I don’t believe that a scripturally robust universalism is a deterrent to evangelism at all. It certainly does require that we seriously rethink our motivations for evangelism, but I personally think it’s very freeing to be giving the real good news!
Why would UR be a deterrent to evangelism? While we can view ourselves as bearers of better news than ECT proponents, unless you are an ultra-universalist, there is still the matter of purgatorial hell. And whatever that might entail, one certainly has cause to effectively warn those of God’s judgments toward the unrepentent. Certainly, there is enough in scripture to warrant a sense on impending doom to sinners of the temporal torments that await those who haven’t come to Christ. Indeed, there may even be cause to seek the backsliders in our own ranks to warn of possible retribution and chastisement of God:
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” - I Peter 4:17
The call is for the sinner to repent, saved or not.
I’ve found that faith in Jesus to reconcile all, to make all things right, that He really is the savior of all has filled me with faith in the power of the Good News of God’s love for us - “for God so loved…”. And I’m encouraged that my message is the same message as the one preached by John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles - “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand (within reach).” They did not preach, “Repent or go to Hell”; and that is NOT Good News, but it’s BAD News.
Coupled with the revelation that Jesus is truly savior of all, the Lord also revealed to me the brotherhood of all humanity. For several days I had been thinking on the meaning of all being created in the image of God. This is a familial phrase, “image of God”, signifying that we are all children of God. My sons and daughter bear my “image”; they are created in my image. The Lord gave my son and I a life-changing lesson on this. At the time my son and I carpooled together to work. As we were going into work we drove under an interstate overpass to get to the onramp. Under the overpass a homeless man had spent the night. You could tell he had soiled himself and was just waking. The Holy Spirit filled our car and said to me, “If that was Ronnie, your brother, what would you do?” As we passed by the man and we’re getting on the onramp my son, who was driving, looks over at me and says, “Dad, what are we going to do?” He did not hear the Lord but he felt the conviction that we needed to do something. We’re on the interstate though and the next exit is a few miles down the road. His work hours are not flexible, mine are; so I decided to take him to work and return to see if I can help this man.
An hour later I return, honestly hoping that the man has moved on already, only to find him still there. I stopped and asked if I could help, which he gladly recieved. Took him to breakfast, to a store for some new clothes, and he wanted to go to the bus stop an hour North, when my work is 30 minutes south. So I took him to the bus stop and gave him what cash I had to help buy a ticket to get him home. Well, turns out his name is “Ronnie” and he’s a veteran that had fallen on some hard times who was just trying to get home, having already walked hundreds of miles, and he was a Christian. So he was really my brother Ronnie!
That was on a Monday. Tuesday evening my son and I went to help feed the homeless at a worship service that is held underneath one of the bridges in Nashville every Tuesday night. I “coicidentally” sad beside a homeless man whose name was also “Ronnie”!
What Jesus said to me, “What would you do if that was Ronnie, your brother?” actually haunts/empowers me to this day. It convicts the hell outta my selfish nature, and it encourages me to value everyone I meet as part of my family.
To me, the reality of God being “OUR Father in heaven” has changed my perspective on everyone. I see everyone as having a value of immeasurable worth - regardless of how messed up they are. Everyone is part of my family and this deserving of love and respect. And I am filled with tremendous passion to participate in OUR Father’s mission of reconciling all of OUR family, to set the captives free, to raise the dead to life, to bring home my prodigal brothers and sisters. He has revealed His love to me for me for all and I get to participate in revealing His (now OUR) love for all to all! I don’t have to judge. I don’t have to worry about who’s in and out. I don’t need to criticize. I get to simply love others as I’ve been loved. And I really believe that “Love never fails.” OUR Father will not fail to rescue, save, any of OUR family, my brothers and sisters!
God loves you, so go and love others! It’s pretty simple. The truth of UR has has empowered me to love God and everyone more, and to have faith in the power of love!
If avoiding everlasting punishment is the main motivation for becoming a Christian, then I have my doubts whether those who respond to an “evangelistic” appeal only to avoid hell, thereby become disciples of Christ.
Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23 NKJV)
So to become a disciple of Christ one must deny himself and die to self (take up his cross daily). But if a person is chiefly interested in escaping hell, then this is just one more example of serving himself.
Amen!