For the longest time, my Christian faith has been in the God who loves the world but, as God, has to decide on who gets into heaven and who is damned forever. It just made sense that in a JUST world the good and bad, the faithful and unfaithful end up in different eternal places. For the longest time I was a Calvinist believing that even before creation God had decided who was in and who was out.
But no more. In the last few years I have discovered that God so loves that God wants to restore his whole creation back to himself. It happened this way: first I read passages like Colossians 1:15-20
15 He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV translation)
Notice first of all that Christ holds the creation together and then watch this; through Christ God is reconciling all things, all things to himself, making peace with all creation through the sacrifice of Christ. That’s some powerful everlasting and far reaching love. That’s the relentless love of God, God who will not rest until all his beloved creation is restored.
Then I read in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus tells us to love our enemies and I began to think, ‘why would Jesus tell us to love OUR enemies when God sends HIS enemies to hell?’ It didn’t make sense.
Then I came across 2Corinthians 5:19
19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (NIV)
hrough Christ who fought and forgave sin, God is bringing this whole creation back to himself. Reconciling, loving, and forgiving- just like in the story of the Prodigal Son.
Now I realize that this truth, this idea may make some people uncomfortable because of the way we were brought up. But in these next blog posts I want to share with you why this truth is so freeing, so God honoring, so Christ centered, and so Biblically accurate that it is almost impossible to ignore. And it was the truth of the Christian faith for the first 500 years and now is become once again so prevalent within the Christian community.
I will be suggesting many scriptures to read on this subject that is called Evangelical Universalism or Christian Universalism meaning that Christ is the atonement for our sins, not just we who believe but for the sins of the whole world. There is a need to interpret scripture and read the ones in supposed contradiction to the Universalistic ones. There is also the need to understand just what God’s judgment is all about. We will be surprised by what Jesus says and what Paul, who was a Universalist himself, writes about what God is up to.
I welcome your thoughts on this subject, your opposing viewpoints, your questions and your prayers as we open ourselves to what I perceive as the truest meaning of Grace.
Grace Matters 
I think this concept is very wonderful and Im very shore its a relief for so many wondering about the eternal consequences of the very bad decisions they had made in life and on that note I must say if they do find relief it shows they are seeking the lords grace and mercy in there lives. For the scriptures clearly teach in 2 Timothy 2 : 14 -26 the lord has made some for noble purposes and some for ignoble purposes. Those who are seeking the lord are of a noble race of souls who seek Gods purpose for there lives. But there are still those who are ignoble and as those who are of a mindful noble purpose will realize eventually, that Gods will for there lives will most certainly be pointed in the direction of those who are ignoble so that they may be free from the chains that bind them as Christ ministers to them though you. As you pray for them and reach out to them in the Spirit of Christ. It is my own personal thought that God does not desire any to be lost but to come to Christ and receive salvation, To be losed from the chains that bind them in life what ever that may be. My final thought is on Revelations 20 : 11 – 15 The great white throne judgement where the book of life is opened and those who are not found in the book of life will be taken to an eternal living hell. And it is without a doubt Revelations 20 ; 11- 15 that have turned Godless men into saints of God more then any other scriptures combined.
Without repentance there is no salvation. Adolf Hitler, Stalin, false prophets and many others past and present will
one day stand at the judgement seat of Jesus Christ.
Its how I see it, Read it, and understand it. I kind of wish I could rearrange the words and content of what it says, Evan water it down some so its not so profound. In fact there are over 250 different translations to the Bible now with many of those bibles attempting to do just that so the scriptures will become more palatable . Some I have read take out scriptures that are too profound. Others make light of sin, or reframe the wording of a scripture so people will not be insulted by the directness of whats being said.Many translations are very good and they aspire to a higher English without taking away
what Gods word was meant to say. The one Bible I like the most and for me that has set me on the right track is the King James version of scripture. As well the New king James version. This version of Gods word is over 400 years old and it cuts to the chase. It tells us we are all a bunch of dirty nasty filthy sinners in need of salvation and then tells us the greatest love story ever told. At the end of the story
Jesus steps forward picks up a heavy cross and looks at you directly, in the eyes of your soul and says give me your sin, then those sins are laid on his back making the cross he is carrying heavier and as he gets to his final destination he is laid out by roman solders on that cross and his hands and feet are nailed to it along with my sins. He hangs there a bloody mess blood pouring out from every wound
he received because of the sins of men including my own. His last words , Father forgive them for they know not what they have done. It is finished then he gave up his soul to God.
This same man we must all stand before who is now King. And he will judge the living and the dead.
Sorry George I got carried away with my thoughts.
If there is some insight you have that can basically take away revelations 20 ;11-15 which is only one of many I would like to hear of it. I know there are others who would like to as well. No one likes the idea of a living eternal hell . Or being cast into outer darkness.
Thanks
Guy
And one more quick thought THERE WILL ALWAYS NEED BE REPENTANCE but it’s just possible that it can be postmortem. G
Sent from my iPad
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Yes!! I agree George and plus i personally believe we were created in Christ BEFORE the foundation of the world in the mind/ heart of the father and we will ALL be redeemed in time because Gods will is for ALL to be saved(1 tim 4:10) and he will RESTORE his creation (hence the REVELATION of Jesus Christ ) AMEN?
amen