Oh, Come on! How could the whole evangelical movement be wrong?

What? No eternal Hell?
Sounds ridiculous! Every christian knows there is an eternal Hell. What else are we saved from? We are the proclaimers of truth! We are the ones who know. We are the light of the world! This is just too fundamental, it's just too basic! How could all the seminarians miss this? If we could be wrong on this... what else could we have wrong? I don't want to try to rethink all the issues. I am sure that we all can't be wrong on this one. Besides I already know a couple of people who I think need to go to Hell forever. Maybe I just wouldn't want to share eternity with them. (Oh, that doesn't work too well with verses about christians being known by their love, and love your enemies, and if you don't forgive men then neither will I forgive you...)

If I started entertaining the belief that everyone will someday be saved, my christian friends would think I was heretical, and I would lose my close friendships... surely God wouldn't want that! Even my family members would reject me to a degree, maybe even cut off fellowship.

Do these thoughts ring true with you? They are sadly accurate, only I didn't realize this before I began sharing openly that I believed the huge conspiracy that began around the time of Augustine, causing the translations from Greek to Latin to English to become corrupted with the false doctrine which presents a false concept and image of our loving benevolent Father and His beautiful selfless Son.

Pr 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

Isa 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Mt 11:25 ¶ At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Lu 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Ro 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.


All that said, the severity of the changed relationships that I have experienced as a result of openly and honestly sharing what I believe to be "Good News" (gospel), has been intense, to say the least. I am not bitter, but I have felt and continue to feel the pain of lost fellowship, mainly with those who are scared by the doctrine of the ultimate salvation of all. I miss the respect I once had of those who can't see what I think I see so clearly, especially those in my own family, but I have confidence that this is part of God's good design and plan, and I appreciate the reality that pride is lessened and humility is increased. As a result of this experience, these two portions of Scripture have come alive with feeling and meaning for me:

Just after Jesus opened up and revealed essential truth for "eternal life" many couldn't understand or believe what He said, and this was the result: Joh 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? I believe this was a painful experience that our Lord endured. I never noticed it, or felt the emotion of it until I had experienced brothers and sisters in our fellowship who walked away because the teaching I was sharing was too hard to receive.

The second passage is: Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

I prayed this prayer for years, now and then, but it wasn't until so many in our fellowship walked away, that I began to experience fellowship with my Lord's sufferings in the moment when His disciples walked away.

When Jesus saw them walk away He said, "Joh 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." So Jesus rested in the sovereign will of His Father, and so I rest in the same. (When I'm thinking right.)

That I may know Him... knowing Jesus is life in this age and in the age to come. (aionios life).
And the power of His resurrection... not just powerful enough to raise a few, but powerful enough to raise EVERYONE!
And the fellowship of His sufferings... to experience the same sufferings for the same cause is possibly the deepest form of fellowship!
I still don't think I understand the last phrase...being made conformable unto his death, but I'm sure it will be good thing when it occurs.