UNIVERSAL SALVATION (WILL EVERYONE BE SAVED?)

                                                            SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

UNIVERSAL SALVATION (WILL EVERYONE BE SAVED?)

(1 Tim 4:10) … we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

So…are you ready for the loaded question?  Will everyone be saved?  Or will only those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior have salvation?  

Here’s what Universalists believe:  Since no human being is totally bad, no human will perish eternally. It is God’s plan to take what is good in each individual and multiply it, and replace the bad within us with an infusion of God’s divine goodness, until only the good remains.  Supporting scriptures they use are:  Mat. 19:28, John 12:32, Acts 3:21, Rom. 5:18, 1 Cor. 15:22, 28, Col. 1:20, 1 Tim. 2:4-6.  They go on to say:  Souls that leave this life on earth without experiencing salvation will have other opportunities for conversion, learning and growth after death (1 Pet. 3:18-20, 4:6). No one will ever run out of chances to return home to their Creator. Even the most evil beings who have ever lived can still be saved — and will be, in the fullness of time (Phil. 2:10). 

That all sounds nice doesn’t it?  Like that Hallmark movie where all problems are solved and everything ends on a good note.  It’s the feel good theology.  I heard it one time in the catacombs under the city of Rome.  A woman from the Catholic church gave the most “inspiring” message that God loves all and all will be saved.  On the way out one woman was dabbing her eyes saying it was the most wonderful thing she had ever heard.  I left with fumes coming out my ears.  I pulled my family aside and told them why I was so upset.   

The Bible says all men are born sinners and deserving of the condemnation of eternal punishment.  (John 3:18) “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.  If a person dies without Christ’s atonement for their sins they will be lost for all of eternity.  (Heb 9:27) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.  But the good news is that Jesus took the wrath of God on the cross for mankind opening the door of salvation to all: (Rom 5:9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  Now all a person has to do is personally repent and turn to Christ for salvation:  (Acts 3:19) Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

So we may say that Jesus is the Savior of all people potentially.  But each individual must receive forgiveness and trust in the atoning work of Christ on their behalf.  If man could be saved on his own they why the necessity of Christ’s death?  (Gal 2:21) I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.

Louie