Universalism: Assessing the Faulty Premises

VERLE STREIFLING, PhD | Minister, Author, And Missionary

Universalism first appeared in Christianity in the late second century with Clement of Alexandria, whose student, Origen, (185–250 ad) systematically developed it. But it was condemned as heresy in church councils from 394 AD to the 5th Lateran Council of 649. In the Reformation some Anabaptist sects revived this and it was again condemned as heresy by the Lutheran and Reformed confessions.

Since 1750 it has gained an ever-expanding foothold, especially since the rise of neo-evangelicalism in the 1960s, which has promoted the neo-liberal theology of Karl Barth in evangelical colleges and seminaries. They call this new liberal theology “evangelical,” while rejecting the teachings that evangelicals have historically held.

Benjamin Warfield exposed the errors of Universalism in his day, as in his Plan of Salvation. Today, God is raising others to carry the torch, as evangelical writers and a growing number of web sites deal with its heretical views. Many will not consider Universalist teaching, rejecting it outright. Yet it does make a number of points that tend to sound logical or even biblical. This scriptural appearance has helped to give it its impetus as well as its appeal to our emotions. The idea that a good God of Love could never punish evil forever, but has indeed saved everyone, is quite pleasing. It feels good. Some even extend this to include the devil and his angels.

Many will not consider Universalist teaching, rejecting it outright. Yet it does make a number of points that tend to sound logical or even biblical.

But the gospel, is the Gospel, because Christ was God in the flesh, Who bore the wrath and punishment for sin that was ours, so that when we believe in Him and receive Him as our Savior, we may have the eternal life that is His. John 3:16, 36; Rev. 6:16, 17; Rev. 16, etc., tell us that God is not only a God of Love, but also a God of wrath and judgment and justice.

To evade the essential necessity of God’s judgment of the wicked, Universalism urges man’s innate goodness and the possibility of salvation, even in hell. Surely the idea of man’s supposed innate goodness fell with the World Trade towers on 9-11, even for many who disregard scripture. But Romans 1 to 4 proves man’s depravity conclusively. Ch. 3:10–18 says “there is none righteous—no not one” and “all have sinned”(3:23), and Isaiah said all our righteousness is as filthy rags (64:6). The truth is that the closer we get to God, the more “undone” we see ourselves, and the more thankful we are for His marvelous “grace that is greater than all our sins!”

God made man originally a free moral agent, but man fell into sin and became it’s slave (Jn. 8:34; Rom. 6:17; 8:7). Nothing could rescue him from this state but a new birth (Jn. 3:3, 5). Being overcome by sin in his natural state, one’s rebirth could not be of his own will, the will of the flesh. All men being in the same state, neither could anyone’s rebirth be effected by others, by the will of man. No, the rebirth could only be of God (Jn. 1:13). So then, it does not depend on the man who wills, or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy (Rom. 9:16). God, in sovereign grace, intervenes and causes one to be born again (1 Cor. 1:30; 1 Pet. 1:3), granting him faith (Jn. 6:29; Acts 13:48; Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8) and repentance (Acts 11:18). This in no way violates the will of man, but changes it. Indeed it sets him free to chose God (Jn. 8:32; Rom. 6:17–18; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:1).

That all this is done in this life, not hereafter, is assuredly affirmed by scripture. There is no chance for salvation in hell. This was underlined by Christ in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The Bible stresses that today is the day of Salvation (2 Cor. 6:1–2; Heb. 3:14–4:10. And, Heb. 9:27 says it’s appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgment. Those in Christ, like Paul, may confidently expect to be with the Lord immediately upon death (2 Cor. 5:1–10; Phil. 1:21–23). Those who do not believe in Christ, those not born again, Paul says are without hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thes. 4: 13; 2 Thes. 1:5–10).

Word and nature

In discussing punishment, Universalists contend that the Hebrew olam, and the Greek aion, and aionios, do not mean eternity, or endless. Yet these same words are used to describe the life we receive when believing in Christ as eternal, everlasting! And in Revelation, “into the ages of the ages,” the expression that describes the eternal punishment of the wicked, is the very same expression used to speak of the eternality of God, and of the joys of the redeemed with Him.

Universalists have two conflicting assumptions: 1. that all men are now saved; and 2. that God’s grace will result in the ultimate salvation of all men. The second requires that the first is untrue. Revelation 19 & 20 show there will be many who will follow the beast, the false prophet, and the devil into eternal damnation where “the smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever.”

Sometimes they will point to selectively cited proof texts that use the words “all” or “the world.” Their catch phrase is “Christ died for all (2 Cor. 5:14–15), so all are saved.” The Bible also speaks of Jesus dying for the sins of the whole world, as in 1 Jn. 2:2, where Christ is said to be, “the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” From this they argue that all who ever live at any time will thus be saved.

The words of such verses, however, need to be defined in their own context, and the whole text is not governed by the use of the one word in the text. Rather, the opposite: the context governs the use of the individual word.

For example, the same author, John, writes: “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness,” (1 Jn. 5:19). Universalists dare not apply to the word world in this verse the same meaning they insist upon for ch. 2, v. 2. In that case, all believers would have to be included in the whole world, which lies in wickedness. This would result in the universal destruction of all, instead of the universal salvation of all. Fortunately, the truth in this case is that, as often in the Bible, the world is the antonym of the children of God (the church), who alone are the heirs of salvation.

Consider again 2 Cor. 5:14–15 and 1 Jn. 2:2. Paul, in using the word all, is not contemplating every person to ever live. This is obvious because in v. 17 he says, “Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature…” His therefore refers back to what he has been saying in previous verses, and his if clearly indicates that while some are in Christ, others may not be. For his part, John is addressing the infinite sufficiency of Christ’s atonement; it could cover every person, and certainly will include and cover some persons, not from the Jews only, but from every kindred, tongue and people on the earth, the whole world.

Nothing in any of this warrants denying the Scriptural requisite of repentance from sin, and receiving Jesus in faith. As Peter stated at Pentecost, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you, and your descendants, and all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38–39). John stressed, “As many as received Him, to them he gave the right (Gk., power, authority) to become the children of God…even to as many as call upon His name.” And again, “if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Certainly the eternality of the punishment will be the same as the “eternal life” that the righteous will have when they “…inherit the kingdom prepared for [them] from the foundation of the world”.

Paul said, “You hath He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). Only after we receive Christ and are thus born again, do we pass “out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Son of His Love” (Col. 1:13). To those not born again, Christ will say in Judgment, “Depart from me you cursed, into everlasting hellfire prepared for the devil and his angels…” (Matt. 25:41). Here these will go into “everlasting punishment: but the righteous into eternal life” (v. 46). Certainly the eternality of the punishment will be the same as the “eternal life” that the righteous will have when they “…inherit the kingdom prepared for [them] from the foundation of the world” (v. 34).

As we noted above, there are numerous web sites dealing with Universalism today, exposing in detail the faulty premises and doctrines which it teaches. Of course there are also some promoting it. There are also good evangelical books dealing with these issues, such as John Ankerberg’s Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions, (Harvest House pub.), or Death and the Afterlife, by Dr. Robert Morey, (Bethany House pub.). The inquirer has not far to go, before he realizes the very foundation of Universalism’s false theories is embedded in redefinition of the words of Scripture and selective citing, of the Scripture as well as of the attributes of God’s character, or all of these fallacies and more.

Ultimately Unitarian Universalism leads to using one’s reason and emotionalism as being more authoritative as a rule of faith and practice than the Word of God itself. Indeed, it ends in one having a low view of the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Scriptures, which leads to an equally low view of Jesus Christ Himself. In these areas especially, universalism holds to a ground that is diametrically opposed to evangelicalism, even while it seeks to appear evangelical.

No wonder we are exhorted to “contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the saints,” (Jude 3) and Peter warned there would arise those who would even deny the Lord who bought them (2 Pet. 2:1). We must be ready to give every man an answer for the hope that lies within us! †

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Verle Streifling was raised in a devout Adventist family and graduated from Adventist schools. At age 26 he was born again, and intensive Bible study and the Holy Spirit led him out of Adventism and into Evangelical Christianity. In 1984 he was ordained for ministry, and by 1990 he earned his Ph.D. Over the past 25 years he has written numerous tracts and articles, a number of booklets and manuscripts, and his Bible Answers for Sabbath Questions is now being edited for publication. He and his wife plan to retire into full-time ministry in the Philippines next year. [2002]