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If you are a Universalist believer in Jesus Christ saving ALL, please feel free to post your personal experience of when and how you came to this persuasion.
Indeed Very Many: Universalism in the Early Church
Probably the printing press was not even invented until the 15th century , and then there were people who killed people for printing the bible in local languages , so people must have been not informed of the truth , and only believe what the clergy declared
[color="Navy"]If you are a Universalist believer in Jesus Christ saving ALL,
please feel free to post your personal experience of when and how you came to this persuasion.
It's way too sacred to speak of in this place.
But, of course we are all going Home one day...even the worst of us...the Father's Love is beyond imagination
and He will never let any of us go..ever...it would not, could not be possible.
And this is not a belief...I didnt read about it...no one told me this...it is not wishful thinking...
I had never heard of Universlism...had to look it up last year.
If you are a Universalist believer in Jesus Christ saving ALL, please feel free to post your personal experience of when and how you came to this persuasion.
Indeed Very Many: Universalism in the Early Church
It is impossible to experience the nature of God and not accept Universalism.
God loves all of his Creation. Eventually, his love will capture every heart. He saved King Nebuchadnezzar who was threatening to throw the Hebrew children into a fiery furnace. There are still very many people threatening to throw others into fiery furnaces.
It's way too sacred to speak of in this place.
But, of course we are all going Home one day...even the worst of us...the Father's Love is beyond imagination
and He will never let any of us go..ever...it would not, could not be possible.
And this is not a belief...I didnt read about it...no one told me this...it is not wishful thinking...
I had never heard of Universlism...had to look it up last year.
xo
Ephesians 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is,
the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then,
you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to
people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of
one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the
Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,
which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through
the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the
heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its
name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in
your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how
wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge
—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all ge
I began to question things: what sort of righteousness God required? - compared/contrasted with Matthew 5 Beatitudes; was there faultless religion that didn't require doctrinal beliefs and going to church?; what about all the people who've never heard of Jesus or 'accepted' him before they die?
When you question those things against a rigorous doctrinal hard-line of fundamentalism - I did describe myself as that back then, it creates a spiritual/cognitive dissonance. Then I learned about fear and faith being opposite spirits - as I began to walk in that everyday, recognising when someone or something was trying to 'put' fear on me, I began to be able to discern the spirit of fear in church doctrine and authority structure. This is why I believe, as per your reference article, that universalism was subverted in the church - Christianity had become associated with the state due to Constantine. Make universalism a heresy, and you have control through fear.
The final nails in the coffin were reading Julie Ferwerda's book Raising Hell, and being shunned out of a church (asked to leave) because of believing in universalism - they said I was deceived and believing a doctrine of demons.
God and Fear cannot occupy the same space. Perfect love casts out fear. When those two things became clear to me, I realized that hell could not exist as a place of eternal torment.
God and Fear cannot occupy the same space. Perfect love casts out fear. When those two things became clear to me, I realized that hell could not exist as a place of eternal torment.
I agree - much the way light and darkness do not mix because light always overcomes and displaces darkness.
I began to question things: what sort of righteousness God required? - compared/contrasted with Matthew 5 Beatitudes; was there faultless religion that didn't require doctrinal beliefs and going to church?; what about all the people who've never heard of Jesus or 'accepted' him before they die?
When you question those things against a rigorous doctrinal hard-line of fundamentalism - I did describe myself as that back then, it creates a spiritual/cognitive dissonance. Then I learned about fear and faith being opposite spirits - as I began to walk in that everyday, recognising when someone or something was trying to 'put' fear on me, I began to be able to discern the spirit of fear in church doctrine and authority structure. This is why I believe, as per your reference article, that universalism was subverted in the church - Christianity had become associated with the state due to Constantine. Make universalism a heresy, and you have control through fear.
The final nails in the coffin were reading Julie Ferwerda's book Raising Hell, and being shunned out of a church (asked to leave) because of believing in universalism - they said I was deceived and believing a doctrine of demons.
This was similar to my experience. After spending many years visiting a a good number and type of Christian churches (all vastly different in dogma) I began to despair and cry out to God about it and not long after, I came to understand that while all those people were his children, they were not free and were still in bondage to confusion and man-made power structures. I knew I had to come out of organized church and learn to hear his voice and walk with him myself. I also realized that most churches would not welcome me if they knew I believed that God will forgive all. I have gathered at special times with Universalist Christians in other cities, but I am not aware of a Universalist Christian congregation where I live.
My understanding about Universalism continues to evolve. I still believe in judgement, but of the type where each person will have to acknowledge their unrighteous ways before entering into God's joy. My deliverance did not come without deeply heart-felt repentance toward God, and I don't think anyone's can or will.
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God loves all of his Creation. Eventually, his love will capture every heart. He saved King Nebuchadnezzar who was threatening to throw the Hebrew children into a fiery furnace. There are still very many people threatening to throw others into fiery furnaces. 