{"id":3612,"date":"2013-10-02T16:19:45","date_gmt":"2013-10-02T23:19:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/godslovewins.com\/blog\/?page_id=3612"},"modified":"2014-12-08T08:07:44","modified_gmt":"2014-12-08T16:07:44","slug":"clarity-about-universalism","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/godslovewins.com\/blog\/andre-rabe\/clarity-about-universalism\/","title":{"rendered":"Clarity About “Universalism”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clarity…by Andre Rabe<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Distractions can cause us to miss some of the most valuable moments. A slight change in perspective can reveal or hide the beauty in a scene.<\/p>\n

We so want people to enjoy the value and beauty of what we have seen. From time to time rumors are stirred, that have caused unnecessary distractions. I recognize that Paul addressed situations in which he was misunderstood and so for the sake of clarity I write the following.<\/p>\n

A term that seems to often cause confusion is \u2018universalism\u2019. Every now and then we get an email asking question such as: \u201care you a Universalist\u201d or \u201cdo you believe in hell\u201d etc. What follows are the responses we give to those such questions. It is not a defense of, or an attack on the doctrine of universalism, but simply a clarification of what it is, and how it differs from the focus of our message.<\/p>\n

Universalism is firstly a doctrine that concerns itself with the future, specifically, the end \u2013 an eschatological doctrine. Behind this doctrine are many conversations and argumets that have been going on since Christianity began and as such there are many variations to it. Rob Bell\u2019s book, \u2019Love wins\u2019 is one of the latest events that has brought the topic into popular awareness. The specific part of Universalism that makes it so controversial is the suggestion that everyone, without exception, will ultimately be reconciled with God.<\/p>\n

The message that Mary-Anne and I proclaim is focussed first and foremost, not on the future, but on the success of what Jesus Christ has already achieved. There is a very specific reason for this focus, namely: If we do not understand the success of what Jesus accomplished and the implications of that accomplishment for our present life, for this present moment, then our interpretations of what it means for the future will always be skewed. It is the fact that \u2019love won\u2019, that has captured our hearts. We are not busy predicting the ultimate reconciliation of all things, we are rejoicing in the reality that \u201cGod was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.\u201d (2 Cor 5:19<\/a>)<\/p>\n

So in conclusion to the question of universalism:
\nUniversalism is a theory about the future, about the final end-state of all things. Our message \u2026 our gospel is the good news of what already happened; it is not the good prediction, but the good news!<\/p>\n

A second question that often follows is: \u201cAre you saying it does not matter what people believe?\u201d<\/p>\n

This question naturally follows because of our unashamed declaration that Jesus succeeded in his purpose, without your permission and whether you believe it or not. But this does not mean that faith is insignificant.<\/p>\n

My wife and I would not subject ourselves to a hectic schedule of traveling the world, finding ourselves in a different location every week, speaking to a new group of people, if we thought that what people believe is not important. To proclaim the gospel in such a way that many believe is our passion. To introduce people to the person of Jesus Christ, the person who believes in them and thereby awaken faith, is what we have dedicated our lives to.<\/p>\n

So faith is of eternal significance \u2026 but our faith or unbelief does not change the truth. \u201cWill their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not!\u201d (Rom 3:3<\/a>)<\/p>\n

In conclusion to the second question:
\nWhen man is presented with the reality of what God has done for and with man in Christ Jesus, it does not remove the need for faith, but greatly intensifies it. When we see the reality of God\u2019s opinion of us and how that contrast with the reality of our experience it creates a confrontation: do we want to live in God\u2019s reality or continue in the chaos and deception of our own opinions.<\/p>\n

See chapter from the book \u2018Imagine\u2019 that explains the relationship between faith and the accomplishment of Jesus:
\nConfronted by Reality.<\/p>\n

The following audios deal with the subject of faith as well:
\nFaith in the context of the incarnation.<\/a>
\nGalations 3<\/a><\/p>\n

Another question that we often get is: \u201cDo you believe there is no hell?\u201d<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t even have to theorize about the future, we can simply involve ourselves in the lives of people around us and know for certain there is a hell, a place of torment and suffering. However, I also know that whatever torment people are suffering is not a torment placed on them by God. He is consistent. He demonstrated in Christ that He would rather go to hell Himself than abandon us to it. So whatever hell people experience is a hell of there own making and it is as real as it is unnecessary.<\/p>\n

Again it seems that the concerns were not raised by anything we taught, but rather by our refusal to make hell the content of our proclamation.<\/p>\n

I enjoy what Karl Barth had to say about it:
\n\u201cShould the teaching about hell be a part of the proclamation of the gospel? No, no, no! The proclamation of the gospel means, rather, the proclamation that Christ has defeated hell, that Christ suffered hell in our place, and that it has allowed for us to live with Christ and so to have hell behind us\u201d<\/p>\n

– Karl Barth (Gesamtausgabe, 25:111)<\/p>\n

Amazing that Paul, who writes almost 2\/3 of the new testament, does not devote one chapter to the subject \u2026 not even one paragraph! In fact he mentions hell only once: \u201cO Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory?\u201d (1 Cor 15:55<\/a>)<\/p>\n

So much of the criticism and warnings against our teaching comes from armchair theologians. It is ironic that while they sit at home and theorize about how dangerous our teaching is, we are going from continent to continent introducing people to Jesus Christ. Whatever your theory about hell, introducing people to Jesus must surely be the best thing you can do to prevent them from experiencing hell.<\/p>\n

The following article is relevant:\u00a0So what is heaven and what is hell.<\/a><\/p>\n

Hey guys, we have such beautiful news to share with the world. Let us adorn this gospel with our lives, with our words. Let\u2019s drop the labels and see again what Jesus sees.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t label people like we used to, with our handy pre-printed tags. We even tried doing this with Jesus, but He blew our definitions apart\u201d\u009d\u00a02 Cor 5:16<\/a>\u00a0(Word on the Street Translation)<\/p>\n

Jesus blew our definitions apart \u2026 and still does.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

– See more at: http:\/\/www.alwaysloved.net<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Clarity…by Andre Rabe   Distractions can cause us to miss some of the most valuable moments. A slight change in perspective can reveal or hide the beauty in a scene.…<\/p>\n

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