Thoughts on
Forgiveness & Christian Universalism
- By
Rev. Rebecca
This document is as written by
Rev. Rebecca. I do not agree with all but do of most of what is
said...Webmaster, Elvis Stone. (If you are not a believer - you
must be - to be saved - click
HERE). Faith is what saves but the
position of believer lets us activate our God given Faith in order to be saved.
Universalism is the belief that all beings will eventually be "saved" and none
will suffer eternal punishment.
This
essay makes a case for Universalism from a Theistic and Biblical perspective.
I am
a Universalist, but I do believe in hell. I merely believe that hell is a
temporary state and not eternal. There are many good reasons to believe in some
form of "spiritual imprisonment" for those who, upon death, have thus far chosen
separation and rebellion from God, love, and truth. The doors are always open in
this realm and I believe God continues to seek and persuade people, through
persistent love, to accept God's love, truth, and goodness. There are likely
trials and suffering (like earth but of a different type, ie of the soul, not
physical) here as people "sort out" their destinies. Also, this temporary
holding place, much like purgatory, likely functions as a context for divine (or
what many would term “karmic”) retribution to right the injustices committed in
one's lifetime.
I
believe that eventually all beings are wooed by God's intense and persistent
love for them however. Everyone is reunited to the Source of their Being. God
doesn't give up until all are convinced. And since we have an eternity, there
are no "time limits."
Why?
1.)
Belief in Universalism for Scriptural reasons:
I
believe this form of Universalism receives stronger scriptural support in the
Scriptures than the doctrine of "eternal punishment." The evidence is weighed in
favor of Universalism as the position of Scripture.
Biblical texts which teach Universalism:
Romans 5:18 "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation
for all people, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification
that brings life for all. For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the
many will be made righteous."
Romans 11:32: For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be
merciful to all.
1
Corinthians 15:22 "As in Adam all die, in Christ ALL will be made alive."
Colossians 1:20. "For in him [Christ] all the fullness of God was pleased to
dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself ALL things, whether on earth or
in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."
and
then, using these verses in conjunction with one another:
Romans 10:9. If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. With
Philippians 2:11 every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I don't
understand how people can re-arrange such texts and re-insert the word "some" in
place of "all" or "every." These texts are exceedingly clear and entirely
straightforward....even in their contexts they are persuasive theological
culminations of the argument being presented. These are not 'side comments’ of
the authors.
There are also verses that imply that there are "chances for choice after death"
including:
1
Peter 4:6: "For this reason the Gospel was preached even to those who are dead."
1
Peter 3:19-20: "It was in the spirit also that he (Jesus) when to preach to the
spirits in prison."
There's some kind of temporal locale for spirits/souls after death where God
continues to interact and show love according to the Bible. This gives us hope
and bolsters the Universalist position...we have much Scriptural evidence for
our position. I find it much more difficult to argue from the "eternal
punishment" angle.
Next, let's deal with the "Anti-Universalist" texts.
One
main place people point to is the book of Revelation for anti-Universalist
texts. However, I am very wary of reading this highly symbolic, metaphorical,
and downright cryptic text literally. I think Revelation teaches that ultimately
evil and sin will be done away with, but I do not see it reporting everything
that will "literally happen." Additionally, it is clear that this text was
written and points to many current cultural concerns of the time. A discussion
on the "problems" with interpreting Revelation could fill entire books...and do.
Suffice to say, Revelation is not a literal teaching of what will happen in
eternity.
There are other New Testament texts which people traditionally refer to and say
these demonstrate "eternal punishment." A primary example is II Thessalonians
1:9. However, our English Bibles translate the Greek word "aion" or "aionios" as
"eternal" or "everlasting" punishment in this text, but this Greek adjective
also means: "age-enduring" or "pertaining to an age" or "long ages" and does not
necessarily imply "endlessness" in all cases. (For an example of where this word
is not translated as "eternal," see Romans 16:25 where it is usually translated
as "long ages.") It seems in this case our presuppositions have driven our
translations. Additionally, there are other, arguably better Greek words which
imply "of endless duration" which are not being used here.
I
will say again that Scripture does support the existence of hell and/or
punishment after death, but it is certainly not clear that it supports an
eternal hell.
2.)
Belief in Universalism for philosophical reasons:
Universalism seems most consistent with a God of love, of mercy, and of grace.
The notion of permanent condemnation is simply inconsistent with the reality of
God's infinite Love.
Here
is where I become a Determinist. I believe we have free will to an extent....but
I believe we were created to be with God forever. Eventually everyone "chooses"
God. It may take a long time, but it is predestined. I believe this is a
paradox.
Theologian Paul Tillich brings up another philosophical point regarding eternal
or everlasting punishment:
It is necessary, however, to distinguish between eternal and everlasting.
Eternity as a quality of divine life cannot be attributed to a being which is
condemned and separated from divine life. Where the divine love ends, being
ends; condemnation can only meant that the creature is left to the nonbeing it
has chosen....If, however, one speaks of everlasting or endless condemnation,
one affirms a temporal duration which is not temporal. Such a concept is
contradictory by nature.
I
think the quote speaks for itself. We cannot apply "eternity" to a state of
being outside of God's presence and "everlasting" is contradictory because it
can only be "temporal."
3.)
Belief in Universalism for experiential reasons:
This, plainly put, is that my experience of God is most consistent with
Universalism. I experience God as one who is persistent, does not give up, and
will do anything (including the Incarnation, death, and resurrection) to save
people. My experience of God is powerful.... able to soften even the hardest of
hearts. My experience of God is one of limitless love who would not create
creatures only to see them later suffer forever or be annihilated. I believe God
will win the total victory, not a partial victory in which only "some" are
reconciled to God...that is the God of my experience.
4.)
Living Without Fear
Something that seems to underlie Christian concepts of salvation is fear. There
is always the fear that they or someone they care about will be "lost forever."
But perfect love casts out fear. Believing in God then becomes an insurance
policy against condemnation. And I don't believe God "sells" insurance policies.
Additionally, I see the teaching of eternal condemnation to be one of the things
people find repugnant or terrifying and the teaching itself prevents them from
feeling they can accept such a God. To "re-explain" or 'soften' what we mean by
"eternal punishment" doesn't really help either. This teaching is an obstacle to
God for many who cannot reconcile a loving God with eternal punishment.
I
also find that holding to Universalism has been beneficial in my own conception
of God. It causes me to marvel at God's power and love, not God's 'limitedness
to save' or wrath. I feel even more gratitude, trust, and wonder of God! How
marvelous are God's works!
-------------------------------------
These are some miscellaneous ramblings about problems I see constantly occurring
in the Church (and all religions that hold such beliefs) arising out of the
concept that we are "redeemed and headed for eternal bliss" whilst others are
"lost and headed for eternal punishment." (I see the remedy as Universalism.)
Problems that arise from
anti-Universalist ideology:
1.
It creates an "us" and "them" mentality, an "insider" vs. "outsider" mentality.
We find ourselves always dividing ourselves from those who are inside and
outside the "walls"....we see ourselves in competition, and this competition, if
Revelation is at all accurate, is very "real" and will culminate in a huge war.
It is divisive to the most ultimate extreme.
In
Gnosticism the "insiders" and "outsiders" were determined by who had particular
"knowledge." In modern day Christianity it is determined by those who "accept"
our beliefs and those who don't. Even if we don't know who ultimately will or
won't accept, people are not "on our side" until they do.
2.
It creates a sense of pride and elitism. The "redeemed" are in a special
category...they alone are "saved." And unfortunately, some kind of judgment and
decision must be made to explain why they are saved and others aren't.
We
are either: On our way to a blissful heaven and reunion with God, or on our way
to eternal punishment and separation from God. This is a huge difference in
destination without any middle ground. This makes no sense. How do we explain
this?
Why
are we saved and other's lost? What is your answer?
Is
it because:
1.
God chose us and not them?
2.
We are more "moral" or "good'?
3.
We are more obedient or submissive?
4.
God loves us more and tried harder with us?
5.
Our 'free wills' are somehow more "pure," malleable, or aligned with God's?
6.
We're more receptive to grace, love, etc.?
And
notice that no matter how we answer...we are somehow, in some way, superior,
better, etc., even if we say it's a "mystery." Even if we try consciously to
resist such an idea, subconsciously this concept creeps in. How can it not.?
This is ego-feeding and leads to pride.
3.
It leads to de-humanization. In the book of Revelation Christians are competing
on the side of "righteousness" and others on the side of "evil." Christians see
themselves on the "winning and good team" over and against others. But how do we
deal with the fact that millions of people are going to be killed and "burn
forever"? If we take each life seriously and see it as precious and sacred, it
is overwhelming! As a solution to deal with such concepts, we de-humanize people
in this life time.
This
is what occurs historically with members of the first world looking at members
of the third world. People cannot effectively endure and accept the travesties,
devastation of famine, and natural disasters that occur in the third
world...they find it too overwhelming. Historically the remedy is that we
de-humanize them...it is a subconscious reaction. This helps us "cope" but in
the end, everyone loses because once people are de-humanized, they are
exploited. The same thing happens with those of other races in racism and it
occurs in sexism, etc. The ultimate example of de-humanization is the holocaust.
But how can we avoid de-humanizing the "lost" when in the end, we see the "lost"
ultimately as "fodder for the eternal fire"? I assert that anti-Universalist
ideas encourage de-humanization to radical degrees.
4.
The idea of being "eternally damned" or "lost" causes Christians to be totally
pre-occupied with fear throughout their lives and to keep major distance in
their relationships with unbelievers. What happens in religious families when a
child rejects their parent's faith? The parents either spend their lives trying
to convince the child to convert and live in fear, or they have to emotionally
distance themselves from their child to help "ease" their pain. I see many
Christian parents "disown" their children after a certain point out of
desperation.
The
same thing happens in friendships. One of the main reasons Christians stay
inside their Christian ghettos is because they don't want to get too close to
someone who will only end up "dead" or "lost" for eternity. Why risk deep love
with the unsaved? What if all of your efforts to convert them are not fruitful?
Can you really keep loving them? It's very painful, that's why most Christians
won't do it. Just as people naturally avoid getting involved intimately with the
terminally ill, Christians don't get too 'close' to the 'lost.' You want proof?
Just look at your churches. Talk to the majority of Christians...who are they
are close to? Christians surround and insulate themselves with fellow
Christians, rarely going outside those walls except to "evangelize."
How
many Christians have had friends who were "unsaved" and felt tortured and
continually fearful over their eternal destination? I recall crying every night
for weeks for some of my friends as a child. What is the solution? I've seen it
occur hundreds of times. Initially the Christian tries their darndest to convert
their "lost" friend. When attempts fail, they eventually "give up" and distance
themselves...either that or the friend leaves first feeling hurt. It's very hard
to be friends with most Christians because there are always strings attached.
Do
you honestly think that an all-good God desires that people live in such fear?
How can we avoid it? Apathy? Emotional distancing? Is that what Jesus calls us
to?
And
this fear carries over into puritanical ideals. If I had a nickel for every time
I've heard, "do not be yoked with unbelievers" or told that I would be somehow
stained or sullied by non-believers, I'd be rich. It's no coincidence that
non-believers have a hard time feeling accepted by most Christians. Many
Christians look at unbelievers as having the potential to "taint" them...like a
disease....maybe even the power to lead them down the path of eternal
destruction. No wonder they keep their distance.
Here's a question for Christians to consider: If you had a longtime friend who
converted to be a conservative Muslim and then wanted you to convert to their
religion because they lived in constant fear that you would go to hell if you
didn't, could you honestly still be their friend? Could you confide in them?
Could you feel safe and trusting and open? What would that do to your
friendship?
What
does this mentality do? And how we can we ever effectively love and minister to
people when we carry all this baggage both consciously and unconsciously??
The
founder of Shin Buddhism, Shinran Shonen gave up his disciplines as a Buddhist
monk to embrace "salvation by faith" in the Amida Buddha. It was said of him:
"He
never consigned anyone to damnation simply because they did not agree with him.
The only person he believed worthy of hell was himself as a passion-ridden
being, totally incapable of the necessary purification for enlightenment."
What
an example to Christians! This is humility. This is dealing with the “log” in
one’s own eye, not the speck in one’s neighbor’s.
If
God exists, I believe Universalism is true. Universalism seems the most true and
ethical form of belief within any spiritual framework.
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