In order to be saved ,one must simply accept Jesus as the Son of God. That’s it.
If *everyone* will be saved then we must change the name to The Ten Suggestions.So “thou shalt not” becomes “maybe it would be better if you didn’t”
The Bible doesn’t teach universalism or that there is any chance at salvation except in this life. When churches start adding man made theology that isn’t in the Bible, anything goes.
Personally I am a “hopeful universalist”. Although I cannot state with certainty that all will one day be reconciled to God, I find ground to hope that this -may- happen. Because I truly do not wish any human being in hell.
In a word . . . no.
Camp Hill, Alabama is a small town, even smaller than it once was, and it has a little downtown of derelict buildings. It also has a rare and beautiful Universalist Church when one would only suspect Baptists, Methodist, and one or two other denominations in a town of that size in Alabama.
Dr. Lyman Ward came down from New York to Camp Hill to found the Southern Industrial Institute in 1898. Today it is Lyman Ward Military Academy and is something of a dinosaur: an all male military boarding school for grades six through twelve. As Dr. Ward was a Universalist minister a Universalist congregation was established in Camp Hill. The seldom used Universalist Church building still stands in this unusual Alabama town.
Given that God is just, would He condemn any of His Created Critters, at least would he condemn any of them irretrievably and forever?
Given that God is merciful, would He do that?
Given that God is Love, would He do that?
There ARE several Biblical teachings which clearly say, or at least which pretty clearly indicate, that such a strict result is part of His plan (verses to this effect or that have been cited supporting this view can be found in 2 Thessolonians, John, Luke, and etc.), we can call this the ‘narrow gate’ view (whether it is founded on a credal faith statement or a righteous lifestyle, or both). isWhat has become “othodox’ Christian teaching is pretty solidly in this camp, allowing in some instances for those people who never had the opportunity, or who never were blessed with a really good explanation, of the situation.
There ARE also several Biblical teachings which indicate that this is not the arrangement, or that He intends to (eventually, at least) take in all or most of us (Verses to this effects or that have been cited in arguments supporting this view can be found in I Corinthians, Lamentations, 1 Timothy, Collosians, Romans, 2 Peter, 1 Timothy, 1 John etc.), we can call this the more ‘universal’ view. Some of the subscribers to this side of the equation will include a ‘second chance to discover’ and/or a ‘reform and reconciliation’ stage to come..for those people who might otherwise be left outside under the ‘narrow gate’ view.
“When they are in fashion, fads are never recognized as fads.”
Really, now. Did we think at the time that mood rings and pet rocks would always be around? Sack dresses, volcano lamps, the list goes on and on.
The first letter of the Bible is bet. It is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It means house or home. It is sometimes called “the first distinction”. It identifies a separation of inside from outside. So the first “prophecy” in the Bible is that there will be a separation of those on the inside from those on the outside. So the answer is “no” not everyone will be saved.
Jesus said:
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Jesus also said:
even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Jesus' words are pretty clear
Destruction or ETERNAL life.
He was also very clear saying:
but that the world through Him might be saved.
In order to save something, it first has to be able to be lost.
The term might be saved signifies that people are already lost, Jesus died so that SOME might be saved, knowing that ALL would not.
No, otherwise, Jesus is a liar.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way the truth and the light. Nobody comes to the Father except by Me.”
Jesus put it quite plainly there.
Of course not. Most people do not want to be saved
Didn’t Jesus Himself say that “I am the way, the truth, and the life, NO ONE comes to the father EXCEPT through Me. That sounds like the issue is settled.
Anyone who rejects the free gift of salvation, only given through Jesus, is condemned because of 1) unbelief , 2) unforgiven sin.
Sin can not be in the presence of the living God, because His Holiness and Righteousness demand that He deal with it. He has, through His son, Jesus, so we do not have to pay for our sin and be condemned to eternal death. God loves us that much, what more could He have done?
I have used this to start discussions in youth classes. If Satan were to repent would God accept him back?
It’s not gonna happen that way, or that’s the way Revelation would have been written. Also, somewhere (not sure where and too tired to try to find it) it says that Satan and his angels made a choice and cannot change.
Likewise, everyone alive still has a choice and can choose to repent and follow Jesus and be saved. Those who died in sin have made their choice and cannot change their minds now.
The answer is no. And if anyone thinks God is happy about that, the answer is also, no.
This is a cute observation.