Will Everyone Be Saved?

Will everyone be saved from the wrath of God and be restored to a right relationship with Him even if they never repent of their sins and come to faith in Christ alone? This is what Christian Universalism, a school of Christian theology focused on the doctrine of universal reconciliation, promotes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_universalism). To be compatible with Christianity, Christian Universalism teaches:

• God is a loving parent to all people.

• Jesus reveals the nature and character of God and is the spiritual leader of humankind.

• Humankind is created with an immortal soul which death does not end – or a mortal soul that shall be resurrected and/or preserved by God – and which God will not wholly destroy.

• Sin has negative consequences for the sinner in this life or the afterlife.

There are several passages in Scripture that make a strong case for Christian Universalism by use of the words all and world. These same passages are also used by those who believe in Unlimited Atonement – Christ atoned for the sins of all people, not just the elect (those who God chose for salvation before the foundation of the world – Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 1:4–5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14).

• John 1:29 – The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

• John 6:51 – “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

• John 12:32 – “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

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

• 2 Corinthians 5:15 – He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

• 1 Timothy 2:5–6 – Christ Jesus… gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

• Titus 2:11 – For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.

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

• 1 John 4:14 – We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

It is easy to pull passages out of context and use them to teach a theology that is not consistent with other verses of scripture which contradict these passages. For example, the following passages are inconsistent with the idea that all human beings will be saved and restored to a right relationship with God:

• “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life… he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides (remains) on him” (John 3:16, 36).

• Those who are “dead in trespasses and sins” are, “by nature, children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:1–3).

• “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:5–6; Colossians 3:6).

• God does not wish (desire) “for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Yet, “the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7-9).

• Those whose names are not recorded in “the book of life” that was written “from the foundation of the world” will spend eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 20:15).

Jesus came to save His people, the lost sheep of the house of Israel, from their sins (Matthew 1:21; 15:24; Acts 5:31). He referred to Himself as the good shepherd who “lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He knows His sheep, and they know Him (John 10:14). They hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27). Jesus said that He has other sheep (Gentiles), not of this fold (Israel), that He will bring in and “become one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:16). He gives eternal life to His sheep, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of His hand. The Father, who has given the sheep to Jesus, “is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28–29).

Did the Father universally give all men to Jesus?

• Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:37–39).

• Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day… no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father” (John 6:44, 65).

The following is clear from Scripture:

• Eternal salvation in Christ is not universal.

• Only those whose names are recorded in the book of life, who He has chosen “from the beginning for salvation” (2 Thessalonians 2:13), will be saved.

• Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–10).

• Whoever believes that Christ came and died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He was raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1–4) will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

• Those who never believe the gospel of Christ will perish (John 3:36) in the lake of fire for all eternity (Revelation 20:11–15).

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations cited in this blog are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.