UNIVERSALISM - MANY DOCTRINES ARE APPEALING BUT UNBIBLICAL

Universalism is a false and unbiblical gospel, offering the assurance that all will eventually be saved, no matter how they believe and behave. Universalists claim that several verses support a universal salvation for all. However, a closer look at them should raise the red flag:

·       By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:7-9)

 

Our Lord also wants all of us to stop sinning, but this does not mean that He will CAUSE us to stop sinning. Nor does this verse claim that He will CAUSE all to be saved, even though Jesus had paid the price for all on the Cross.

This verse also must be read in context. Despite God’s patience and desire that all will come to repentance, verse 7 warns that all will not be saved but destroyed despite His desire that all be saved. Also notice that this destruction follows the day of judgment. Therefore, it does not reflect the fact that all simply die a physical death.

 

The universalist also appeals to 1 Timothy:

·       This [prayer] is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all people. (1 Timothy 2:3-6)

 

Jesus paid the price for all that all might be confident that the price has been paid even for them. This demonstrates that the door of salvation is open to all but does not give a guarantee that all will be saved. Because of this, we are encouraged to pray for all. If all would eventually be saved, then there is no real need for this prayer.

 

The universalist also claims that if anyone is not saved, then God had failed. This “logic” also pertains to Satan and his demons. They too must be saved lest God is a failure. However, the Scriptures speak decisively against this possibility:

·       And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

 

Universalism gives people a false and unbiblical hope. It promises heaven but blinds them to the only true hope of a salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Instead, God’s faithful servant must preach the Good News, the rescue from the bad news of eternal punishment, as these verses teach:

 

·       Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

·       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 12:31-32 “And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

 

·       Matthew 25:30 (ESV) “And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 

·       Matthew 25:46 (ESV) And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

 

·       Acts 3:22-23 For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'

 

·       John 3:17-18 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

 

·       John 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."

 

·       John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 

·       John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not (“never” ESV) see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

 

·       1 Corinthians 6:9–10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

 

·       Galatians 5:21 I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

·       Ephesians 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

 

·       Philippians 3:19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

 

·        2 Thessalonians 1:9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power

 

·       Hebrews 2:3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

 

·       Hebrews 12:25   See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

 

·       1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

 

·       Jude 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

 

·       Revelation 14:9–11 “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”