Universal Reconciliation is the understanding that the entire creation will eventually be reconciled to God.
This understanding is clearly wrong ...
IF Jesus did not die for the sins of the whole world.
But the Bible says that he did.
And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of everyone.
[1 John 2 : 2 GNB]
IF God is still planning to make us pay for our sins.
But the Bible says God no longer keeps account of our sins.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them.
[2 Corinthians 5 : 19 NIV]
IF Jesus was always addressing eternity in his teachings.
But the Bible says he was solely focused on the kingdom.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
{Matthew 4 : 23 NIV]
IF the disciples and the Jewish crowds were also into eternity-thinking.
But the Bible says they were also totally kingdom-focused.
He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
[Luke 9 : 2 NIV]
Then they gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
[Acts 1 : 6 NIV]
"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest heaven!"
[Mark 11 : 10 NIV]
IF our English translations of the Bible really forecast eternal punishment.
But more accurate, literal translations of the Bible correctly speak of conditions in relation to the kingdom Age.
And these will go to the chastening of that Age, but the just to the life of that Age.
[Matthew 25 : 46 DBH]
And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during.
[Matthew 25 : 46 YLT]
I'd rather believe the Bible, and especially an accurately translated one, which teaches that God's love motivated him to send Jesus to save us, not judge us.
For God did so love the world, that His Son—the only begotten—He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.
For God did not send His Son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him;
[John 3 : 16 - 17 YLT]
And since belief (or faith) is required, it will need to be given to everyone for God to achieve his revealed purpose - just as it has been given to many of us already.
(Believers in the current age are the firstfruits of the great harvest to come.)
How could God, who is love, which was demonstrated so clearly on the cross, want anything less for his creation than reconciliation of all?
In a nutshell:
With all wisdom and understanding,
he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure,
which he purposed in Christ,
to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—
to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
[Ephesians 1 : 8 -10 NIV]
Blessings, Barry
