Christian Universalism

Are there any Christian Universalists On this forum? Just curious.

Does the following accurately describe you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Universalism

Originally posted by JS357
Are there any Christian Universalists On this forum? Just curious.

Does the following accurately describe you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Universalism

No, not me.

Originally posted by RJHinds
No, not me.

In what way(s) does it not describe you?

Originally posted by JS357
In what way(s) does it not describe you?

I don't believe all will be restored to a right relationship with God.
It is a nice idea though.

Originally posted by RJHinds
I don't believe all will be restored to a right relationship with God.
It is a nice idea though.

It sounds too civilized for you doesn't it ?

Originally posted by JS357
Are there any Christian Universalists On this forum? Just curious.

Does the following accurately describe you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Universalism

Doesn't sound like they'd make good conversationalists...but I may be wrong.

Originally posted by RJHinds
I don't believe all will be restored to a right relationship with God.
It is a nice idea though.

There are a couple of ways it could be true:

1. God's design is to create only those people who will be saved (I use "saved" as shorthand). If God, who knows all, knows that a person will not be saved, why would God create that person just to see that person not be saved?

or,

2. By coincidence, all those created, will come to be saved. This has to be a possibility, otherwise if some people have no possibility of being saved, they have no free will about it.

It seems to me you have to grant the possibility of it being true, and if it is possible and that would make a better world, why would God not do it? I am not trying to change your mind, I just want to understand the thinking. I think God would have that option and being good, would do it that way.

is it not the word catholic means universal, which is why the roman catholics use that as there paper name.

Originally posted by JS357
Are there any Christian Universalists On this forum? Just curious.

Does the following accurately describe you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Universalism

The belief negates the need for a Savour and therefore could be considered anti-christ.

The text in the link also talks about "restoring" the relationship with all humans and God. This would presume that there was previously a relationship with God by all individuals; a doctrinal position which is not supported Biblically.

Originally posted by RJHinds
I don't believe all will be restored to a right relationship with God.
It is a nice idea though.

What do you make of this verse then:

2Pet 3:9 The Lord is ... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Originally posted by Rajk999
What do you make of this verse then:

2Pet 3:9 The Lord is ... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

For all to repent is God's will, but humans have their own will,
which is usually opposed to God's. Most of us want our own will
to be done. An atheist is not going to pray, "let God's will be done"
because he does not believe there is a God to pray to. All he wants
is his own will to be done. Who does an atheist repent to? How
could this idea possibly work? I just can't envision it happening.

Originally posted by RJHinds
For all to repent is God's will, but humans have their own will,
which is usually opposed to God's. Most of us want our own will
to be done. An atheist is not going to pray, "let God's will be done"
because he does not believe there is a God to pray to. All he wants
is his own will to be done. Who does an atheist repent to? How
could this idea possibly work? I just can't envision it happening.

God has in the past manipulated situations despite man having free will so that certain ends can be acheived. What is stopping him from doing that sometime in the future so that all will come to repentance and believe in Him? Its an elementary matter to get an atheist to believe.

Are you saying that cannot happen ?

Originally posted by Rajk999
God has in the past manipulated situations despite man having free will so that certain ends can be acheived. What is stopping him from doing that sometime in the future so that all will come to repentance and believe in Him? Its an elementary matter to get an atheist to believe.

Are you saying that cannot happen ?

Nothing is impossible with God. However, I am of the opinion
that is not going to happen. I must admit I am not infallible.

Originally posted by RJHinds
I don't believe all will be restored to a right relationship with God.
It is a nice idea though.

Well if it's a nice idea and God represents absolute goodness, then why is it not so?

Originally posted by divegeester
The belief negates the need for a Savour and therefore could be considered anti-christ.

The text in the link also talks about "restoring" the relationship with all humans and God. This would presume that there was previously a relationship with God by all individuals; a doctrinal position which is not supported Biblically.

How does it negate the need for a savior? Seems like just the opposite.