UNIVERSAL RECONCILIATION
By Clyde L. Pilkington Jr.
Grace is much more glorious and amazing than man recognizes. Religion hides the full accomplishments of the suffering and dying of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The work of salvation for mankind is full and complete. As ambassadors of Christ, we are only to proclaim its glorious message. Those who respond by faith can enjoy their position in Christ now while here on earth.
There are three different views of the destiny of the lost. These approaches can be termed as (1) "Eternal Conscious Torment," (2) "Extermination," (3) "Universal Reconciliation." All three have apparent scriptural support. But for every verse apparently supporting the first two views, there are many more verses that appear to support the latter.
Here are some examples of verses that support universal reconciliation:
"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear" (Isaiah 45:22,23).
"Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Luke 3:5,6).
"That was the true Light [Jesus Christ], which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9).
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto Him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
"...This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world" (John 4:42).
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me" (John 12:32).
"Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21).
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous" (Romans 5:17- 19).
"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming. Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all." (I Corinthians 15:21-28).
"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead ... To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (II Corinthians 5:14,19).
"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him" (Ephesians 1:10).
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11).
"And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven" (Colossians 1:20).
"Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (I Timothy 2:6).
"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, Who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe" (I Timothy 4:10).
"And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (I John 2:2).
"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, 'Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever'" (Revelation 5:13).
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:4).