EVANGELICAL UNIVERSALISM: THE PUREST EXPRESSION OF THE GOSPEL - true Christian universalism is biblical universalism and evangelical ubiversalism

UNIVERSAL RESTORATIONISM

UNIVERSAL RESTORATIONISM, more commonly called "Universalism, is the belief that in the end all sentient beings will be holy and happy. This teaching, often referred to as the "Wider Hope" has had many proponents throught the ages.

In fact there are those who argue that it was the prevailing viewpoint of the Church for its first 500 years. Whether true or not, it is certain that many have held the view down through the ages, and today there is a growing resergence of the teaching among conservative bible believing evangelicals. Although no organized denomination of evangelical universalists exists today we may be found sprinkled throughout the various evangelical denominations and numerous Christian Universalist Fellowships and ministries are being born daily in our day.

Proponents of the "Wider Hope" theology, also called "Universalists" or "Universal Restorationists", included Origen, Clement of Alexandria, Marcellus of Ancyra, Titus of Bostra, Gregory Nazianzen, Evagrius, Didymus, Diodorus of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Fabius Manus Victorinus, Gregory of Nyssa and countless others in the ancient church.

Early church father , Basil the Great (AD 329-379) writes,"The mass of men (Christians) say that there is to be an end of punishment to those who are punished." This testimony as to the state of opinion at that time is very illuminating!

During the middle ages we find the Scottish theologian, John Scotus Eregina, (c. AD 800-880) and Johan Tauler (AD 1300-1361), espousing universalism.

In the 17th through 19th century we have the Anabaptists of Germany, and Many English clergy and philosophers such as Dr. David Hartley, who wrote the "Observations on Man," Elhanan Winchester, John Wesley Hanson, Hannah Whitall Smith, and Olympia Brown, Bishop Thomas Newton, Sir George Stonehouse, William Law, John Henderson, James Brown, D.D., Rev. R. Barbauld, Rev. John Brown. many English Libertarians, Rev. Theophilus Lindsey, Rev. Joseph Priestly, L.L.D., Rev. John Simpson, and Rev. Messrs. Kenrick, Wright, Estlin, Belsham, Carpenter, Aspland, Grundy, Scott, and Fox Harris were all universalists. James Relly began to preach Universalism in the city of London about 1750 followed by Rev. John Murray in America in 1770. Evangelist Adolph E. Knoch and Bible scholar William Barclay were universalists as were many famous Americans like Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale and U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Although he never explicitely declared himself a universalist, it is commonly recognized that the theology of Karl Barth leads inexorably to universalism as well. There is indeed a great cloud of witnesses to the wider hope throught the history of the church.

There are many others who, although not expressly universalist, still believed salvation is possible "after" death and that possibly all would be saved. Most notable among these are biblical scholars F. W. Farrar and Arthur Custance. Still others, although not believing in universalism, believed that salvation might be possible after death. Among these was that great reformer, Martin Luther.

It is evangelical and biblical universalism that we promote and defended on this website and not the liberal anti-biblical forms of universalism such as that associated with the unitarian universalists and other general inclusivists.

INCLUSIVISM VS EXCLUSIVISM

For this reason we are not inclusivists but rather exclusivists. This means that we believe that everyone is excluded from salvation who has not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and received justification by faith in Jesus Christ, for there is no other name by which men can be saved.

By this we do not merely mean that we teach that Christ's blood is the only means of salvation for all men and that all other paths to salvation are excluded. There are many who would affirm this who also believe that all men have already been included in the benefits of that atonement. and therefore all men have already been covered by his atoning blood.

Rather we mean that personal faith is a requirement for salvation and whosoever does not believe is condemned already (John 3:18) and that the wrath of God abides on them. This means we believe that all those dying in a state of unbelief will be subject to God's wrath and condemnation and experience eternal punishment. Where we differ from other exclusivists is that we believe that ultimately God will draw all men to himself and that the Holy Spirit will eventually regenerate all men although some will not experience this blessed phenomenon until after they have already been consigned to eternal punishment. This, we believe was the blessd message that our Lord delivered to the lost in hell when he descended into hell for three days upon the occasion of his death on the cross.

ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

It might sound strange to read that we believe in eternal punishment. In fact one might wonder how we can confess eternal punishment but still teach universal restorationism. The answer is simple. The punishment of God upon the wicked is (in and of itself) without possibility of culmination. The reason this is so is because the mind set on the flesh is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can it be (Rom 8:7) Therefore the most certain basis for the concept of hell's duration being unending in character is that fallen man will never stop sinning. Even in hell the wicked continue to hate God and will never recieve God on their own and repent. Their situation is indeed hopeless in and of itself considered.

However, nothing in scripture binds God to abandon the lost forever. Although the punishment they undergo would never in itself find culmination, and may therefore properly be designated "everlasting punishment" nevertheless God can, and we believe will, eventually have mercy upon all underseving sinners and not only those wicked, spiritually dead sinners and God-haters whom he elects and regenerates in this life and transforms into his loving children. We believe that God will, in his own time, and according to his own good pleasure, redeem the rest of lost humanity as well, when it pleases him to do so. Then every knee shall indeed bow, and every tongue indeed confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Contrary to false charges from our critiques we do not teach that God forgives sin without the blood of Christ. We insist that only through faith in Christ may any be saved. We do not deny that there will be many who must first suffer the pains of hell before they ascend to heaven. We simply deny that the scriptures anywhere teach that God has bound himself to abandon the lost in hell forever and therefore can never regenerated them by the Holy Spirit, that they might repent and receive Christ in hell and then, by the blood of Christ, be transported out of hell and into heaven.

Objectors will remind us that Abraham told Lazarus the elect cannot cross over into hell, nor the reprobate into heaven. (Luke 16:19-31) Certainly this is true. But who would dare to say that God, himself, could not transport the wicked out of hell if and when he so chooses. We believe that he both can and will do so. We believe that he has declared this to us in his word if we only have ears to hear it.

Contrary to critical opinion, we hold to the plenary, verbal inspiration of Scripture. We teach that the Bible alone is the standard for all faith and practice. We believe in universl restoration, not in spite of the Scriptures but because of them!


	UNIVERSAL RESTORATIONISM UNIVERSAL RESTORATIONISM, more commonly called "Universalism, is the belief that in the end all sentient beings will be holy and happy. This teaching, often referred to as the "Wider Hope" has had many proponents throught the ages. In fact there are those who argue that it was the prevailing viewpoint of the Church for its first 500 years. Whether true or not, it is certain that many have held the view down through the ages, and today there is a growing resergence of the teaching among conservative bible believing evangelicals. Although no organized denomination of evangelical universalists exists today we may be found sprinkled throughout the various evangelical denominations and numerous Christian Universalist Fellowships and ministries are being born daily in our day. Proponents of the "Wider Hope" theology, also called "Universalists" or "Universal Restorationists", included Origen, Clement of Alexandria, Marcellus of Ancyra, Titus of Bostra, Gregory Nazianzen, Evagrius, Didymus, Diodorus of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Fabius Manus Victorinus, Gregory of Nyssa and countless others in the ancient church. Early church father , Basil the Great (AD 329-379) writes,"The mass of men (Christians) say that there is to be an end of punishment to those who are punished." This testimony as to the state of opinion at that time is very illuminating! During the middle ages we find the Scottish theologian, John Scotus Eregina, (c. AD 800-880) and Johan Tauler (AD 1300-1361), espousing universalism. In the 17th through 19th century we have the Anabaptists of Germany, and Many English clergy and philosophers such as Dr. David Hartley, who wrote the "Observations on Man," Elhanan Winchester, John Wesley Hanson, Hannah Whitall Smith, and Olympia Brown, Bishop Thomas Newton, Sir George Stonehouse, William Law, John Henderson, James Brown, D.D., Rev. R. Barbauld, Rev. John Brown. many English Libertarians, Rev. Theophilus Lindsey, Rev. Joseph Priestly, L.L.D., Rev. John Simpson, and Rev. Messrs. Kenrick, Wright, Estlin, Belsham, Carpenter, Aspland, Grundy, Scott, and Fox Harris were all universalists. James Relly began to preach Universalism in the city of London about 1750 followed by Rev. John Murray in America in 1770. Evangelist Adolph E. Knoch and Bible scholar William Barclay were universalists as were many famous Americans like Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale and U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Although he never explicitely declared himself a universalist, it is commonly recognized that the theology of Karl Barth leads inexorably to universalism as well. There is indeed a great cloud of witnesses to the wider hope throught the history of the church. There are many others who, although not expressly universalist, still believed salvation is possible "after" death and that possibly all would be saved. Most notable among these are biblical scholars F. W. Farrar and Arthur Custance. Still others, although not believing in universalism, believed that salvation might be possible after death. Among these was that great reformer, Martin Luther. It is evangelical and biblical universalism that we promote and defended on this website and not the liberal anti-biblical forms of universalism such as that associated with the unitarian universalists and other general inclusivists. INCLUSIVISM VS EXCLUSIVISM For this reason we are not inclusivists but rather exclusivists. This means that we believe that everyone is excluded from salvation who has not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and received justification by faith in Jesus Christ, for there is no other name by which men can be saved. By this we do not merely mean that we teach that Christ's blood is the only means of salvation for all men and that all other paths to salvation are excluded. There are many who would affirm this who also believe that all men have already been included in the benefits of that atonement. and therefore all men have already been covered by his atoning blood. Rather we mean that personal faith is a requirement for salvation and whosoever does not believe is condemned already (John 3:18) and that the wrath of God abides on them. This means we believe that all those dying in a state of unbelief will be subject to God's wrath and condemnation and experience eternal punishment. Where we differ from other exclusivists is that we believe that ultimately God will draw all men to himself and that the Holy Spirit will eventually regenerate all men although some will not experience this blessed phenomenon until after they have already been consigned to eternal punishment. This, we believe was the blessd message that our Lord delivered to the lost in hell when he descended into hell for three days upon the occasion of his death on the cross. ETERNAL PUNISHMENT It might sound strange to read that we believe in eternal punishment. In fact one might wonder how we can confess eternal punishment but still teach universal restorationism. The answer is simple. The punishment of God upon the wicked is (in and of itself) without possibility of culmination. The reason this is so is because the mind set on the flesh is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can it be (Rom 8:7) Therefore the most certain basis for the concept of hell's duration being unending in character is that fallen man will never stop sinning. Even in hell the wicked continue to hate God and will never recieve God on their own and repent. Their situation is indeed hopeless in and of itself considered. However, nothing in scripture binds God to abandon the lost forever. Although the punishment they undergo would never in itself find culmination, and may therefore properly be designated "everlasting punishment" nevertheless God can, and we believe will, eventually have mercy upon all underseving sinners and not only those wicked, spiritually dead sinners and God-haters whom he elects and regenerates in this life and transforms into his loving children. We believe that God will, in his own time, and according to his own good pleasure, redeem the rest of lost humanity as well, when it pleases him to do so. Then every knee shall indeed bow, and every tongue indeed confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Contrary to false charges from our critiques we do not teach that God forgives sin without the blood of Christ. We insist that only through faith in Christ may any be saved. We do not deny that there will be many who must first suffer the pains of hell before they ascend to heaven. We simply deny that the scriptures anywhere teach that God has bound himself to abandon the lost in hell forever and therefore can never regenerated them by the Holy Spirit, that they might repent and receive Christ in hell and then, by the blood of Christ, be transported out of hell and into heaven. Objectors will remind us that Abraham told Lazarus the elect cannot cross over into hell, nor the reprobate into heaven. (Luke 16:19-31) Certainly this is true. But who would dare to say that God, himself, could not transport the wicked out of hell if and when he so chooses. We believe that he both can and will do so. We believe that he has declared this to us in his word if we only have ears to hear it. Contrary to critical opinion, we hold to the plenary, verbal inspiration of Scripture. We teach that the Bible alone is the standard for all faith and practice. We believe in universl restoration, not in spite of the Scriptures but because of them!
CONTACT US / JOIN OUR MAILING LIST / ABOUT US