Is Universal Salvation True According to the Bible

Blog Post by Mary Katherine May

Image by Mary Katherine May

Q: Is Universal Salvation True?

There are some Christians who believe that in the end every person, whatever they have done, even people like Adolph Hitler and Idi Amin, will be in eternity with God.

The logic is that Jesus Christ who is all love will not judge and punish--and I believe that true. There are, however, consequences of actions.

Definition: In Christian theology, universal reconciliation (also called universal salvation, Christian universalism, or in context simply universalism) is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls—because of divine love and mercy—will ultimately be reconciled to God. (source: Wikipedia.org)

A loving, just God will allow those who have performed heinous actions without remorse to finally have consequences for what they have done.

BUT believing in universal salvation as we understand the concept, or not, according to Scripture is not in the saving equation for which Jesus died and was resurrected from the dead.

What do the words of Jesus Christ tell us?

First: Jesus came to save the world. (John 3:16)

Second: All will be resurrected and stand before Jesus. (Acts 17: 31)

"For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead."

Third: Resurrection of Life and Resurrection of Evil (John 5: 25-29 NRSV)

“Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV

God bless your day. Amen.