INTRODUCTION
"We are unable to fully walk in the finished work of Christ
because we keep trying to finish HIS work".
"The reason I do not believe in Eternal Torment is because I know God".
A believer in Biblical Universalism is one who believes that God is big
enough, loving enough, powerful enough, wise enough, and resourceful
enough to ultimately be sovereign enough to rule over all His creation not
just a part of it.
A Bible-centered Universalist believes that Jesus Christ is Who He said
He is . . . the Savior of the world. He is not the potential Savior of some
men but He did in fact accomplish His purpose. He believes that the
same "all" who were dead in Adam would be made alive in Christ (1 Cor.
15:22) and the same "all" that were subject to unbelief would receive
God's mercy (Rom. 11:32). He tends to accept that all the families of the
earth would be blessed (Gen. 18:18); that even Sodom would be
restored to her former estate (Ezek. 16:55); that all will turn to the Lord
(Ps. 22:25-29); that Jesus will fill all things (Eph. 4:10); that of Him, and
to Him and through Him are all things (Rom. 11:36); that Jesus through
His Love on the cross will ultimately draw (drag in the Greek) all mankind
unto Himself (John 12:32); and that when God's plan is perfectly carried
out, He will completely be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28)! A Biblical Universalist
knows that all will be saved because of Jesus Christ's work on the Cross
and God’s full Redemption and not any other way.
Which of these statements can you accept as truth?
1. God’s redemptive love extends to all men equally in the sense
that He sincerely wills or desires the redemption of each and
every man.
2. No man can thwart God’s redemptive love or resist forever,
therefore, God will triumph in the end and successfully
accomplish the redemption of all of those whose redemption he
sincerely wills and desires.
3. Some men will never be redeemed but will instead be separated
from God forever.
So which is it—number 1 or 2? Should we limit the scope of God’s love,
as the Augustinians do? Or should we insist that God’s will suffers an
ultimate defeat, as the Armenians do? If neither of these options seem
acceptable; then the one left is the belief that God loves all equally and
that His will cannot be thwarted forever which is Universalism.
Universalism
Universal Reconciliation (the Gospel of Inclusion, Absolute
Reconciliation, and Biblical Universal Salvation) maintains that Christ's
death accomplished its purpose of reconciling all mankind to God. As a
result, whatever separation now exists between man and the benefits of
God's grace is subjective in nature; it is illusionary, existing only in man's
unregenerate mind, his unenlightened or uniformed way of thinking. The
message (Good News or Gospel) people need to hear, is not that they
simply have an opportunity for Salvation, but that they, through Christ, in
fact, have already been redeemed, reconciled, and saved; and that this
information, (Good News) frees them to enjoy the blessings that are
already theirs in Him. Most Christians believe in the atonement but do not
realize that "atonement" is simply another word or expression for
"reconciliation." The terms are basically identical in both Hebrew and
Greek. Reconciliation is not something which is to be—it is an
accomplished fact, a present reality! It was accomplished by Jesus as
His commitment to His Father God, for which He was duly awarded.
(Philippians 2:5-11)
Most people who accept Universal Salvation understand the following
statement. “My desire is to know God totally rather than selectively. I'm
even willing to suspend what I think I already know about God, in order to
know Him in a way I have never imagined”. When The Universal
Reconciliation of All is studied and accepted as Biblical truth you will
inevitably suffer isolation from traditional religious members. A crisis in
truth is a crisis in trust. Our role is to create environments that are
conducive to the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts, heads, and hurts of
people. This will promote the heart of Universal Reconciliation.
What has Faith got to do with it?
This is the fear of most traditional religionists. Our faith is removed from
the equation. We must ask ourselves, does believing make a person
born again or does being born again make you a believer? Does the
Gospel make a person righteous or does it simply reveal a condition
already accomplished by the blood of Jesus Christ? I am not challenging
redemption, I am challenging what act or fact produces the other. Paul, in
Romans 3:3 asks another question regarding the role of faith in the
salvation and identification process. He asks, "What if some did not have
faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness, (trustworthiness or
creditableness)?
Paul answers in the 4th verse, "Not at all! Let God be true and every man
a liar." His point is that God's faithfulness to Himself, His Word and His
ultimate Will regarding the redemption of the human race, is not affected
by man's faith or lack of it. That is a tough pill for tradition to swallow.
The Level of Authority the Father has given Jesus
Matthew 28:18 says that the Father gave Jesus “All Authority” and this
authority includes “in” heaven and “on” earth. Throughout Scripture the
level of that authority is demonstrated, for example, He has the power
“on earth” to forgive sins (Mk 2:10); He has the authority to make man
God’s sons (John 1:12); and finally, He has control over His own life and
death (John 10:18). It is evidenced that this “All Authority” is “all”
encompassing and “all” possible authority.
John 17:2-3 says that Father God has given Him authority over “all flesh”
and that He (Jesus) is going to give ‘eternal life’ to as many as have
been given Him. Verse 3 defines the ‘eternal life’ as knowing the Father
and the Son. Incidentally, the phrase ‘eternal life’ is translated “Life of the
Ages” (WEY), “Life age-abiding” (ROTH), and “Life age-during” (YLT).
What has the Father given into the hands of Jesus? According to John 3:
35, all things have been given into His hands (Mt. 11:27, John 6:37).
This “authority over all flesh” that is given to Jesus is restated in the
Scriptures saying that God is the Father or God of all spirits (Jer. 32:27,
Job 12:10, Num. 16:22, Ecc. 12:7, Heb. 12:9).
This authority and power upholds all things (Heb 1:3) and it is the glue
that maintains universal order (Col. 1:17). There is no angel, principality,
or power that does not hold its authority but by direct permission and
appointment of God (Col. 1:16-21, John. 1:3).
Biblical Universalism causes adjustments in one’s “Christian” thought. It
makes God bigger and truly Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent. It
causes re-evaluation of many religious traditions such as “once saved
always saved”, “the rapture”, hell, and other accepted dogma. It causes
one not to make excuses about evil and events in the world “to take the
heat off” of God. It lets God be God in all of His glorious attributes.
"We are unable to fully walk in the finished work of Christ
because we keep trying to finish HIS work".
"The reason I do not believe in Eternal Torment is because I know God".
A believer in Biblical Universalism is one who believes that God is big
enough, loving enough, powerful enough, wise enough, and resourceful
enough to ultimately be sovereign enough to rule over all His creation not
just a part of it.
A Bible-centered Universalist believes that Jesus Christ is Who He said
He is . . . the Savior of the world. He is not the potential Savior of some
men but He did in fact accomplish His purpose. He believes that the
same "all" who were dead in Adam would be made alive in Christ (1 Cor.
15:22) and the same "all" that were subject to unbelief would receive
God's mercy (Rom. 11:32). He tends to accept that all the families of the
earth would be blessed (Gen. 18:18); that even Sodom would be
restored to her former estate (Ezek. 16:55); that all will turn to the Lord
(Ps. 22:25-29); that Jesus will fill all things (Eph. 4:10); that of Him, and
to Him and through Him are all things (Rom. 11:36); that Jesus through
His Love on the cross will ultimately draw (drag in the Greek) all mankind
unto Himself (John 12:32); and that when God's plan is perfectly carried
out, He will completely be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28)! A Biblical Universalist
knows that all will be saved because of Jesus Christ's work on the Cross
and God’s full Redemption and not any other way.
Which of these statements can you accept as truth?
1. God’s redemptive love extends to all men equally in the sense
that He sincerely wills or desires the redemption of each and
every man.
2. No man can thwart God’s redemptive love or resist forever,
therefore, God will triumph in the end and successfully
accomplish the redemption of all of those whose redemption he
sincerely wills and desires.
3. Some men will never be redeemed but will instead be separated
from God forever.
So which is it—number 1 or 2? Should we limit the scope of God’s love,
as the Augustinians do? Or should we insist that God’s will suffers an
ultimate defeat, as the Armenians do? If neither of these options seem
acceptable; then the one left is the belief that God loves all equally and
that His will cannot be thwarted forever which is Universalism.
Universalism
Universal Reconciliation (the Gospel of Inclusion, Absolute
Reconciliation, and Biblical Universal Salvation) maintains that Christ's
death accomplished its purpose of reconciling all mankind to God. As a
result, whatever separation now exists between man and the benefits of
God's grace is subjective in nature; it is illusionary, existing only in man's
unregenerate mind, his unenlightened or uniformed way of thinking. The
message (Good News or Gospel) people need to hear, is not that they
simply have an opportunity for Salvation, but that they, through Christ, in
fact, have already been redeemed, reconciled, and saved; and that this
information, (Good News) frees them to enjoy the blessings that are
already theirs in Him. Most Christians believe in the atonement but do not
realize that "atonement" is simply another word or expression for
"reconciliation." The terms are basically identical in both Hebrew and
Greek. Reconciliation is not something which is to be—it is an
accomplished fact, a present reality! It was accomplished by Jesus as
His commitment to His Father God, for which He was duly awarded.
(Philippians 2:5-11)
Most people who accept Universal Salvation understand the following
statement. “My desire is to know God totally rather than selectively. I'm
even willing to suspend what I think I already know about God, in order to
know Him in a way I have never imagined”. When The Universal
Reconciliation of All is studied and accepted as Biblical truth you will
inevitably suffer isolation from traditional religious members. A crisis in
truth is a crisis in trust. Our role is to create environments that are
conducive to the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts, heads, and hurts of
people. This will promote the heart of Universal Reconciliation.
What has Faith got to do with it?
This is the fear of most traditional religionists. Our faith is removed from
the equation. We must ask ourselves, does believing make a person
born again or does being born again make you a believer? Does the
Gospel make a person righteous or does it simply reveal a condition
already accomplished by the blood of Jesus Christ? I am not challenging
redemption, I am challenging what act or fact produces the other. Paul, in
Romans 3:3 asks another question regarding the role of faith in the
salvation and identification process. He asks, "What if some did not have
faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness, (trustworthiness or
creditableness)?
Paul answers in the 4th verse, "Not at all! Let God be true and every man
a liar." His point is that God's faithfulness to Himself, His Word and His
ultimate Will regarding the redemption of the human race, is not affected
by man's faith or lack of it. That is a tough pill for tradition to swallow.
The Level of Authority the Father has given Jesus
Matthew 28:18 says that the Father gave Jesus “All Authority” and this
authority includes “in” heaven and “on” earth. Throughout Scripture the
level of that authority is demonstrated, for example, He has the power
“on earth” to forgive sins (Mk 2:10); He has the authority to make man
God’s sons (John 1:12); and finally, He has control over His own life and
death (John 10:18). It is evidenced that this “All Authority” is “all”
encompassing and “all” possible authority.
John 17:2-3 says that Father God has given Him authority over “all flesh”
and that He (Jesus) is going to give ‘eternal life’ to as many as have
been given Him. Verse 3 defines the ‘eternal life’ as knowing the Father
and the Son. Incidentally, the phrase ‘eternal life’ is translated “Life of the
Ages” (WEY), “Life age-abiding” (ROTH), and “Life age-during” (YLT).
What has the Father given into the hands of Jesus? According to John 3:
35, all things have been given into His hands (Mt. 11:27, John 6:37).
This “authority over all flesh” that is given to Jesus is restated in the
Scriptures saying that God is the Father or God of all spirits (Jer. 32:27,
Job 12:10, Num. 16:22, Ecc. 12:7, Heb. 12:9).
This authority and power upholds all things (Heb 1:3) and it is the glue
that maintains universal order (Col. 1:17). There is no angel, principality,
or power that does not hold its authority but by direct permission and
appointment of God (Col. 1:16-21, John. 1:3).
Biblical Universalism causes adjustments in one’s “Christian” thought. It
makes God bigger and truly Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent. It
causes re-evaluation of many religious traditions such as “once saved
always saved”, “the rapture”, hell, and other accepted dogma. It causes
one not to make excuses about evil and events in the world “to take the
heat off” of God. It lets God be God in all of His glorious attributes.
| A DIVINE INTENTION The Gospel Without Limits By Michael Clegg INTRODUCTION |
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