|
cfl777 -> RE: Can a Universalist be saved? (5/21/2007 5:17:30 AM)
|
Judge for yourself........
Unitarian Universalism is a fairly small, yet widely influential, cult. Having under 300,000 registered members, mostly in the United States, they are becoming more and more popular. Relativism, tolerance, and alternative lifestyles are all buzz-words promoted by Unitarian Universalism.
The Unitarian Universalist name comes from their denial of the doctrine of the Trinity and their belief that all human beings gain salvation--the mere idea someone might go to hell is not compatible with the character of a loving God. Its roots go all the way back to the sixteenth-century when Unitarian beliefs became popular during the Reformation. Unitarianism thought and Universalism thought were merged together during the late eighteenth-century in America during the Age of Reason. The intellectual elite of that time refused to believe in such biblical teachings as total depravity and eternal damnation, but rather embraced the idea of a single loving God who would never cause someone to suffer.
Adherents of Unitarian Universalism base their beliefs primarily upon their own experiences, and are not committed to any one religious system. They believe that each individual has the right to decide for themselves what to believe in, and that others should not infringe upon this right. As a result, one such believer might lean toward liberal Christianity, while another might lean toward New Age spirituality. There is no real dogma beyond tolerance. They reject the Bible as being the Word of God, equating it with barbaric writing that has little to do with modern man; it is a book of myths. As such, they reject the Bible's portrayal of a Triune God, leaving the concept of God up to each individual's imagination.
To Unitarian Universalism, Jesus was a good moral teacher, but nothing more. He is not considered to be divine, and every miracle associated with Him is rejected as being outside of human reason. Most sayings of Jesus recorded in the Bible are regarded as embellishments on the part of the authors. Jesus did not die to save mankind from sin, as man is not a fallen sinner. Emphasis is placed on humankind's capacity for goodness. Sin is completely relative, and the term itself is rarely used. Man saves himself through personal improvement, salvation being a purely worldly experience, a "waking up" to the world around oneself. This is very important, for death is final. Most Unitarian Universalists deny the existence of an afterlife, so all we have on earth is all we'll ever get.
Unitarian Universalism has nothing in common with biblical Christianity. It is a false gospel; its teachings are contrary to the Bible, and its members strongly oppose traditional, biblical Christian beliefs (while purporting to be free of discrimination or prejudice of any kind). The Bible clearly refutes Unitarian Universalism on all the major points of its teachings.
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
That being said......
Universalism is the belief that everyone will be saved. There are many people today who hold to the viewpoint of “Universal Salvation” - the idea that all men eventually end up in heaven with the Lord. Perhaps it is the thought of men and women living a life of eternal torment in hell that causes some to reject the teaching of Scripture on this issue. For some it is their over-emphasis on the love and compassion of Christ that lead them to believe that God will have mercy on every living soul. But the scriptures do teach that some men will spend an eternity in hell, while others an eternity in paradise with the Lord.
First of all, the proof that unredeemed men will dwell forever in hell. Jesus’ own words confirm that the time spent in heaven for the redeemed will last as long as the unredeemed in hell. Matthew 25:46 says, “And these [unredeemed] will go away into ETERNAL punishment, but the righteous into ETERNAL life” (emphasis mine). Some believe that those in hell will eventually cease to exist, but the Lord himself confirms that it will last forever. This "eternal fire" is mentioned previously in Matthew 25:41 as well. In Mark 9:44 Jesus speaks about hell as the "unquenchable fire." It will never go out because it will burn forever.
How does one avoid this "unquenchable fire"? Many people believe that all roads lead to heaven, or they consider that God is so full of love and mercy that He will allow all people into heaven. While God is certainly full of love and mercy, it was these qualities that lead Him into sending His Son, Jesus Christ to earth and to die on the cross for us. Jesus Christ is the exclusive door that leads to an eternity in heaven. Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation is no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all …” In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, the WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM should not perish but have eternal life.” If man chooses to reject God’s son, they do not meet the requirements for salvation (John 3:16,36).
With verses such as these, it becomes clear that Universalism and Universal Salvation is an anti-Biblical belief. Universalism does not line up with what scripture teaches. While many people today accuse Christians of being intolerant and “exclusive,” it is important to remember that these are the words of Christ Himself. Christianity did not develop these ideas on its own, Christians are simply stating what the Lord has already said. People choose to reject the message because they do not want to face up to their sin, and admit that they need the Lord to save them. To say that those who reject God’s provision of salvation through His Son will be saved is to belittle the holiness and justice of God and negate the need of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.
So the simple answer to your question....No!
|
|
|
|