true at all. There's another sort of universalism, which is much more insidious, that's often oxymoronically entitled by its proponents, “Evangelical Universalism.” These folks would not come outright and say that, “All religions are valid before God.” Rather they’d say that all men will be in heaven because Jesus, the only way to God, has died and rose again to one day draw ALL men unto Himself (horribly misapplying John 12:32). The path you choose therefore is moot; you'll be saved in the end regardless. This view doesn't therefore assert that every path to God is valid per se, it just believes that every path ends, and that God is there simply because you're you and God's too good to have an everlasting hell for someone so marvelous. They’d say that all men will eventually be reconciled to God because of Jesus’ work whether they ever believe in Him or not. Some of them see hell as temporary. Others claim it doesn’t exist at all.

     Such a view is not without its lure. I think there’s a part of all Christians (still affected by sin) that would have all of the passages in the Scripture regarding hell and eternal wrath removed. This is a remnant of our former rebellion.

     No matter what sort of philosophical word-peddling such a pretended lover of God would hock, the view is entirely devoid of love. It cheats men from Christ and insults the faith, oddly enough, by claiming to compliment it. It restricts the freedom of God by forcing His love upon all equally and makes open sport of the crucifixion which just as easily might never have been needed. Men, by it, are blinded from sin by being blinded to sin's consequences. It takes an ego stroking approach to the attributes of God, denies those of hate or anger and creates a god in the idolater's image. It's a violation of the second of the Ten Commandments which says not to do that. This sin in turn only further blinds them from the gospel. The religion of the universalist, no matter the style, may actually become their single greatest sin.

     God must have a plan of redemption for the fallen angels also since there is no hell. No matter what, it just ain’t Biblical. No Christian could remain in this camp, if ever found in it at all. Sound teaching would deliver any with a regenerate heart. The universalist’s idol is a god without eternal wrath, but that god simply does not exist. The bottom line is simply that they’re wrong. Confronting it is frustrating, and because you love, you may feel completely discouraged. You should be. Paul did too in light of his own who, "Knew the Sccriptures." You may feel helpless. That's good. Put your trust in God and preach the gospel anyway.

     There is a hell and God made it. If you don’t like that then you’ll just have to get another god. Oh, wait, disregard, there isn’t one.     

     Just three texts to bring some into conflict with their own sins of presuming to judge God's warnings of an eternal hell unclear either for men or fallen angels:

Matthew 25:46: “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” If hell is temporary then so is heaven. Same Greek word used to describe the "everlasting-ness" of both.

Revelation 14:11: “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Mark 9:43-48: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched – where

‘Their worm does not die,
And the fire is not quenched.’

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where

‘Their worm does not die,
And the fire is not quenched.’

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire— where

‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.” 

      Scripture's not lying, and it couldn’t be clearer. The Savior saves from an eternal wrath or from nothing. 

     Here’s an article I wrote some time ago that I’d like you to consider especially if you might be struggling with this. It is more than ok to ask questions. Hell is a difficult truth. Sin is why men deserve it. Sin against God infinitely offends the infinitely holy God. https://biblecia.com/article.aid-36.html

 

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