Is it universalism?
God wants sons and daughters, not zombies who lack the freedom to think and to choose without coercion to love their heavenly Father.
Trinitarian theologian T. F. Torrance is on record for rejecting universalism because he sees in Scripture that, in the end, some people will believe while others will not. We can’t fully explain why this is; but neither can we fully explain the presence of evil in a world under God’s sovereign control (see An Introduction to Torrance Theology, by Elmer Colyer, p.54).
Comments
I, for one, take great delight in telling people that God's gift of salvation sits before them waiting to be unwrapped so that the grace it brings may shine into and through their lives. Praise God!
Universalism denies this freedom by saying that all are (or will be) saved, no matter what.
Calvinism denies this freedom by saying that all the elect (and only the elect) will be saved, no matter what. And all the non-elect (the damned) will be damned, no matter what.
Both Calvinism and Universalism diminish the stunning truth that God, in Christ, has included us all in a real relationship with him - a relationship that includes the exercise of our real (God-given) freedom.
What God seeks is our love. And love can never be coerced. God wants our hearts, not our mere presence with him in some sort of Zombie-like fashion.
Thus God, himself, precludes the idea of Universalism and it's counterpart, Calvinism.
These are announcements of what God wanted to do, did, does, and will do in Jesus Christ. Salvation is a DECLARATION for all, not a reward for doing anything. It is true for all.
The ONLY thing that makes this all a personal reality for EVERY human being is to BELIEVE it and thereby live in it now and forever.
Apparently, some will not and continue to live in "hell" which theoretically could last forever.
Since Universal Reconciliation is a reality for ALL humans, hopefully all will come to see it and believe it in time.
Paul Kurts
Madison, AL
Aloha!
J. Richard Parker
I agree in large part with your summation. The only thing I'd add is a word of caution concerning characterizing salvation with the word "declaration." I see a potential danger here of truncating the biblical idea of salvation and thus losing its fullness as what it is, namely a *relationship* rather than a mere event or declaration.
I know you are not intending a truncation, but are (admirably) seeking to uphold the truth that salvation is in Jesus alone, through God's grace alone. Indeed, this truth must be carefully upheld.
As you note (and I fully agree), all humanity, quite apart from any works or personal merit of its own has been "adopted" and thus made to be God's dearly loved children.
All (without exception) are included, accepted, reconciled, forgiven and loved. And in that sense, all are saved. And all this is of grace alone in Christ alone.
But these children of God are, in the Spirit's sovereign timing for each one, bid and enabled to hear and then invited to accept, and in accepting personally and actively participate, in their true identity in Christ.
This acceptance and active personal participation involves biblical repentance, faith and commitment to pick up one's cross and follow Jesus as his disciple.
This personal action is not the *cause* of salvation, but it does make this salvation both personal and in that sense *personally realized.*
And even this is God's gift to the person, though not one that is forced on them. Indeed, God will never force acceptance on anyone. Indeed, Scripture indicates that some will refuse, and in that sense, not experience the benefit of the salvation that is theirs in Christ.
With this in mind, Capon speaks of the citizens of hell, like the citizens of heaven, as being forgiven sinners. Both have have been forgiven because of Jesus' work and God's declaration on their behalf. But the citizens of hell refuse to accept what has been offered, namely a loving and reciprocal relationship with God. This refusal places them in that "place" (condition) of alienation from God known in its ultimate sense as *hell.*
That some would refuse, is, I suppose, the ultimate tragic irony - they are intentionally refusing what is their actual and true identify as a dearly loved child of God.
Why would God not force a person's acceptance? Certainly he could, but he will not because he seeks a relationship of mutual love, not a relationship that is forced or coerced and thus no relationship at all.
In this way, a Trinitarian, Christ-centered Theology upholds both God's sovereignty and human freedom/choice in its view of salvation, which, in its ultimate sense, is an on-going relationship of mutual love between God and his children.
I may not be able to always express it as well as I should, but It is GOOD and I like it!
blessings,
Paul