Here's what Paul said that we're
interested in. By the way, I think verse 17
probably is among one of the most misunderstood and misapplied
verses anywhere in the New Testament. But be that as it may, we read
it. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. And all things are of God, who
hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given
to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them, and hath committed unto us the ministry of word
of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you,
in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him
to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him. I preached this one time as a
sort of companion sermon to the rotten pillars of Arminianism. But this afternoon we look only
at the heresy of Universalism. Now there are a couple of views
that Universalists have that they might put forth in defense
of their doctrine of absolute or universal reconciliation or
atonement. Number one, that all people are
not saved. They do not attribute to the
sovereign will or the purpose of God, but they often blame
the churches for failing in not doing more, bringing the gospel
to more that they might hear. And they often have told us that
the blood of the heathen are upon our hands because we have
not done that. And then secondly, there are
some that seem that they are ready to accept the notion that
there is some other way for the heathen and for the unchurched
to be saved. Some people believe They can
behold creation, looking at that, recognize there is a creator. Others believe that simply out
of the conviction and the work of conscience alone they might
come. Others believe that the light
of nature is sufficient to bring them unto Christ, some by a secret
regeneration that is never brought forth and manifested. But in
our text today, there is a prominent subject, and that is the doctrine
of reconciliation. and Paul mentions it some five
times in the short span of word that we have read this evening. Now the first thing to do is
to get our contextual bearing and see where it is we might
launch our feeble vessel into this great swelling and flowing
river of the Word of God. Paul has dwelt at length upon
the glory and the wonder of the gospel and his manner of preaching
the gospel. And because that gospel reckons,
rather, that gospel therefore reveals God's method of reconciliation. In the gospel it is set out,
and that is, it is by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look
what Paul said. The ministry of reconciliation
is committed unto him. And this reconciliation rests
upon a sure foundation. We read it stated down in verse
21, that Christ has been made sin for us, he who knew no sin,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. So we consider
the question, is this reconciliation that is mentioned here, is it
universal in the absolute and unqualified sin. For Paul says
that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. Or is this reconciliation strict
and particular as our election and the atonement and such like? Has God, one, reconciled all
absolutely to himself. Has he reconciled everyone without
exception? Has he made all his friends? Has he come to peace with all?
Does he look favorably and savingly upon all? Or, secondly, has he
made it possible, as many insist today, for reconciliation to
be available unto all, having removed what they call all obstacle
to one being reconciled, so that now they may reconcile themselves
unto God. We should note here, I think,
that Paul speaks here in this passage in definite terms, not
conditional terms, but definite terms. Verse 18, he has reconciled
us unto God. Verse 19, was reconciling the
world unto himself. Or there is the third one. Is
this reconciling limited? Is it strict? Is it particular,
this reconciling, falling in line, therefore, with election,
with predestination, with a special love of God, and the particular
atonement of our Lord, and the sovereign regeneration of the
elect by the Spirit of God. Now, Universalists will tell
us all means all, and world means world. And they'll say that over
and over, by which they understand with no exception at all. So let us point out, all are
not Christian. The whole world is not reconciled
to God, has never been in any age, any time or any place since
Christ came and died. So let's take a closer look at
a couple of words before we enter into our text of the evening. One of them is actually not only
a word but also a Christian doctrine and that is the word of reconciliation,
and the various forms of it that we might find in the scripture. Reconcile, reconciled, reconciling,
and reconciliation. All of these we might meet with
in the scripture, or the verb form and the noun as it is in
scripture. Now, to reconcile one is to bring
together again two parties that might have one time been friends
and kindly toward the other, but for some reason, on some
account, they have become alienated and enmities come between and
they're separated one from the other. as two former friends
might be. We've known friends for years
and then something came between them and they were alienated
and separated one against the other. There's Joseph's brethren
that we might mention in scripture, separated, alienated. from their
brother, or sometimes we hear of a wife and a husband as the
Jew and the Gentile, and other examples that are estranged one
from the other. Not only estranged, but there
is enmity between them. so that they cannot speak peaceably
one from the other. So to change them from enmity
to friendship, that the offending party might put away their enmity
and the offended party might be appeased of the wrong that
has been committed against them. So in reconciliation of God and
sinners, it is God that takes the lead. He has reconciled sinners
unto himself, and the means of it is by Jesus Christ, who had
borne our sin, therefore we may be reconciled unto God. But as
long as those sin stand unatoned for and stand between us and
God, there can be no reconciliation. Now, there's a second word that
they place even more emphasis on, and that is the word world. Here is a great stumbling block
unto them. Here it is again, verse 19. God was in Christ reconciling
the world unto himself. So is this to be understood by
us in the Armenian sin? Every person ever born, every
sinner that ever lived or ever will live upon the face of the
earth, every single member of the human race, have they been
reconciled to God? And we asked another question.
Will they give the same meaning to world here as they do in John
chapter 3 and verse 16 and 1st John chapter 2 and verse 2. Now the word is the word cosmos,
our English word world as we express it. And it has various
meanings in the scripture. It means arrangement. It means
an orderly arrangement. It means a decoration. It can
mean an ornament. And contrary to the Armenian
interpretation, this word world is not used in a uniform one
fits all in the scripture. In fact, some, such as A.W. Pink, claim that the word cosmos
is translated and used, world, at least seven different ways
in the scripture, such as the universe, Acts 17 and verse 24,
humanity, Romans 3, verse 19 the world system in
John 12 and 31 and so on now at time it has no reference to
people at all when we meet with a word world in the scripture
look at Well, don't look there, but in Ecclesiastes chapter 3
and verse 11, we read, he has set the world in their heart. Now, how in the world can we
make that to be like the other? Matthew 16 and 26, what shall
it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, same word cosmos,
and lose his own soul? In James 3 and verse 6, I think
it is a hyperbole. The tongue is a fire, a world
of iniquity. Matthew 24 and verse 3. The disciples
asked the Lord about the end of the world. Not the end of
humanity, but the end of the world. Matthew 25, 34. Ephesians
1, 4. Revelation 13 and 8. All mention this, the foundation
of the world. And it's the same word again.
In 1 Peter 3.3, the word cosmos is translated in King James as
adorning. from the same word translated
world in John 3 and verse 16. Matthew 13, 38, in Jesus' parable
of the tares, he says, the field is the world. Same word again,
kosmod. So the conclusion is, there is
no way that these verses, all containing the word kosmod, can
be interpreted as to mean everyone without exception. No way. Now concerning universalism,
we may find it hard to get a hold upon the universal doctrine of
some because there are different degrees of it, different ways
that it is brought forth and is held. In other words, all
universalism is not the same universalism. One man's universalism
might differ from another man's universalism. For example, Armenians
believe that the love of God and the death of Jesus Christ
are absolutely universal, as we saw in that study on the rotten
pillows of Arminianism. Two rotten pillows are God loves
everybody exactly and Christ died for everybody exactly alike. And that is their doctrine. Then there are full universalists
make use of such terms as 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and their interpretation
of the word world And some carry it so far as to teach that all
will eventually be reconciled unto God, reconciling the world
unto himself, that all will eventually be saved. And some call this,
quote, final salvation, unquote. And some call it final restoration. And I heard a new term recently,
ultimate reconciliation from a man I knew that got off into
this. It is a restorationist view that
God will eventually restore all under fellowship with himself
and none will be lost. There are those texts that we
have in Romans 5, 18 and 19, Ephesians 1, 9 and 10. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 22. So we may look at some of these
later on in our study today. But let's look at a little background
and a little history on this teaching and movement. First
we learned that it's not a new teaching. Not a Johnny-come-lately,
it's not something that appeared in our day, it's not of recent
origin. That the evil enemies of the
gospel actually sowed these tares very early in the Christian movement. I read that Clement of Alexandria
was one of the earliest to write on universalism, and it was condemned
by the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553. Later, even out of Puritan
Calvinism, was spawned a particular universal view. Out of Calvinism,
England, and then it took its roots in America about the year
or the 16th century, confirming the old saying that heresies
are like fashion. They go out of style, they come
back in. They're here a while, they're
gone, and then they return. Till now we have some teaching
on that all will be ultimately saved and reconciled to God,
and that all, everyone, will be with God and happy in heaven. And they rest this upon what
they consider to be a universalist atonement made by Christ. So
if they believe in absolute universal restoration, they have to believe
in an absolute universal atonement by Christ. That Christ actually
paid the sin debt for every child of Adam and of Eve. Now it's interesting You can
find anything you want to on the Internet. And if you Google
and type in universalism, you can read all kinds of articles,
both pro and con, having to do with the doctrine of universalism. Now, the universalists seem to
be encouraged, as I found this quote on the site, quote, Many
Christians are rediscovering universalism and returning to
it today." And what they call discovery, I call apostasy, falling
away from the truth that many professing Christians are falling
away. They are apostatizing. They're
taking their leave of the faith and of the work of God and the
sovereign grace salvation. Here's a small sample of what
is available on the internet. Found this on an outfit calling
themselves tent makers, whatever that is, speaking of quote, Christian
universalism or ultimate universalism in Christ. He said this, He is
the Savior of the world through whom all mankind will be restored
to God's original image, unquote. And using such text as John 1,
29, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. In John 12 and verse 32, I will
draw all men unto me when I'm lifted up." Now, another called,
quote, Christian Universalistic Association, unquote, has posted
this under their name. All people are God's people,
and no one will be left behind. There is no burning hell of torture,"
unquote. And like most universalists,
they place heavy emphasis on the love of God. And not just
the love of God, but the aspect of the universal love of God. Here's a quote. Quote, God would
never abandon anyone to eternal punishment. God has a plan to
rescue and transform even those who turned away from truth and
goodness in this life. Our Heavenly Father will find
every lost sheep and forgive every prodigal son." Now, this
full universalism is the doctrine that all humans will be saved. And they call this, quote, the
gospel of inclusion, universal restoration, and the wider hope,
unquote. It proceeds upon the premise
of the universal fatherhood of God. Remember, some of you might,
when that reared its ugly head in the 60s and in the 70s around
the United States, when apostate spirits began to talk openly
about the fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of
man. But this was the liberals. This
was the liberals that did that and not the Bible Christian.
This was full-blown universalism and it said in essence, God is
the loving spiritual father of all and all living children having
a common brotherhood, and all are spiritual brothers. And I
especially remember how what I'll call evangelical Arminian
in those days, the fundamentalist movement, if you can remember
that, especially Arminian Baptists, vigorously opposed that view
of the universal fatherhood of God, and the universal brotherhood
of man, while they themselves were preaching a universalist
view of the love of God and of the atonement of our Lord Jesus
Christ. So apostate universalists began
to teach that In every person, there is a spark of divinity
that only need fan. And again, Armenian Evangelical
Baptists oppose this while themselves holding to the doctrine of free
will. And a spark of divinity is nothing
else but free will, and free will is nothing else but a spark
of divinity if you hold one or the other. Universalists generally
deny an eternal and everlasting punishment in hell. They always
rejected everlasting torment. They say it's inconsistent that
a good and a loving God would not do that. He would not send
anyone to a place of torment. One put it this way, the eternal
alienation of anyone from God would represent a less than complete
victory for the love and self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ," unquote. And so according to the Universalists,
sooner or later, all will be saved. Ultimate reconciliation. And they do not blush to say
this gives the dead, quote, another chance at redemption, unquote. only a blinded, apostate, degenerate
spirit would ever hold such a position. Now, we would expect the Universalists
to use 1 Peter 3, verse 18 through 20, that Christ went and preached
to the spirit in prison. And the addition of the Apostles'
Creed of the phrase, He descended into Hades in the late 4th century
that was added, and in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 6, that the
gospel was preached to them that are dead. And they will use that
as a proof text for absolute reconciliation. Those who hold
that Christ ascended into Hades was more than a descent by death
into the grave by them. They might be divided, however,
into one or more views. One, they say that he went and
delivered the Old Testament saints from paradise, led them triumphantly
into heaven. Number two, that he judicially
declared the condemnation of the wicked ones and victory unto
the righteous. And number three, that he preached
salvation to lost souls. quote, another chance at redemption,
unquote, that they might not be lost and that all might come
unto repentance. Now, while the first two are
held by some in mainline Christendom, the third would appeal to the
full universalists. I read William G.T. Shedd and his book on everlasting
punishment. He said this, even though some
universalists agree that sin deserves punishment, while on
the other hand contending that redemption and reconciliation
are extended beyond death, that because Christ bore the sins
of the world, that is, of all, redemption and reconciliation
through the death of Christ is yet working in the afterlife. In other words, people are being,
leaving and are being saved out of hell. That there is salvation
after the bodily death and the spirit and the body are separated. Even from hell they are teaching
there is reconciliation from God. Now here is how Shedd described
one form of universalism in that book. Quote, The advocates of
this view assert that between death and the final judgment,
the application of Christ's work is going on. That the Holy Spirit
is regenerating sinners in the intermediate state. They are
believing and repenting as in this life, unquote. Hence their teaching of the ultimate
reconciliation of all under God. And you know, people hearing
a doctrine like that would prefer that to everlasting, unending
torment and punishment. And I predict belief in preaching
on the subject of hell will all but disappear out of the pulpits
in our land and our day. Fewer and fewer will actually
then believe that there is a punishment in the afterlife. Now, the source
of these errors proceed from twofold errors, universal love
and universal atonement. And if you hold to those two,
you're going to fall into some heresy. So that in the sin, Our
men in universalism is the forerunner of absolute universalism, universal
love and universal atonement, that God is love and is too kind
to see that any will spend an eternity separated from him and
yonder in the place of Torah men. So if you accept one, it
is but a short step until you accept the other. If you have
universal love, universal atonement, it's not that big a step to this
heresy that we're looking in this evening. Once you accept
the premise that Jesus Christ paid the sin debt for everyone
ever born, then a short step into universal or absolute reconciliation. Universalism is a near cousin
of Arminianism and a first cousin of Unitarianism when we strip
it down. And to think, just to think.
They condemn we sovereign grace people for limiting the atonement
to the elect and saying that all that he died for shall be
saved. That all Christ died for certainly
will be saved. That was the purpose of his dying.
He shall save his people from their sin. Now, there are two
great plumb lines, and I'll give them in closing. Number one,
the truth about the love of God. That's a great plumb line to
see that. Number two, the intent and the
extent of the atonement of Christ. For whom did he die? What was
the purpose and the intent and the extent of the dying of our
Lord? And these are two great plumb
lines. And when they are made universal,
then all manner of heresy grow out of that.