Universalism - A Dangerous Doctrine

There is no doubt that in our Western culture Universalism is on the rise. Church history shows us this is no knew doctrine, but one that has been around since the early first centuries. In our super sensitive culture the questions of, "How could God allow bad things to happen to good people?" And, "If God is a god of love then why is the world so bad?" Although these questions may trouble me, what troubles me more is the response some Christians provide for such doubt amongst those in the West. Many times Christians will go to far extreme and say, "God has rescued the whole world through Jesus," while quoting John 3:16. They totally eliminate the doctrine of sin the Bible teaches and the wrath of God that punishes sin.

Jesus went to the cross to save people from their sin, but not everyone has or will choose Jesus. Jesus, Himself says this in the gospel of Matthew. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Here is a definition of Christian Universalism provided by Wikipedia

In Christianity, Universalism refers to the belief that all humans can be saved through Jesus Christ and eventually come to harmony in God's kingdom. A related doctrine, apokatastasis, is the belief that all mortal beings will be reconciled to God, including Satan and his fallen angels. Universalism was a fairly commonly held view among theologians in early Christianity: In the first five or six centuries of Christianity there were six known theological schools, of which four (Alexandria, Antioch, Cesarea, and Edessa or Nisibis) were Universalist, one (Ephesus) accepted conditional immortality, and one (Carthage or Rome) taught the endless punishment of the lost. The two major theologians opposing it were Tertullian and Augustine. In later centuries, Universalism has become very much a minority position in the major branches of Christianity, though it has a long history of prominent adherents.

Beware!

See also