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The inherent danger in universalism is that it
ignores the need for repentance and salvation. What
it does remove is accountability for sin and the
fear of any judgment. It does not require
repentance. A person who adopts universalism can
easily conclude that he is going to be saved no
matter what he does, then he has no reason to be
concerned about repentance or accepting Jesus as
Lord and Savior? However if universalism is not
true, then they have received a false sense of
security bringing them closer to the danger of
judgment and their worst nightmare coming true.
The
word Hell
The Bible teaches one goes to hell after death
if they have not been cleansed by the sacrifice of
Jesus. This is a direct consequence of the fall and
our sin nature. Instead of hell, some Bibles use
the word sheol. Those looking for the word hell may
not find it--some of the new translations do not
have this word. What matters is what is contained
in the Hebrew and Greek Bible not a modern English
translation. Just because English translations do
not interpret this word the way it is written in
Hebrew or Greek does not change the fact of it
being written in the Hebrew and Greek. How it is
used to describe this place in the texts is what
matters not the word itself.
Sheol is the Old Testament word for Hades;
Gehenna is the New Testament word. It is not just a
New Testament concept. It is used 64 times
throughout the Old Testament. It is used for both
the righteous and unrighteous after they die. Hades
was the Greek term equal to Sheol.
In the Old Testament, both righteous and wicked
when they died descended to sheol. Sheol is the Old
Testament equivalent of hades. Sheol or Hades was
divided into two sections, one for the saved called
Abraham's bosom, and the other for the unsaved
which was a place of torment. These two places were
separated by a great gulf so that one could not
pass from one to the other. The New Testament
confirms the Old Testament teaching as Christ gives
more revelation on this subject. Jesus loved people
enough to tell them the truth. Jesus warned about
hell (fire) more than he spoke on heaven, obviously
he thought it is better to warn of the place ahead
of time preventing anyone from going there. So any
argument is deferred to him.
Hebrews 9:27 states that judgment immediately
follows death. In Luke 12:4-5 Jesus spoke: "And I
say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those
who kill the body, and after that have no more that
they can do." But I will show you whom you should
fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power
to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!"
This is afterwards. There would be nothing to fear
if we don't exist? There would be nothing to fear
if there is no hell but only heaven. Jesus is
making it clear there is something to fear after we
are separated from the body. Mark 9:43-44 explains
this further "If your hand causes you to sin, cut
it off. It is better for you to enter into life
maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to
hell, into the fire that shall never be
quenched--"where 'Their worm does not die, and the
fire is not quenched." THEIR worm not a worm,
whatever this means it's not good.
There are three main different Greek words used
for Hell. The Greek words the Pit, Abyss, and
Tartarus which is found only once in the New
Testament. Tartarus is specifically for fallen
angels. 2 Pet. 2:4 "For if God did not spare the
angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell
(Tartarus) and delivered them into chains of
darkness, to be reserved for judgment" Angels are
spirits who do not die. They have an immaterial
body and so does man after he is separated from
this life by death. Also the same is mentioned in
Jude 6 they are alive somewhere under the
earth.
Hell is an English word to describe these three
places that are part of the punishment for the
unrighteous. While the Scripture does not have the
specific word hell in it the concept of these
places are there. Especially found in the
description of Hinnom, Gehenna, which are the
descriptions Jesus used of fire.
Deut.32:22: "For a fire is kindled by my anger,
and shall burn to the lowest hell; it shall consume
the earth with her increase, and set on fire the
foundations of the mountains." Ps. 9:17 "The wicked
shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that
forget God." Lest we think it is only the grave.
Ps. 55:15 "Let death seize them; let them go down
alive into hell." Jonah was fully conscious as he
prayed to God from sheol (Jonah 2:2), the only way
to get there is to die.
Evangelists have used hell and the fear of
judgment at meetings to shock people and move them
into a right decision, this is justly approved in
the Scripture. Many preachers including Jesus did
as well. Jesus warned "And I say to you, My
friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the
body"…but "Fear Him who, after He has killed,
has power to cast into hell" (Luke 12:4-5).
Noah being told of the destruction preached 120
years "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of
things not yet seen, moved with godly fear,
prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by
which he condemned the world and became heir of the
righteousness which is according to faith. (Heb.
11:7) "Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world
of the ungodly" (2 Pet. 2:5).
Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter the city on
the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said,
"Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be
overthrown!"
Fifteen times in the New Testament, Hell is
described in terms of fire. "Where their worm dieth
not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark
9:44,46,48). Hell is described as "fire" (Mt. 5:22;
18:9), an "everlasting fire" (Mt. 18:8; 25:41),
"fire unquenchable" (Luke 3:17), "this flame" (Lk.
16:24), In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: "And shall
cast them into a FURNACE OF FIRE: there shall be
wailing and gnashing of teeth." In Matthew 25:41,
Jesus says: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into
everlasting FIRE. . ." "eternal fire" (Jude 7), and
"fire and brimstone" (Rev. 14:10; 20:10; 21:8).
Hell is always described in terms of fire and
physical torment. It is just as real as the peace
found in heaven. Six of twelve references to
Gehenna mention fire as one of its characteristics
"fire" Matt 7:19, 13:40, 25:41; "everlasting fire"
Matt. 18:8, 25:41; "furnace of fire" Matt 13:42,
50; the fire that never shall be quenched" Mark
9:43, 45; "the fire is not quenched" Mark 9:44, 46,
48; "hell fire" Matt. 5:22, 18:9, Mark 9:47. His
winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will
thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and
gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up
the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Mt. 3:12).
Revelation 20:15 says, " And whosoever was not
found written in the book of life was cast into the
LAKE OF FIRE." The rich man in Luke 16:23-25 said
it was" torment "place of torment" cried:. . .I am
tormented in this FLAME." Jude writes (1:22-23)
"And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
but others save with fear, pulling them out of the
fire." pulling them out of the fire is a term for a
forceful rescue, because that is where they are
headed. In other words that is where they are
headed unless they repent and make an about face,
trusting in the gospel of God. The Lord Jesus
Christ spoke about Hell as a place of fiery
torment. This is not up for debate, you as a
Christian either hold to the Biblical revelation or
not. You cannot say the Bible does not teach it.
You may hold to this view but don't distort the
Bibles teaching.
Paul using the Old Testament writes of the
sinner "Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known." "There
is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know
that whatever the law says, it says to those who
are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped,
and all the world may become guilty before God."
(Rom. 3:16-19) Why say this if there is no
consequence for not repenting?
We can find the universal view not only on TV
but in books by some popular Christian authors. In
a 1994 biography by Isabel Anders (Standing on High
Places), she writes of Hurnard's shift from sound
biblical doctrine. "The view that she strongly sets
forth is one of universalism, or a belief that all
will be saved in the end. This was an understanding
that caused Hannah to reconsider all of her early
evangelical zeal, as well as look with new eyes at
the meaning of life and death" (pp. 154-155, quote
from PFO article).
Mountains of spices is an allegory about human
weaknesses and strengths comparing the spices in
the song of Solomon to the fruits of the spirit In
it she writes her universal view of Salvation "It
is love; to the Lamb of God who bears the sins of
the world and still, must bear it and suffer, with
sinner's until, every sin-defiled creature turns at
last from their sinning and seeks, his delivering
power"(p.95 Mountains of Spices by H. Hurnard).
Universalism
claim of a God who only loves
Universalists teach that God is so full of love
that He simply cannot send anyone to eternal hell
fire. It is against His infinite love. They want
God to forgive all, even those who openly reject
Him and die cursing God. Even some well recognized
theologians have come to some more open minded
conclusions that the Bible does not hold. Clark
Pinnock has come to the same conclusion of error
that many universalists do. "Surely God judges the
heathen in relation to the light they have, not
according to the light that did not reach them. Of
course God condemns those who really are his
enemies. But his judgment will take into account
what people are conscious of, what they yearn for,
what they have suffered, what they do out of love,
and so forth." We are not accepted by works but by
our personal faith in what Christ did on our
behalf. It's not both, not one way for some and
another way for others.
The problem is this: the Bible teaches we are
all enemies of God and need to be reconciled
through Jesus Christ, there is no other means Rom.
5:8-10 "But God demonstrates His own love toward
us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us. Much more then, having now been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from
wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we
were reconciled to God through the death of His
Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be
saved by His life" Col. 1:21 "And you, who once
were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now He has reconciled." This is not an
automatic process, Paul states over and over it is
by faith in the cross, the Son, his blood shed.
The fact is, Pinnock in His book, A Wideness in
God's Mercy promotes a much more open view of the
lostness of mankind countering the biblical
orthodoxy of past generations. Promoting a wider
hope "We have now refuted the restrictivist view
that says that only those who actually confess
Jesus in this life can be saved. . . . On the
contrary, the Bible teaches that many varieties of
unevangelized persons will attain salvation."
Yet this is the denial of Acts 4:12, "that there
is no other name under heaven, given among men,
whereby we must be saved." The Greek word dei -
"must" in this verse means necessary and binding.
This is the same word "must" Gr. dei found in John
3:7, where Jesus says, "You must dei be born
again." There is not another option accepted by
God. The wider mercy teaching brings a false
comfort, to think of God's love is so wide and vast
that all will be saved; by believing or not
believing. But if the Bible tells us it is not all
encompassing and God is not so lenient then we must
consider that some may not merit his favor, and we
are responsible to tell them. And that changes the
way we live.
Clark Pinnock has come to the wrong conclusion
because he is trying to hold to what evangelicals
believe and find a way to use universalistic
inclusivism at the same time. These are opposite
views.
"...we are asked to believe that God endlessly
tortures sinners by the million, sinners who perish
because the Father has decided not to elect them to
salvation [while they were alive on earth],
though he could have done so, and whose torments
are supposed to gladden the hearts of believers in
heaven. The problems with this doctrine are both
extensive and profound." (Clark H. Pinnock, p 136.
William Crockett, "Four views on Hell," Zondervan,
1992)
I don't know of any Christian who would be glad
of those being tormented, in fact we are told " God
will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there
shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying" in
the future. Pinnock presupposes we will not be
saddened for those who will not share in what could
have been theirs but "gladden the hearts of
believers in heaven." I don't know where he got
this from. But it is not God's choice who is sent
to hell, but theirs. The Gospel is whosoever
will-it is a loving call to all to come, not some.
One must respond to the work of the Holy spirit
convicting them of sin and accept the gospel as
their only way out of being punished and only way
into heaven.
So how can we enjoy eternity without our loved
ones who are suffering? The answer is already there
for us to understand. Are there people suffering
now on earth now, can you live with this. There are
also people right now suffering under the earth
from millennia before. If we are affected to any
degree now, it should motivate us to tell the
gospel, not tell them they are ok. Therefore the
only act of love you or I can do is to warn them so
they will make the choice to go to heaven.
We may not understand the severity of judgment
but there are many things of God we cannot
comprehend. Just because we do not understand
certain statements does not give us the
independence to reject the statements. Hell is a
terrible place and I don't want anyone to go there.
But it does not matter what I think in my opinion,
what matters is what the Bible says. Otherwise you
do not hold it as your final authority. Then you
become the authority and the Bible is not.
The Bible teaches God is love (1 John 4:8), but
God also punishes the sinner, why? Because he hates
all who do iniquity. God cannot be reduced to only
an infinitely loving God and ignore His other
attributes. He is also infinitely just. He must
deal with sin because of His nature of being. He
must punish the sinner for their sinful work, just
as He rewards the saint for their work. God is
called a jealous God and wants our affections, but
it is not forced. The truth of God's word makes it
clear God has provided one way by which we may be
saved. That single way is through Jesus' sacrifice.
For all who trust in Him, salvation will come.
Jesus saves us from the judgment of God upon us due
to us because of our sinfulness. The natural
consequence of being a sinner is judgment. God will
punish the sinner (Hosea 8:13; 9:9) if he does not
repent. The one who rejects Jesus does not have
forgiveness of sins, and has the wrath of God
abiding upon him. What universalists ignore is the
clear statements Jesus made that we are already
condemned. Jesus saves us from God's wrath and
punishment on sin. Jesus will save all those who
receive Him (John 1:12; Rom. 8:1) only then can
they escape the judgment that is to come on
sinners.
After the passage of John 3:16 which
universalists take out of its context, Jesus goes
on John 3:18-21 "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." And this is the
condemnation, that the light has come into the
world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil." For everyone
practicing evil hates the light and does not come
to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that
his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been
done in God." He further states "He who believes in
the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God
abides on him" (John 3:36).
But to those who turn away, Jesus said "He who
believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who
does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the
wrath of God abides on him" Ps. 145:20 "The LORD
preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He
will destroy."
The majority of references to Hades or Gehenna
(15 out of 23) come from the lips of Christ.
(Except for James Jam. 3:6) Jesus was the only one
to use the word Gehenna. Which makes all the more
important in determining its meaning.
Jesus'
warning
Jesus warned us about hell, He did not just
promise heaven to everyone (Matt. 5:22,29-30;
23:33; Mark 9:45; Luke 12:5). In fact, He spoke
more of hell than He did of heaven. He does not
want you to go to that place of torment. That is
why He said, "And if your hand or your foot causes
you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you;
it is better for you to enter life crippled or
lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast
into the eternal fire," (Matt. 18:8). Nowhere is
annihilation an option, the punishment by God will
be in degrees proportionate to the works one has
done and the rejection of revelation given to each
person (Luke 12:47, 48; Rom. 2:5, 6; 2 Cor. 5:10;
11:15; 2 Tim. 4:14; Rev. 2:23; 18:5, 6).
What can the Scriptures about the eternal
punishment of the wicked mean if all are saved?
(Mark 9:41-48 for example.) Why did Jesus speak so
much about hell? (More than all the writers of the
Bible combined.) If universalism is true, then
Jesus' warning is for nothing? If universalism is
true what did Jesus come to save us from? Sin has
punishment. Universalism leads us away from truth
not upholds it. It assures people not to fear the
wrath to come? It removes the fear of God. Jesus
Himself warned people about hell and the Bible
tells us "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom" (Prov. 9:10). In other words have reverence
for what He says enough to believe it and obey
it.
Is
it another gospel?
We need to ask ourselves is the "gospel of
inclusion," (universalism) the gospel of Jesus and
Paul, or is it "another gospel"? Jesus saves us
from the wrath on sinners. Jesus saves all those
who receive Him (John 1:12; Rom. 8:1) so that they
can escape the judgment to come. John began his
ministry "He therefore began saying to the
multitudes who were going out to be baptized by
him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee
from the wrath to come?" (Luke 3:7). A universalist
says what wrath? The Bible does indeed teach that
people will suffer eternal damnation, but it is not
because God did not do something, it is because
they did not. They did not listen to the warning
and take hold of the only place of rescue, Jesus
Christ. It is Satan who wants to see the
destruction of people. Satan wants people to die in
their sins and go to hell. He has utter hatred and
contempt for those whom God loves and he is willing
to deceive them to no end. A universalist who
denies the clear warnings in scripture about hell
and punishment are not doing God's work but are
helping the enemy of God.
Charles Finney wrote "Then the Universalist.
Where is one who can say he has not so much as a
doubt whether there is not a hell, where sinners go
after death into endless torment. He is bound to
stop and inquire, and search the scriptures. It is
not enough for him to say he does not believe in a
hell. It may be there is, and if he rejects it, and
goes on reckless of the truth whether there is or
not, that itself makes him a rebel against God. He
doubts whether there is not a hell which he ought
to avoid, and yet he acts as if he was certain and
had no doubts. He is condemned. (LECTURES TO
PROFESSING CHRISTIANS by Charles G. Finney)
Isaiah the prophet warns of a time coming Isa.
13:11 "I will punish the world for its evil, and
the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the
arrogance of the proud, and will lay low the
haughtiness of the terrible." Isa. 26:21 "For
behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish
the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
the earth will also disclose her blood, and will no
more cover her slain." Jude 1:14-15 "Now Enoch, the
seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also,
saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands
of His saints, "to execute judgment on all, to
convict all who are ungodly among them of all their
ungodly deeds which they have committed in an
ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which
ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." He says
ungodly three times making the point that these are
ones who are in rebellion to God's truth.
In Matthew 13:49 Jesus said, "This is how it
will be at the end of the age. The angels will come
and separate the wicked from the righteous." Again,
two classes are mentioned - unbelievers and
believers spoken of as the wicked and the
righteous, the godly and ungodly.
All
Demons and people will be saved
Some universalists hold the position that
repentance can occur after he has died in a future
state. A few universalists even uphold the position
that Satan and all his demons will be reconciled to
God and not be punished.
The Bible says nothing like this and certainly
states the opposite "but to us they were
ministering the things which now have been reported
to you through those who have preached the gospel
to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven-- things
which angels desire to look into" (1 Pet. 1:12) The
good angels do not understand what salvation is
because they have not experienced it, they can't
understand the change that occurs in a person's
heart. Angels are not part of salvation they were
given the power of choice when they were created.
When Satan fell he took 1/3rd of these creatures by
convincing them to rebel with him. This was a
one-time event that now confirmed them in their
fallen nature forever unable to change back. We
don't read of a constant falling of angels
throughout history, because it happened only one
time. So there are two classes of angels the
obedient who are holy and the disobedient, unclean,
and there is no redemption by Christ for the
disobedient angels only disobedient humans. It is
for this very reason God became a man, to redeem
mankind. "For assuredly He does not give help to
angels, but He gives help to the descendant of
Abraham" (Heb. 2:16). Demons cannot be redeemed.
Jesus is the Redeemer of humanity, not for
demons.
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