The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Was Jesus urging us to hope and believe in UR?

Luke 14:

  • Parable of the Guests
  • Parable of the Dinner
  • The unwise builder
  • The unwise battle commander

Luke 15:

  • The Lost Sheep
  • The Lost Coin
  • The Prodigal Son

Luke 16:

  • The Unrighteous Steward
  • The Rich Man and Lasarus

It’s interesting to me that this collection ends with the popular parable on hell which many take quite literally and use as primary evidence for ECT.

Suppose the main point of this whole collection is:

Hope for and expect God to redeem every last person ever created or else you may find yourself being:

  • The one expecting to be honored at dinner

  • The one that had better things to do than attend a dinner with those other folks

  • The unwise builder (life based on hoping others get what they deserve)

  • The unwise battle commander (Waring against the God who will redeem all)

  • The elder son

  • The unrighteous steward

And finally:

  • The Rich Man in hell

Maybe I’m completely missing it but what else could be the main point of all these parables grouped together?

Interesting thoughts, man :slight_smile: I still think the Rich Man would get out of hell eventually though. Think of the rich young ruler who talked with Jesus.
After their exchange, when the rich young ruler walked away, the Scriptures say that Jesus looked at him and loved him. :slight_smile:
And then he went on to say that it is harder for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven then it is for a camel to be pulled through the eye of a needle. The people asked him who then would be saved. And he said that these things are impossible with man, but all things are possible with God. :slight_smile:
It’s like C.S. Lewis said, how he believed that God would pull him through that needle, thread by bloody thread.
In other words, God can save anyone, no matter how painful or difficult the process may be for the one God is saving.
I think that’s the thing that always bugged me about ECT… if, like Jesus said, all things are possible with God, and, again like Jesus said, God loves the world, then why the heck is universal salvation such a bad conclusion to come to?
How is that damnable heresy? It’s only logical. :slight_smile: And not just any logic, but the logic of love.
When you love someone, and if you have the power to help them, you will help them. That’s just how it is.
It is an unbreakable, unshakeable reality.
A God who wants what is best for all and can do what is best for all, WILL in fact do what is best for all.
Period. End of story. :slight_smile:
No wonder why I felt schizophrenic trying to hold to ECT. It is a denial of reality, clinging to something insane instead of accepting the beautiful and wonderful logic of love. :confused:
Anyone who is reading this that doesn’t believe in UR (yet), just think about this.
Dare to ask questions. Dare to question God (think of how many people genuinely questioned God in Scripture… were they struck down with lightning? I think not), to question your beliefs and even your convictions, your assumptions, tradition and pastors and teachers and leaders, even Scripture (or at least your translation or interpretation).
Don’t you want to believe in something that is worth believing in?
Why torture yourself by believing in something that both your heart and your mind cry out against, in those moments when you really think about it, and everything it entails?
So many ‘conservatives’ treat emotions as if they were evil, as if they were created by the devil instead of by God.
But they weren’t. God made them, just like He made sex. Wow, huh? :open_mouth:
Mental and emotional anguish, like physical pain, is a sign that something is wrong, and needs to be made right.
Have you ever thought that what you feel about the doctrine of hell does actually matter?
It may not be everything, and you should certainly find other evidence to support those feelings, but isn’t it something?
I for one am more able to trust God now that I know He won’t give up on my family and my friends, or on anyone. Ever.
I’ve spent far too many nights in the past (thankfully not recently) hitting my head against walls, and clawing at my chest until I bleed, and making myself pass out, because of things like this.
Listen to the pain. It is saying something to you.
It is saying that there is something wrong.
It doesn’t have to be like this, and you don’t have to believe this…

Okay, I’m done. :slight_smile: Sorry for the rant. Well, not sorry for it, but you know what I mean. :wink:

Blessings

Matt

Matt,

I agree with you. I think everyone comes to the party eventually - even the Prodigal’s elder brother. He waited outside, pouted, and finally realized the truth of his father’s love and grace so he came in to join the party.

I also believe the elder brother got an equally loving and gracious reception from his father AND BROTHER and the party was even better with him there than before.

The elder brother expected to be first on his dad’s list but ended up being the last one to get it.

The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Amen, bro :slight_smile: