Univeralism revised
I have been laying out arguments in regards to what I feel are the major issues in the ELCA today. I have already done Homosexuality, Abortion, God's Gender, and will still do write ups on The Office of Ministry, and The Authority of the Bible. But right here is maybe the most unBiblical view that I have heard as an ELCA seminarian.
First of all I hold that God wants all to be saved as stated in 2 Peter 3:9, I Timothy 4:10 and I Timothy 2:4.
What we know from scripture in regards to Univeralism is the following Matthew 7:13-14, which states how broad the road to destruction is, but how the narrow the road to salvation. For as Ephesians 2:3 states we are objects of wrath by our sinful nature. Every sort of sin imaganible leads to destruction for as Romans 6:19-20 states we are slaves to sin. But as 1 Timothy 2:5 states- Jesus is the only mediator between God and Man to Heaven. This is reinforced in Luke 13:22-27.
Further verses debunking Univeralism
Matthew 25:46-Jesus speaking of seperating the sheep and the goats. How the Unrighteous will go to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
John 3:36- John the Baptist says who that does not have faith in the Son will not see life, because God's wrath is on him.
Mark 16:16-Whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Luke 16:23-Speaks of the Rich Man seeing Lazarus and Abraham from Hell.
I John 5:11-12-Which states he who has faith has eternal life, he who does not have the son does not have eternal life.
Acts 26:17-18-States the urgency to for people to abandon their religions, as thier is only salvation in Christ.
Matthew 5:22-30-Jesus makes three references to sin leading people to hell.
Matthew 10:26-33-Jesus states he will give his whole message, so people will not be destroyed in hell.
Luke 13:1-5-Jesus says unless we are convicted of our sins to repentance, we will perish.
Acts 13:41-Those who scoff at the Gospel shall perish.
2 Thessolonians 1:6-9-States the reason we perish is because of the Justice of God.
Romans 9:27-Only a remnant shall be saved.
Philippians 1:28-Constructs those with destruction with those with salvation.
Philippians 3:18-19-States that the destiny of enemies of the Cross is destruction.
2 Peter 2-Speaks of how False Teachers have a destiny of destruction.
2 Peter 3:7-States how the Ungodly will face destuction.
So the problem with the doctrine of Univeralism is that it has no basis in scripture. The reason God damns people is for justice as it is stated in 2 Thessolonians 1:8-9. If God was not just why would Christ have to die on the Cross. People are mentioned as condemned for their sin and unbelief. The truths we know from scripture are that God desires all to be saved, Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and Man due to the Justice of God, Those who believe in Christ will be saved, due to the Justice of God those in unbelief will perish. This is clear Biblical teaching. No where is the Cross ever talked about as providing salvation for those without faith by Paul or Jesus.
Isn't it God's desire to see all people saved? Yes, as cited by the verses above. But God's desires aren't always fulfilled due to human sin, and the wrath that comes from it.
Doesn't Faith only come from the Holy Spirit? Yes,. and people are condemned for their own blaspheme or rejecting of what comes from the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28-29, Hebrews 3:7-8, and Acts 7:51)
People what they like to do now when they realize they can't argue for Universal Salvation is they like to associate you with other people's arguments. Such as do you think Hell looks like Dante's Inferno? What about the eternality of Hell? The first question is trying to dodge the subject. The second question is trying to dodge the topic some more? I could answer these later, but I don't see them as the key issues right now.
The key is that many people's embrace of Univeralism leads one away from proclaimation. Univeralism damages the Biblical witness of those in the Lutheran Church. We must speak the truth in love(Ephesians 4:15), but this truth must come the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16)
First of all I hold that God wants all to be saved as stated in 2 Peter 3:9, I Timothy 4:10 and I Timothy 2:4.
What we know from scripture in regards to Univeralism is the following Matthew 7:13-14, which states how broad the road to destruction is, but how the narrow the road to salvation. For as Ephesians 2:3 states we are objects of wrath by our sinful nature. Every sort of sin imaganible leads to destruction for as Romans 6:19-20 states we are slaves to sin. But as 1 Timothy 2:5 states- Jesus is the only mediator between God and Man to Heaven. This is reinforced in Luke 13:22-27.
Further verses debunking Univeralism
Matthew 25:46-Jesus speaking of seperating the sheep and the goats. How the Unrighteous will go to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
John 3:36- John the Baptist says who that does not have faith in the Son will not see life, because God's wrath is on him.
Mark 16:16-Whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Luke 16:23-Speaks of the Rich Man seeing Lazarus and Abraham from Hell.
I John 5:11-12-Which states he who has faith has eternal life, he who does not have the son does not have eternal life.
Acts 26:17-18-States the urgency to for people to abandon their religions, as thier is only salvation in Christ.
Matthew 5:22-30-Jesus makes three references to sin leading people to hell.
Matthew 10:26-33-Jesus states he will give his whole message, so people will not be destroyed in hell.
Luke 13:1-5-Jesus says unless we are convicted of our sins to repentance, we will perish.
Acts 13:41-Those who scoff at the Gospel shall perish.
2 Thessolonians 1:6-9-States the reason we perish is because of the Justice of God.
Romans 9:27-Only a remnant shall be saved.
Philippians 1:28-Constructs those with destruction with those with salvation.
Philippians 3:18-19-States that the destiny of enemies of the Cross is destruction.
2 Peter 2-Speaks of how False Teachers have a destiny of destruction.
2 Peter 3:7-States how the Ungodly will face destuction.
So the problem with the doctrine of Univeralism is that it has no basis in scripture. The reason God damns people is for justice as it is stated in 2 Thessolonians 1:8-9. If God was not just why would Christ have to die on the Cross. People are mentioned as condemned for their sin and unbelief. The truths we know from scripture are that God desires all to be saved, Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and Man due to the Justice of God, Those who believe in Christ will be saved, due to the Justice of God those in unbelief will perish. This is clear Biblical teaching. No where is the Cross ever talked about as providing salvation for those without faith by Paul or Jesus.
Isn't it God's desire to see all people saved? Yes, as cited by the verses above. But God's desires aren't always fulfilled due to human sin, and the wrath that comes from it.
Doesn't Faith only come from the Holy Spirit? Yes,. and people are condemned for their own blaspheme or rejecting of what comes from the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28-29, Hebrews 3:7-8, and Acts 7:51)
People what they like to do now when they realize they can't argue for Universal Salvation is they like to associate you with other people's arguments. Such as do you think Hell looks like Dante's Inferno? What about the eternality of Hell? The first question is trying to dodge the subject. The second question is trying to dodge the topic some more? I could answer these later, but I don't see them as the key issues right now.
The key is that many people's embrace of Univeralism leads one away from proclaimation. Univeralism damages the Biblical witness of those in the Lutheran Church. We must speak the truth in love(Ephesians 4:15), but this truth must come the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16)
posted by Stew at 11:11 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home