Versus Verses

I came across these verses as a list, believed, some for, some against, the idea of Christian Universalism (the belief that God will draw all to Himself and all to repentance). So of course I had to look them up, and do a rebuttal of the against verses.

For CU - Seem to Support 

Romans 5:18; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Colossians 1:20; Philippians 2:11

Against?:

Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Revelations 14:11; 20:10-15
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FOR:

Romans 5:18 (NIV)
"Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people."

1 Corinthians 15:22 (NKJV)
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."

Colossians 1:20 (NKJV)
"and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."

Philippians 2:11 (NKJV)

"and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

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AGAINST?

Matthew 25:46 (NKJV)
"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." {"everlasting" is the Greek word #166 - aiṓnios (an adjective, derived from 165 /aiṓn  - an age, properly, "age-like"} -- This verse is "the goats and sheep at His return"; The "tares" being "gathered" to Armageddon.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 (NKJV)
"6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." {aiṓnios (destruction/ruin) from aiṓn -- The tares are gathered to Armageddon and the wheat into His barn - at His return.}


Revelation 14:11 (NKJV)
11 "And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Revelation 14:11 (Young's Literal Translation, YLT)

11 and the smoke of their torment doth go up to ages of ages; and they have no rest day and night, who are bowing before the beast and his image, also if any doth receive the mark of his name.

Previous Verse:

Revelation 14:10 (YLT)

10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, that hath been mingled unmixed in the cup of His anger, and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy messengers, and before the Lamb,

This occurs when Jesus returns. It's an earthly event, and actually is the culmination of man's doings, of which "wrath of God" is metaphor. And in the same spirit of symbolism, it's the smoke that rises (forever?) not the torment. As in, the memory of..

Revelation 20:10-15 (YLT)
10 and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night -- to the ages of the ages. {"To the ages, of the ages (to a certain age?); The beast and false prophet are institutions of man 'active' at the time of His return.}

11 And I saw a great white throne, and Him who is sitting upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven did flee away, and place was not found for them; {The second resurrection of all those not (yet) saved, one thousand years after the first resurrection, which was of all believers/followers.}

12 and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and scrolls were opened, and another scroll was opened, which is that of the life, and the dead were judged out of the things written in the scrolls -- according to their works; {They rise "still in their sins" - "But I tell you it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” I.e. Judgment 'Day' lasts longer than a moment or two!}

13 and the sea did give up those dead in it, and death and hades did give up the dead in them, and they were judged, each one according to their works;

14 and death and hades were cast to the lake of the fire -- this [is] the second death; {"The last enemy to be abolished is death." - 1 Corinthians 15:26}

15 and if any one was not found written in the scroll of the life, he was cast to the lake of the fire. {By end of judgment 'Day'? what does it require for one's name to be written in the Book of Life? To believe, and thus repent and be reconciled.}

Todays Christian Universalism Lesson

[Romans 11:7-10]

7 This means that only a chosen few of the people of Israel found what all of them were searching for. And the rest of them were stubborn, 8 just as the Scriptures say, `God gave to them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear,' -- unto this very day, 9 And David says: 'May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. 10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs beneath a burden that will never be lifted.'

Now let's look at verse 10 as it's written in the interlinear Greek to English (links included):

0   4654 [e] 10   skotisthētōsan 10   σκοτισθήτωσαν 10   let be darkened 10   V-AMP-3P

3588 [e] hoi οἱ the Art-NMP

3788 [e] ophthalmoi ὀφθαλμοὶ eyes N-NMP

846 [e] autōn αὐτῶν  , of them PPro-GM3P

3588 [e] tou τοῦ  -  Art-GNS

3361 [e] mē μὴ not Adv

991 [e] blepein βλέπειν  , to see V-PNA

2532 [e] kai καὶ and Conj

3588 [e] ton τὸν the Art-AMS

3577 [e] nōton νῶτον backs N-AMS

846 [e] autōn αὐτῶν  , of them PPro-GM3P

1223 [e] dia διὰ for Prep

3956 [e] pantos παντὸς ever? Adj-GMS

4781 [e] synkampson σύνκαμψον  . bow you downV-AMA-2S

Universalist Judgment Day Not A Cake Walk

It’s not that Christian Universalism believes Judgment ‘Day’ will be a cake walk! If one dies “still in their sins” then they will rise still in their sins - and, infirmities!

Just look at history! It’s a sad, pitiful, horrendous story! An intense day of its review is sure to include some weeping and gnashing of teeth, with plenty of outer darkness to go around.

It’s not like Hitler and Pol Pot, etc. will be welcomed into the bosom of God with open arms! “Our God is a consuming fire”!

But this does not nullify Jesus' words - "If I be lifted up from the Earth I will draw all to Me" -- "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross". [John 12:32; Colossians 1:19-20]

"Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth" -- "..that God may be all in all" -- "According to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will" -- "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose" -- "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise.. not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance." [Ephesians 1:9,10; 1 Corinthians 15:28; Ephesians 1:11; Isaiah 46:10; 2 Peter 3:9]

"Behold, I am the Lord.. is there any thing too hard for me?" - Jeremiah 32:27

The Logos

Studying under the Lord, via the Holy Spirit, is a fascinating, well rounded and fully satisfying thing!

Anybody who studies the Bible knows what an awesome book it is. And what a teacher our Heavenly Father is! The teaching, the Word “Logos” #G3056, “reasoning expressed by words” originates in and from the Father. Like ripples it WILL fill the universe.

“The lion will eat straw like the ox, the bear will graze with the cow.” (Is. 11:7)

He is creating a wonderful thing! “Logic” tells us to yield ourself fully to it.

[Note: the only way to avoid an imperfect world - for a time - would be to never endow self awareness and reasoning?]