Jesus Creed is another site I watch and participate in some. Today I just posted the following at patheos.com/community/jesuscreed/2011/03/07/waiting-for-rob-bell-2/comment-page-3/#comment-130117. I thought the last paragraph was especially good (if I do say so myself). It is in response to Wayne’s post that basically asks “If UR then why evangelize?”
Hi Wayne @ 119,
Personally speaking, Universal Reconciliation (UR) has energized and empowered evangelism and missions in my life. I have a much greater faith in the power of the Gospel, the good news of God’s love for us and the DBR of Christ for I believe that God Wins, that Love Wins. And a foundational belief of UR is the brotherhood of all humanity – that every person is my family, my brother or sister, whether they realize it or not. This has given me a tremendous love for people whom I do not know. Another belief of UR is the recognition of the present evil age, the present kingdom of darkness. My brothers and my sisters are slaves in this present kingdom of darkness, and the faith that God will ultimately deliver them, to reconcile them, fuels my passion to participate in that ministry of reconciliation, to give my life in service to those who are slaves to the kingdom of darkness. Love + Faith is a much more powerful motivation than Love + Fear. Coming to be a convinced universalist has given me much more faith in the power of love, the power of grace, and the power of the Gospel.
Also, sharing my faith in Christ has become much easier because the Good News of UR is much more “good” than the traditional message “God loves you but if you don’t (whatever) you’re going to burn in Hell forever.”
Oh, and concerning missions, I wonder how many people are hindered from putting their faith in Christ because to do so according to the traditional gospel, one must also accept that their deceased loved ones are being tortured forever.
In the traditional doctrine of Hell, God doesn’t win and most of humanity remains lost, slaves to sin forever. The kingdom of God, though maybe larger in size, is smaller in human population than the kingdom of darkness that is never really conquered, but is shoved off to some corner because love could not free them from their slavery to unrighteousness. Love fails!
Comment by Sherman Nobles — March 9, 2011 @ 11:06 am
