"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
Some of you may feel uncomfortable to hear the word ‘Universalism’. I can understand such feeling. It is a serious matter not merely because of the pervading feeling but because it is closely related to the matter of our souls. Evidently, the salvation through Jesus Christ has its exclusive character. We cannot deny this fact.
The important point related to this fact is God’s judgment. The topic of judgment is found mentioned in Jesus’ parable about the kingdom of God. Chaff is burnt on the day of harvest. The virgins who did not prepare their oil in advance could not enter into the banquet and they were left outside the banquet weeping. Jesus’ second coming indicates the final judgment. Then do the terms universalism and judgment contradict each other?
The two doctrines appear to be contradictory to each other when we look at it in a single layer. But they do not seem to oppose with each other when we look into its central part and see it through the multi-layers of it. The combined study of these two doctrines clearly shows us a certain truth just like the right way is directed with the pointing of the forefinger. It appears to be a doctrine of contradiction because we do not have the cognitive ability to clearly see the pointed direction. If we open our sight a little wider and see the reality, we can come to know the fact that the direction of the finger of universalism and judgment is finally identical to each other. In other word, the doctrine of universalism and judgment are no longer contradictory but complementary to each other.
First, imagine, why the Bible talks about judgment though judgment damages God’s creation and his grace. This appears to be a negative view point in relation to God’s absolute character. God’s creation and his subsequent sovereign rule are beautiful and perfect. However, this world is ruled by evil and sin. This world is now in the transitional age. At the end of time when the activity of creation is completed, the countries with absolute truth and righteousness will come to surface. The only way to deal with the gap of the two extreme worlds is judgment. We have to regard the image of judgment as something that brings about the completeness of the kingdom of God rather than that throws certain objects into the eternal lake of fire in hell.
Some of you may feel uncomfortable to hear the word ‘Universalism’. I can understand such feeling. It is a serious matter not merely because of the pervading feeling but because it is closely related to the matter of our souls. Evidently, the salvation through Jesus Christ has its exclusive character. We cannot deny this fact.
The important point related to this fact is God’s judgment. The topic of judgment is found mentioned in Jesus’ parable about the kingdom of God. Chaff is burnt on the day of harvest. The virgins who did not prepare their oil in advance could not enter into the banquet and they were left outside the banquet weeping. Jesus’ second coming indicates the final judgment. Then do the terms universalism and judgment contradict each other?
The two doctrines appear to be contradictory to each other when we look at it in a single layer. But they do not seem to oppose with each other when we look into its central part and see it through the multi-layers of it. The combined study of these two doctrines clearly shows us a certain truth just like the right way is directed with the pointing of the forefinger. It appears to be a doctrine of contradiction because we do not have the cognitive ability to clearly see the pointed direction. If we open our sight a little wider and see the reality, we can come to know the fact that the direction of the finger of universalism and judgment is finally identical to each other. In other word, the doctrine of universalism and judgment are no longer contradictory but complementary to each other.
First, imagine, why the Bible talks about judgment though judgment damages God’s creation and his grace. This appears to be a negative view point in relation to God’s absolute character. God’s creation and his subsequent sovereign rule are beautiful and perfect. However, this world is ruled by evil and sin. This world is now in the transitional age. At the end of time when the activity of creation is completed, the countries with absolute truth and righteousness will come to surface. The only way to deal with the gap of the two extreme worlds is judgment. We have to regard the image of judgment as something that brings about the completeness of the kingdom of God rather than that throws certain objects into the eternal lake of fire in hell.
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