It seems like the re-definition of every major biblical doctrine is in full swing.

Every word, every doctrine, every major part of the gospel is being deconstructed today.

Just go onto YouTube and look up any major, fundamental truth of scripture. There you will find a host of men, women, theologians, pastors, writers, and whoever telling us that what the Bible says is not correct.

Or let’s put it another way, they say that our understanding of the gospel of salvation or the character of Jesus Christ or the historical record of the Bible is not correct in the way that we’ve been taught. That the true gospel has been lost over time.

And that everyone will eventually be saved after all. Or is already saved!!

But they just don’t know it yet!!!???

What I’m specifically referring to is a nifty little doctrine that I was not aware of until recently.

It’s called “Universal Reconciliation”.

Now, I’ve been aware of the false teaching of Universalism. And also of Unitarianism. And even of Annihilationism. But Universal Reconciliation is a new one.

At least to me.

Why Do We Follow These Ancient Fathers?

What I’ve found in my research is that some ancient church fathers came up with this idea.

We’re talking about Origen and others. Way back in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

I always love it when preachers quote the church “fathers”. And give us arguments based on what those guys believed back then as opposed to what we believe today.

Theologians like to refer to what those old dudes said as the “Patristic arguments”.

To be perfectly honest, I don’t really care what those guys said. As with Origen – who was a heretic on many other levels – not simply on the Universalist level.

But Evangelicals like to quote Origen and other similar heretical “fathers” all the time. I think they simply find the quotes in various “famous quotes of theologians” books and them drop what they say into their sermons or book; neglecting to exercise spiritual discernment regarding what these famous fathers really believed.

In other words, most Evangelical teachers and pastors are spiritually lazy.

Unbelief . . . by Any Other Name

The point is . . . heresy that was held by an ancient “father” is no different than heresy held by some guy on YouTube. Same difference.

Ancient unbelief, even that of very intelligent men and women, is still unbelief.

Just because a guy in the early church was a heretic does not make him any less of a heretic. Paul and Peter and John and Jude all warned us of false teachers who were already in the church – even while the Apostles were still writing the scriptures!

Therefore, the patristic argument is worthless UNLESS it is based upon the word of God. That was the standard then and it is still the only standard today. If a Tradition or anything else is not based clearly upon the written words of God, then it is to be rejected as error.

And that is what Universal Reconciliation is. It is serious biblical Error.

Or, more specifically, plain old unbelief.

What Has Led Us to This Place

Essentially, UR is a profound denial of some very deep and non-negotiable components of the gospel.

And I only use the term “non-negotiable” because my fellow Evangelicals have been on this suicidal course of reducing the gospel to the bare essentials of those truths “that we must believe”.

Because they really don’t like the idea of absolutes or non-negotiable doctrine anymore.

Instead, they have chosen to focus on getting together with everyone in fellowship. As if we are all one big, happy family of Christians because we all just “love Jesus”. And because the outward show of love and unity has taken precedence over truth.

Evangelical leaders just don’t go much deeper than that, though, because they are afraid that they will get into trouble.

They might even be called a “Pharisee” or a “legalist”.

OH, My.

The reason I’m harping on all this is because Universal Reconciliation is exploding in popularity today! Even among those who claim to believe in the Judgment of all men and the Eternal Punishment of those who reject Jesus Christ as the only way of Salvation.

Is It Really All That Bad?

So, let’s take a very brief look at Universal Reconciliation. I will go into this more deeply in future posts. But, for now, let’s just see why this heresy is so dangerous.

And what is really at stake here? Here are some of the “challenges” that the UR devotee likes to throw at the Evangelical or Fundamentalist:

  • The nature of man: The UR guy questions if man is really that bad after all.
  • The unregenerate nature of man: Hasn’t that all been taken care of already at the Cross? Even applied to those who haven’t believed yet?
  • The requirement of faith for salvation: Or is faith itself now considered a “work”?
  • The requirement of repentance: Is it sorrow for sin at the core of one’s being? Or is it just a change of mind toward what Jesus has already done? As in coming to a realization of the forgiveness and eternal life they already have? Not simply have the opportunity to have if they believe but already have. 
  • The nature of the full atonement: Is the atonement really necessary? I mean, is God the Father an abusive Father that would really sacrifice His Son because He was mad at the disobedience of His other children?
  • The love of God: Isn’t God, as a true God of Love, bound to make sure that every soul will be saved at some point in the future? After all, how could a loving God create anyone knowing they would suffer forever?
  • The holy and righteous character of God: God’s love is more powerful than His other attributes. And therefore, His love will overcome or set aside any other quality of His character – such as holiness and purity. Because this is what “love” requires. 
  • The eternal judgment of the lost: How can a loving God torture someone forever for what are essentially “finite” sins?
  • The wrath of God: Supposedly, this does not mean what Christians normally think it means. UR proponents say that it really is all about the “fiery passion” of God toward His children. As a father who loves his children has a passionate love for them and seeks to discipline them – always with an end to rehabilitation. Not anger, not punishment, not violent retribution. Because that would be “unloving. 
  • The eternal nature of God: Supposedly, the Bible does not teach “eternal” punishment. Because the true definitions of the words for “eternal” or “forever” or “everlasting” actually mean temporary periods of time. 
  • The preaching of the gospel to reach the lost: Is, supposedly, simply so people can see what they already have. Or already ARE in God’s sight. As opposed to being lost or saved, as the Fundamentalist would say. Because now, the idea seems to be that there is nothing to be “saved” from!!!??

Yeah. Each of the statements following the bullet points represents a departure of the faith made by those who claim to believe in Universal Reconciliation. And even though some may claim not to stand on all of these points, the overall gist of UR is that God will not allow anyone to suffer forever in hell or the lake of fire. And, in some cases, that includes Satan, the fallen angels, the antichrist, and the false prophet!

These are not simply isolated, fringe ideas. This is a theology that is growing by leaps and bounds within Evangelicalism as pastors, seminary professors, bloggers, YouTubers, writers, teachers, and publishers are being drawn away from the plain, straight-forward belief in the written word of God.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”

(II Thessalonians 2: 1-3)

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