Universalism

That is an off the wall view of sheol trying to be connected with heaven in the NT.

 

Why is your question no. 2 and 3 the same?

I am NOT a universalist nor defending them (!!)but have had discussions with some Christian universalists.

Some take that passage in 2 Peter 3 about Christ speaking to "those in prison" (that passage has at least 4 interpretations) and say that those who reject Christ on earth will get another chance after death.

They also refer to passages like God wanting all men to be saved and every knee bowing and use those as a basis for what they believe.

You may dismiss them easily here, but just get into a discussion with one of them who's smart and it is not easy as you think. I've been there.

I know the site of one:
www.tentmaker.org

There are quite a few Christian universalists out there.

 

Here is another comprehensive website on Christian universalism:
www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/univart.html

I think that it is interesting that the widely read Bible commentator, William Barclay, was a Christian Universalist:
www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/barclay1.html

 

How Universalists get saved:


Romans 10:9 (KJV1611 edition):
That if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus,
and shalt beleeue in thine heart, that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saued.

This doesn't day anything about everybody getting
saved.

My dictionary says:

Universalism - 3. (cap) the doctrine
that enphasizes the universal fatherhood of God
and the final salvation of all men

The universalist's (ill)logic:
Jesus died so ALL WILL BE SAVED -- no so
some will be saved. So all will be saved.
It is God's desire for ALL TO BE SAVED -- God
is powerful and gets what God wants -- so all
will be saved.

Personally, i'm going for the sure thing:
I first confessed Jesus as my Lord in 1952
while believing that God had raised Him from
the dead. So back then Jesus became my Savior
as well as my Lord. I don't bet my eternal soul
on Universalist (ill)logic: 'maybe
everybody will be saved anyway'.

But, a persons is not LOST because they believe
in Universalism; a person is lost because
they have not called Jesus 'Lord' while believing
that God raised Him from the dead.

 

There is an element within the Primitive Baptists which is universalist:

They are called "no-hellers". This really is a misnomer which they don't like because they do believe in hell just that it's not an eternal state.

Dorgan, Howard. In the Hands of a Happy god : the "No-Hellers" of Central Appalachia . Knoxville , TN.: University of Tennessee Press, 1997. ASU APP COLL STACKS BX6383 .D67 1997

HankD

 

Universalism is, as many another cultic belief is, based upon Scripture-twisting, or ripping certain verses outta context. Their big argument is that the Greek "aionios aionios" does NOT mean "forever and ever". Why don't those people actually ASK A GREEK what it means?

It's a feel-good, "What-Me Worry?" false doctrine that has arisen in almost every Christian denom. the devil is sneaky and smart. The Universalists have no org nor separate churches. Shoot, they don't even have too many standard beliefs except that eventually ALL will be saved-even Satan-& that there's no eternal hell.

They quote the passage from the KJV saying death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire while ignoring the verses saying ALL WHO DIE IN SIN will also be cast there FOREVER.

Yes, the devil LOVES it when he can get people to believe they can do as they jolly well please without a thought of God, and still be saved.

WE have the advantage of the "armor of God" to protect us from such heresy, but those who haven't read their Bibles thoroughly time and again are vulnerable. The lost WANT to enter such a cult because they're seeking justification for their actions. They WANT to have the itch in their ears scratched. Never mind the "scratcher" is a DRAGON'S CLAW.

We should ALL beware of any new doctrine based upon a few verses of Scripture...they come up every day. The best "armor" against these doctrines is PRAYER AND BIBLE STUDY, with a firm faith in JESUS as Lord & Savior. Jesus is MUCH MORE THAN ABLE to repel the devil and show us the TRUTH about the cults the devil is constantly inventing.

 

How could one be a universalist and be obedient and evangelize? I have met many Calvinists who live exactly the same way as universalists. Neither do evangelism. They see no need. I personally believe it a theological excuse to avoid evangelism which they are uncomfortable with. They develop a personal theology to excuse themselves from their personal responsibility. That is what happens when a person is deceived.