By the Numbers

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Will Everyone Eventually Go To Heaven?

                  Will Everyone Eventually Go To Heaven?
 .
#Universalism  #Heaven
.
Can our likes and dislikes, strong feelings and opinions be the basis for a universal truth that everyone will go to Heaven? Some persons can't stand the thought of Hell! They feel God would be the worst terrorist to send anyone to an eternal torture chamber such as a lake of fire. Love always forgives and restores, and God is love. It's only a bad environment that makes people go bad and Heaven is only a good environment. Persons who feel this way are called universalists. Now we ask is universalism based on fact? We answer this issue under three questions.
.
                                          Is Everybody Going to Heaven Realistic?
.
Wouldn't universalism make human beliefs insignificant? Consider the many conflicting human beliefs. Atheists claim there is no God of any kind and no reason to expect life after. death. Pantheist religions say everything is god which is universal energy or spirit that temporarily appears as stars, plants, and animals. Muslims say whoever doesn't believe that Allah's angel Gabriel spoke to Muhammad will go to Hell. Mormons believe people can become gods and have their own planet. Religious persons generally believe that if some kind of good world exists after death that you must live a good life as they define it to go to that world. Christians believe events can be accurately recorded and known and that God created the universe with man in his image for a love-trust relationship with Him.
.
Now if we must have the correct belief to go to Heaven, and many people have conflicting beliefs, then it seems all people can't go to Heaven. Can we even know who is right if fickle feelings or conflicting opinions is all we have to go on? Moreover, if all go to Heaven, do beliefs even matter?
.
Wouldn't universalism make our human behavior insignificant? We can minister to one another as Christians claim we should, or we can murder one another as often occurs. We can selfishly look after our own needs, ignore people, or use and abuse them as being of no great worth. We may even murder people we don't like feeling it's good to get them out of our way and send them to Heaven. Now, if in Heaven we're all rewarded the same, what difference does our present behavior ultimately make? Does our life  now have any purpose? 
.
Wouldn't universalism destroy our dignity? Sin can be fun, appetites hard to control. Some persons frankly call righteousness boring, but evil exciting and fun. They like violence, fighting, warfare, stealing, deceiving. They are good at it and conquering a part of the world gives them power and makes them feel superior. Now, if Heaven is an all good or perfect place, then it seems we imperfect people must be forced to be good, or go to a Heaven we don't like. We have no say about it. What dignity is that? Isn't the loss of freedom even to do evil a loss of dignity? Do heavenly robots have dignity?
 .
Wouldn't universalism destroy our security? If we all go to Heaven, and it doesn't matter what we believe, or how we behave, whoopee! It's an amoral world we can do anything we like. Wouldn't it then become a madhouse of excitement? Perhaps! What if the thrill wears off? Couldn't it more likely become  a world of destruction, warfare, waste and terror? We may decide it's better to die and go to Heaven--it couldn't be worse! If universalism is true, is a personal God even necessary? Could there even be a good and caring God? Does universalism provide us any hope?
.
                        From a Christian Perspective Do Universalist's Arguments
                                            Show Everyone Goes to Heaven?
.
Universalists give theological arguments they claim prove all persons will go to Heaven. They say, God as love doesn't give up and never fails in this world or the next. God having all power cannot be stopped and can do good, even impossible things, so that people will finally accept Him. Having infinite wisdom, God can find the best way to get people to accept Him and go to Heaven. And being just, God must assure that all will be saved and none left out of Heaven. 
.
Biblical Christians reply, we must first understand that God is not composed of parts that can be divided, but is of simple essence so that all His perfections work together in harmony to achieve His purposes. Further, it's wrong to define God's perfections and acts different from what the Bible says. Finally, God created man in his image, immortal, and with the power of free will and moral responsibility. Right and wrong is defined by God's perfect standard and judgment, not man's fickle conflicting limited opinions. Doesn't this make far more sense rather than nonsense of universalism?
.
God is love and cannot force us to believe--He respects our humanity, dignity and rights. God has all power to restrain evil, but patiently allows us time to repent. We may selfishly demand our way and ignore His mercy and love. God as infinite wisdom will use the best means to bring people to accept Him. His supreme expression of love was giving His Son Jesus as sacrifice for our sins on the cross.  Before the cross, the world had no concept of a loving God--many still don't today. God is just in rewarding His faithful servants to the degree of their service--Heaven. And God is just in allowing those who despise good and godly living to have their own kind of place suited to their degree of  sin--Hell. Properly understood Heaven and Hell both show God's love and justice. Rev. 22:11-15. But to see it, we must come to the Bible with an open mind, not with a lot of false assumptions or emotional baggage.
.
Universalists argue the  Bible shows all persons go to Heaven. First, notice the character of these phrases below. (1) Not one of them says everybody goes to Heaven--in fact Heaven is never even mentioned. (2) All these phrases are indefinite and can be taken in more than one way. (3) While these ten uncertain texts are said to teach universalism, a great many more clear passages mentioned below teach people do go to a real conscious eternal Hell. Doesn't good sense tell us to take clear definite statements over uncertain ones? (4) While God desires all to go to Heaven, He gives us the free will to reject His will and many do (Matt.23:37).
.
The context in every case shows universalism is not the true meaning.  (1) Passages that speak of enemies under the Lord's feet are unbelievers forced to bow the knee and confess His authority, not believers serving Him as sons (Psalms 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:24-25; Eph. 1:10; Phil. 2:10-11). (2) Other passages mention the restoration of  all things (Acts 3:21). This probably answers Peters' question in Acts 1:9 of when Jesus would restore the kingdom to Israel. The answer is during the millennium when the apostles would sit on twelve thrones (Acts 3:25; Matt. 19:28). (3) Yet others say Christ's death justified all men (Romans 5:18-19). It gives all men opportunity to be saved but only those who believe will be (Acts 4:12; 16:31). (4) Again, God is reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 11:15). But this is true only if in Christ. (5) Finally, 1 Peter 3:18-20  and 4:6 say  Jesus preached to disobedience spirits of Noah's day.  Universalists claim Jesus preached the gospel to the dead which means they have a second chance. This text says Jesus preached to a limited group of Noah's day the victory of  his resurrection. It doesn't say he preached the gospel. And Hebrews 9:27 says after death our eternal destiny is fixed.  Again, the Bible gives no case for universalism.
.
                                  What Does Biblical Christianity Say About It?
.
The Bible is crystal clear that Hell is as real and eternal as God and Heaven. Jesus said, "these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt.25:46). The Bible gives abundant clear contrasts between the godly and ungodly and their separate eternal abodes--Heaven/Hell, saved/lost, forgiven/eternal sin,  justified/condemned,  in Christ/not in Christ, righteous/wicked, light/darkness, sheep/goats,  wheat/weeds,  narrow road/broad road,  sons of God/sons of Satan, reconciled/slaves to sin, born again/not born again, washed in the blood/unclean, accepted & beloved/condemned with the world, believed in the Son/not believed in Christ, in glory/tormented forever. It's certain that no universalism is taught in the Bible.
.
Hell is justice and is love in its universal social aspect. Justice means we reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-8). People of every country have always  believed human abusers such as thieves, rapists, murderers should be punished and put away to prevent human destruction. But love, joy, peace, and goodness were praiseworthy and should be rewarded. This is why we have jails and why we reward heroes. As preventing harm to people, justice is another word meaning love. So, if it's essential to protect and preserve human well being on earth, it's just as essential in Heaven. "There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (Rev. 21:27). See also Rev. 22:15; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.
. 
Further, and this is important. Just as God's people are rewarded according to their different degrees of services, Satan's people are punished according to their different degrees of sins. That's what justice means (Gal. 6:7-8). Moreover, the punishment God rejecters receive is self-inflicted.  It's their self torment over their own guilt, shame, lost opportunity and eternal despair. And self-conscientiousness--the undying worm (person)--and degrees of punishment show the Bible doesn't teach annihilation--sinners still exist in their darkness and torment. We have one earthly life with opportunity for faith in Christ!  At death our destiny is sealed (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 22:11).

.
The Bible repeatedly says the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, is our only way to be saved from sin and Hell. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)." The whole Jewish sacrificial system of slain animals pictured God's forgiveness of  believers sins by animals dying in their place and it pointed to Christ. Other such statements are John 1:12, 29; 3:7, 16, 36; 5:24; 8:24; 10:9-10; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Romans 5:8-9; 6:23; 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9 and a great many others. It's God alone who  has the right to set the terms of entrance to His Heaven. Truth is absolute and narrow--2 plus 2 can only = 4. It's a mind closed to truth that is prejudiced.
.
The Bible further teaches Heaven or Hell is our own choice. Persons who go to Hell choose to-- God pleads with them to trust Him and go to Heaven. As just mentioned in passages above whoever will may come to Christ and be saved (Isa.1:18). And yes, God knows who will and who won't come, but love cannot force  them to accept Him and His righteousness. The door to Heaven is wide open to all who want God's way. And we can sense God's Spirit inviting us to come (John 16:8-10).
.
It's not a bad environment that sends people to Hell, but a bad or sinful heart that rebels against God and right living. Adam and Eve were provided an idea world in the Garden of Eden and choose to disobey God anyway. God tests humanity throughout the ages and every time people turn away and meet with judgment. No sinner will have an excuse at the Great White Thrown to say God was unfair. And God's people in Heaven seeing His perfect goodness and knowing human evil, depravity, hate and destruction on earth, will want only to know their good and loving Lord. Jesus said, "out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man" (Matt. 15:19-20). Can we be honest?
.
We are without excuse. Nature, conscience, and God's Holy Spirit speak to us. The Bible alone is a God breathed revelation (message) to us--not man's centuries later additions, subtractions, beliefs, feelings, or opinions. Unlike other religions, the Lord gave us eyewitness historical accounts of His actions mentioned by both believers and unbelieving secularists. So, ask the Lord to save you from sin and guide you throughout life. Say, I now trust you Jesus as paying the price of my sin in your death for me on the cross.  I turn from love of sin, darkness, and doom to you the Light of the would. Jesus you alone are now my Savior, Lord, and Guide throughout life (John 3:16-21).
.