Author Archives: Petros

UNIVERSALISM

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UNIVERSALISM

Some words are lies in themselves. Examples would be the words “universalism” and “universalist” that are package-deal fallacies all by themselves. Anyone who uses these words is lying just by using the words. They probably don’t realize that they are lying, but the words they chose to use are lies in themselves. They probably heard someone else use these words, so they repeat the words without thinking.

The terms “universalist” and “universalism” are examples of package-deal fallacies contained in a single word. “Universalist” means all the following:

  1. A person who claims all ways lead to God, denying that Christ is the only way to the Father as the Bible plainly teaches.
  2. A person who claims hell doesn’t exist and that there is no punishment for sin, denying what the Bible says about hell and the lake of fire.
  3. A person who believes the Bible where it says “as in Adam all die, so, in Christ, shall all be made alive.”
  4. A person who accepts the literal meaning of words in the Bible like “aion,” which literally means “eon.”

A Christian who wants to discredit another Christian who believes “as in Adam all die, so, in Christ, shall all be made alive” will label that Bible-believing Christian as a “universalist.” By doing this, the accusing Christian implies that the Bible-believing Christian doesn’t believe what the Bible says about Christ being the only way to the Father or the existence of hell. In this way, the accusing Christian is making a lying accusation just by using the word “universalist.” The Bible-believing Christian believes Christ is the only way to the Father and also believes hell is real. The Bible-believing Christian just happens to believe one part of the Bible that the accusing Christian doesn’t believe.

I mentioned the word “aion,” which is a Greek word used in the New Testament. Other words that can mean “age” or “eon” are translated as “ever” in the Old Testament. I’ll just use five examples from the New Testament here.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for the eon. (The fact that Jesus Christ is the same for the aion doesn’t negate Him being the same throughout eternity, so there is no excuse for changing the meaning of the words in the Bible to fit a certain theology.)

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have Ionian life. (Eonian life is a certain kind of life. It’s the life of the coming age, so there is no excuse for changing the meaning of the words in the Bible to fit a certain theology.)

Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into eonian punishment, but the righteous into eonian life.” (Eonian life is a certain kind of life. It’s the life of the coming age, so there is no excuse for changing the meaning of the words in the Bible to fit a certain theology.)

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eonian life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Eonian life is a certain kind of life. It’s the life of the coming age, so there is no excuse for changing the meaning of the words in the Bible to fit a certain theology.)

1 Peter 1:23-25 Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains for the aion.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (The fact that the word of the Lord remains for the aion doesn’t negate Him being the same throughout eternity, so there is no excuse for changing the meaning of the words in the Bible to fit a certain theology.)

Psalm 145:13 Your kingdom is an eonian kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] (The eonian kingdom is the kingdom of the coming age, and it also endures throughout all generations, so there is no excuse for changing the meaning of the words in the Bible to fit a certain theology.)

Those are five examples, but you will find the same with all the examples in the Bible. You may be thinking, “What difference does it make?” God’s words always make a difference. God asks us not to add to His words or diminish His words. Let me give you an example of what happens if we change God’s words.

I was talking to a Ph. D. history professor about Christ. He said, “I know God exists. When you look at creation, it could not possibly have created itself. The stories of evolution are ridiculous. However, I don’t believe God could be the God of the Bible for one reason. The Bible says God would have all people to be saved. The Bible also says that God is all powerful and can do all things. The Bible also says God can’t save everyone. A God who has all power and wants all people to be saved is able to save everyone, so the God of the Bible and all that the Bible says about Jesus Christ being the Savior must be false.”

I answered the professor and said, “Your problem is that one of your premises is false. You said that the Bible says God can’t save everyone, but the Bible says that as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive. The Bible talks about hell and the lake of fire that are terrible beyond description and that last for a long, long time, but the idea of hell forever is a bad translation of the Bible. Ever should be translated as eon.”

Changing the words in the Bible does have consequences. It often makes the Bible seem to contradict itself.

Here are some verses from the Bible to take to heart. You should not deny them.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

1 Timothy 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

1 Timothy 2:4 Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Hebrews 9:26 For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

Colossians 1:19-20 For in him 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.

Ephesians 1:9-11 Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Romans 11:32-33 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Romans 5:18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

John 12:31-32 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 6:33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.

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