Christian Universalism (Gospel, hell, punishment, doctrine)

[ShanaBrown]

Universal Restoration was a teaching of the very early church:


The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1908) by Schaff-Herzog says in volume 12, on page 96, "In the first five or six centuries of Christianity there were six theological schools, of which four (Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea, and Edessa, or Nisibis) were Universalist, one (Ephesus) accepted conditional immortality; one (Carthage or Rome) taught endless punishment of the wicked. Other theological schools are mentioned as founded by Universalists, but their actual doctrine on this subject is not known."
The number of schools in the early church that taught ultimate reconciliation is an embarrassment to many modern church historians. Therefore, they often do whatever they can to hide these facts. I mention again that these Christian Universalists who were clearly the majority of the early Church, believed that all mankind through Christ would be restored. They believed and taught and many laid down their lives for the belief that Jesus Christ was truly the Savior of the whole world.
The Early Christian View of the Savior

Some would want to say that the belief in the eventual restoration of all to God is not a Christian belief/teaching when it is recorded that it was a belief of the early church. When I speak of Christian belief, I am speaking of that which is found in the scriptures. Very many believers/Christians today hold to this belief which we believe is found in the scriptures and we give the scriptural support/foundation for what we believe. One does not have to believe in eternal hell in order to be a Christian/believer. God bless.

[trettep]

Originally Posted by ShanaBrown

Universal Restoration was a teaching of the very early church:


The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1908) by Schaff-Herzog says in volume 12, on page 96, "In the first five or six centuries of Christianity there were six theological schools, of which four (Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea, and Edessa, or Nisibis) were Universalist, one (Ephesus) accepted conditional immortality; one (Carthage or Rome) taught endless punishment of the wicked. Other theological schools are mentioned as founded by Universalists, but their actual doctrine on this subject is not known."
The number of schools in the early church that taught ultimate reconciliation is an embarrassment to many modern church historians. Therefore, they often do whatever they can to hide these facts. I mention again that these Christian Universalists who were clearly the majority of the early Church, believed that all mankind through Christ would be restored. They believed and taught and many laid down their lives for the belief that Jesus Christ was truly the Savior of the whole world.
The Early Christian View of the Savior

Some would want to say that the belief in the eventual restoration of all to God is not a Christian belief/teaching when it is recorded that it was a belief of the early church. When I speak of Christian belief, I am speaking of that which is found in the scriptures. Very many believers/Christians today hold to this belief which we believe is found in the scriptures and we give the scriptural support/foundation for what we believe. One does not have to believe in eternal hell in order to be a Christian/believer. God bless.

Yes, it seems Universalism was the TRUE Orthodox teaching.

Paul

[ShanaBrown]

I just wanted to share, Paul, because some seem to think that it is a New Age philosophy or teaching, or that it is something someone just made up. The fact is that very many if not the majority in the early church had this belief as well as many leaders/ "fathers" of the church. The belief in the eventual restoration of is not something that is foreign to Christianity and has been taught as an integral part of the faith in the past and today. God bless.

[pcamps]

Originally Posted by trettep

Yes, it seems Universalism was the TRUE Orthodox teaching.

Paul

Agreed but centuries later we are having to detox ourselves from the error that crept in to the church which Paul said would happen when bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders.

25"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.[a] Be shepherds of the church of God,[b] which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

I am sure we are considered to be the savage wolves , but that's fine with me

But as Gamaliel said

34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

[little elmer]

In my fellowship with believers over the years, I've seen those that really had a passion to know Him deeply saw the restitution of all things. For most, the process of dying to the old man and receiving His life (a process of many years and tears) lifted the veil from their eyes.

[trettep]

At least we universalists know that everyone will eventually be one also someday.

Paul

[trettep]

The Jesus Christ that universalist preach has more power then the Jesus that Eternal Torment believers preach. Theirs cannot save everyone. We should have great Joy in God giving us the more POWERFUL Gospel. The reality is theirs is a Gospel of Death since Death gets a victory in Denying God His potential Children.

Paul

[spm62]

Thanks for the post shana. It is ironic that modern church followers say christian universalist are not christian at all when the fact is God`s reconciliation was taught by the early church fathers. The torment of the overwhelming majority of people..billions upon billions....is actually a more modern teaching that evolved out of Rome. Just goes to show you that when a person is indoctrinated by a certain belief, it doesn`t matter how much proof you show them, their minds are closed to anything else. Just like people from different parts of the world who grow up with a particular religion. It doesn`t matter what you show them, their minds are closed. The same is true of church followers.

[pcamps]

Originally Posted by trettep

The Jesus Christ that universalist preach has more power then the Jesus that Eternal Torment believers preach. Theirs cannot save everyone. We should have great Joy in God giving us the more POWERFUL Gospel. The reality is theirs is a Gospel of Death since Death gets a victory in Denying God His potential Children.

Paul

And i get called outspoken

[trettep]

Originally Posted by spm62

Thanks for the post shana. It is ironic that modern church followers say christian universalist are not christian at all when the fact is God`s reconciliation was taught by the early church fathers. The torment of the overwhelming majority of people..billions upon billions....is actually a more modern teaching that evolved out of Rome. Just goes to show you that when a person is indoctrinated by a certain belief, it doesn`t matter how much proof you show them, their minds are closed to anything else. Just like people from different parts of the world who grow up with a particular religion. It doesn`t matter what you show them, their minds are closed. The same is true of church followers.

Yeah, they seem to believe that the billions x billions x billions x billions x billions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions x trillions ^ 1000000000000000000000 power x trillionns raised to the 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000 power of years of punishment is Justice for what wrong was accomplished in a mere 75 years of existence.

Glad to know that the Justice of the Universalist God is far more FAIR and just then that.

Paul