What do you think about this doctrine?

Question

http://pantheon.yale.edu/~kd47/univ.htm

The doctrine of universal salvation, the belief that all souls will be redeemed eventually through the love of God. Based on the knowledge that an all-loving God wouldn't let his creations burn in hell for their mistakes and still be all- loving.

Was considered the main doctrine up until the 6th century, when the Catholic Church declared it as a heresy and the corrupted doctrine of limited salvation took its place.

This states that all religions are united under one God, and that all individuals will experience total peace in heaven with Him, regardless of faith (or lack of). Various verses in the Bible can be used to support this. However, seeing as taking the Bible literally has led to such idiot crusades like creation, that doesn't count. I'm just letting you know.

Anyway, tell me what you think of this, and tell me if your God would let his creation burn in the realm of his enemy.

CHRISTIANS ONLY!!! (please?)

ARG! Why do you people keep giving me Bible verses as PROOF? That's like saying "Because I said so!"

For those who disagree because it contradicts the bible, that is kind of ironic since the Bible contradicts itself.

And it was also the original teachings of Christianity before it was outlawed by the Catholic Church.

So explain why you think its impossible.

Okay, for those who say "there are punishments and consequences for our actions", I agree. However, Why eternity? Why not just throw you in the baker(hell) until you're cleansed of your sins, then let you into heaven? Kind of like a sin Bath.

Okay, for those who say "there are punishments and consequences for our actions", I agree. However, Why eternity? Why not just throw you in the baker(hell) until you're cleansed of your sins, then let you into heaven? Kind of like a sin Bath.

For those christians who says Jesus disagrees with me, you wouldn't know because you've never talked to him. And a contraction filled Bible is not exactly the best alternative.

And really, it was the primary doctrine before it was replaced by limited salvation.

And those Bible verses could be taken in another way, don't be so dogmatic.

"God is not only all-loving...He is also all-righteous and just. That is why hell will be filled with people who have rejected Jesus Christ as their savior. "

That's like saying: God is not only all-loving, he also throws people in hell."

Oh, goody. What fun. Contradiction at its finest. I see I'm not getting anywhere with this. I'm starting to feel some sympathy for the atheists here....

Answer 1

I understand your frustration! I went to a 'Christian' school, and found myself slowly slipping away from what I once held dear to me. Through sheer strength of will, at the time, I stayed where I was. I hated it, and still have a biterness toward those who are not tolerant of others. Preaching love thy neighbor and they don't.

The God I love would not send his children - the same children he sent his own son to die for - burn in hell. It does not seem fair that he would give us free will ( I don't personally believe in it, as I believe in predestination but that is a different argument for a different time, and free will suits this better - I have not completely sorted this out in my mind) to choose to love him, or if we don't, we burn in hell. If God created all of us, he did it with love. What parent, who loves their child, would damn them to eternal suffering?

I believe that there is one path that religions follow. Call it whatever you want, but it all leads to the same ending, and the same being. Many people will disagree with me. Crying ' Idolaters, Catholics, ect... will burn in hell' Whatever. I'm probably on their list then.

There is a problem, when the tell you 'the Bible says'... the Bible was translated from Greek, and the words have more than one translation. The texts have been altered by men to suit their own purposes for the time - and people still do it today. The Bible should be regarded with caution, so that it will not be misused.

In conclusion, no, I do not believe that a God of love will send his children to hell. I simply can not believe this, and I have not changed my mind after listening to ignorant crap for six years, and I will not change it in the future. No one deserves the judgement that modern day 'Christians' give other religions. It makes me wonder why they are so afraid, that they have to deem that only a certain select few get through the pearly gates.

Answer 2

The Old and New Testaments version of hell is not the one that is commonly preached today. Hell is hot and a waiting place for Judgment day. There is also reason to believe that Hell has seven regions..., each region ranging from paradise to and morbid excruciating pain. Hell is a holding cell till Judgment Day

We often confuse hell for the lake of fire, which is the destination for all who are judged to go there. Those thrown into the fiery abyss are consumed in the "eternal fire".., not burned eternally. The eternal punishment is a reference to a "finality" - a total and once and for all time destruction.., never to be seen again.., and only God can take the immortal soul to absolute oblivion in such a manner.

So the answer is, no they wont burn in torment forever and forever, but will burn in torment until they are consumed by the lake of fire.., think of it in terms of the surface of the sun.., a vast lake of fire. This is the hell many Christians get crossed up with hades and the lake of fire. Hell is hell (hades) and the Lake of Fire is something else entirely.

God is the Judge of who goes where. To some degree we have a prejudgment to end up in one of these chambers of hell (hades) and then the final judgment which nets the human either eternal bliss or absolute destruction for all time.. as in Poof! Gone! No more!

Answer 3

I will quote the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in John 14:6, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Also, John 3:18 says, "Whoever believes in him [Jesus Christ] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

Based on these two Scriptures alone, I believe that universal salvation is a false doctrine.

God is not only all-loving...He is also all-righteous and just. That is why hell will be filled with people who have rejected Jesus Christ as their savior.

Answer 4

God is willing that none should perish, but He is a just and righteous God. There are punishments and consequences. God also says that whosoever will come, may come. If you trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior and strive to live your life accordingly, you will spend forever with the Lord of all the Earth. I think the belief that all religions are united under one God is a lie from Satan, himself. I'd like to know what verses you say support that if you don't mind. P.s. God created hell for satan and his angels. He doesn't want us to go there, but we have free will...and it's our choice. God bless you, I'll be praying for you.

Answer 5

You can reason anything but if you believe the Bible that originally documents Christianity's rise from Judaism then the answer is no, this is not correct.

The Bible clearly states that not everyone will be saved.

2 Thess. 1:9, RS: “They shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (Italics added.)

Rev. 21:8, RS: “As for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.”

Matt. 7:13, 14, RS: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

And once saved your not always saved.

Jude 5, RS: “I desire to remind you, though you were once for all fully informed, that he who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” (Italics added.)

Matt. 24:13, RS: “He who endures to the end will be saved.” (So a person’s final salvation is not determined at the moment that he begins to put faith in Jesus.)

Phil. 2:12, RS: “As you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (This was addressed to “the saints,” or holy ones, at Philippi, as stated in Philippians 1:1. Paul urged them not to be overly confident but to realize that their final salvation was not yet assured.)

Heb. 10:26, 27, RS: “If we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries.” (Thus the Bible does not go along with the idea that no matter what sins a person may commit after he is “saved” he will not lose his salvation. It encourages faithfulness. See also Hebrews 6:4-6, where it is shown that even a person anointed with holy spirit can lose his hope of salvation.)

Answer 6

Your statement is not correct because Jesus did not believe what you are saying, he said no one comes to the father except by me! He also said that whosoever believes on him shall have eternal life.
In his prayer to his father in John 17:3 Jesus said, and this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Paul, Peter James and John do not agree with you either.
They all preached that salvation only comes to those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Those who heard about Jesus and believed on him, received the holy spirit and were baptized.
The receipt of the holy spirit is the only proof of someones being born again.
Jesus said that you must be born again, you must receive the holy spirit if you desire to go to heaven.

Answer 7

Contradicts the Bible, so I'm out.

Eventually we all will, yes. After Jesus sets up an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem, all will bow and confess He is Lord. SO eventually, ya.

I dont believe things that go against the teachings of the Bible.

I see you say there is verses (perhaps out of context ones) but you havent provided any....so, sorry.

David

Answer 8

Oh, I wish this were true! I'd love that God eventually saves everyone.

However, God gives us free will, and many of us don't want anything to do with God. We may reject God totally, or make up a false version of him.

I believe we need Jesus in order to be saved. I also believe that being saved by Jesus may take some forms that we don't acknowledge. That is, Jesus may be saving people who aren't part of the known Christian faith.

I heard a story about a missionary to told about Jesus to a native woman. The woman replied, "I've always loved him, and now you've told me his name!"

Answer 9

It's my belief that the thought of an eternal damnation in hell is supposed to inspire humans to live through Christ. Knowing that hell is the alternative should be a simple and clear reason to avoid it entirely. Would God let his creations burn in hell? Well, I'm sure it breaks his heart but it is by their choice that they are there.

Answer 10

OOh, unfortunately if you want to call yourself a christian, you cannot pick and choose from the buffet of the holy cannon. You either support your religion in entirity, or you are a heathen, according to good christians. Sounds like you would be better off studying agnostics, whose beliefs are more on par with yours. Agnostics came from the time when the Catholic church started handing down edicts to protect there own interests, like the one you have stated above. The agnostics chose to stick with the original word, and not buy into the money making scam of christianity.