Refuting Universalism

 

The universalist has an idea that eventually everyone gets to go to heaven because God loves everyone. 

Here's a question to ask:

"Does Judas Iscariot eventually get to go to heaven?"

If the answer is no. Then universalism is false. Not everyone gets to go to heaven.

If the answer is yes. Then Jesus was either lying or he was wrong. Either way he isn't the savior because he said in Matthew 26: 24 that it would have been better for him if he had never been born.

If even Judas eventually ends up in heaven then his ultimate end will be good and Jesus's statement was false.

There is no ambiguity in that statement. Nobody comes back from hell!

Dante had it right when he pictured the sign over the entrance into the inferno:

"Abandon all hope who enter here!"

"And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

Revelation 14:11 ESV

But what about the Greek word for eternity, 'aionios' Which translates as 'an age?'

That word can either mean an age or eternity. 

One problem with the universalist's assertion is that if you look at the context the word is used it is obvious it means eternity. The other problem is it is the same word used to refer to eternal life. By that token we would have to assume the possibility that heaven will only be temporary as well.

Universalism is nothing new. The reason people embrace it is because we don't like the idea of an eternal hell. Especially the idea that some of those we know as 'good people' may end up there. God has a few things to say about that:

1. There are no good people.

"...as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one;' "

Romans 3:10 ESV

2. Only God is good.

"And Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.' "

Mark 10:18 ESV

3. Our righteousness is not acceptable to God. 

"We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."

Isaiah 64:6 ESV

 

And this is where we really get in trouble:

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."

Proverbs 14:12 ESV

Universalism is simply a human idea. But it ends in death.

We need to scrap our ideas and take to heart what the Bible actually says.

When Peter preached on that first Pentecost after the ascension his message was one of warning:

"And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, 'Save yourselves from this crooked generation.' "

Acts 2:40 ESV

If universalism was the proper way to understand the gospel then Peter would have said in verse 38; "Repent and be baptized so that you may be among the first to get into heaven and get a better reward." 

If you get to go to heaven regardless then there is no reason to go to church, endure persecution or suffer for the sake of Christ. There is no reason not to indulge our fleshly lusts and morays. 

But there is a reason:

Because the wicked have their place in the lake of fire. 

And they don't ever come back.