Introduction
Why do Christians preach the Gospel? I can think of two reasons: It is the explicit command of our Lord that we do so (Mark 16:15); and we are burdened by the fact that an eternal destiny awaits all humanity (Revelation 20:13; cf. Daniel 7:22). The destiny of those who rightly respond to the Gospel is an eternity in the loving arms of our Creator (John 14:1-3). But for those who reject the Gospel, there is only hopelessness and incarceration in Hell (Psalms 9:17): Which is some place (its whereabouts unbeknown to mankind) that is outside of our Creator’s love. If this sounds like old-time fire and brimstone preaching, you are right, it is. But this does not change the fact that it is true: the Word of God is truth and what is stated above came right out of the pages of the Bible.
Stark Reality
While the Bible is a message of God’s love and grace (cf. Psalms 19:41), this is unequivocally based on the sacrifice of Christ on behalf of sinners (John 15:13). Christ satisfied God’s righteous judgment for those who would believe the Gospel, so that they are no longer doomed to suffer His wrath. As pointed out by Dr. Lightner: "Christ's accomplishment on the cross was his substitution for sin and sinners...the Son of God died in the place of sinners...in the sinner's place and stead...the substitution holds true, whether or not anyone ever appropriates the benefits" (Robert P. Lightner: "Handbook of Evangelical Theology;" Kregel Publications, 1995, p., 88). In spite of this, for the unbeliever (those that never "appropriates the benefits"), a day of reckoning is due at the end of which God will cast out all evil—including the unbeliever—from His presence into a fiery abode (Revelation 20:10; cf. Romans 2:5).
Why is this harsh end coming upon the unbeliever? It is because they—though conscience of the fact that they are sinners (Romans 1:32; cf. Genesis 3:22) by nature and practice—refuse to repent of their unbelief in the Gospel message and they willingly reject the free redemption from sin and God’s offer of reconciliation, which Christ’s death has afforded to them: "The purchase price of [H]is blood was paid even for the false prophets and teachers who deny the only possible thing that can save them" (Lightner, p., 194). God gives to them the same opportunity to accept His message of love and grace as He gave to those that heard it and believed it. This is truly evil: the unbeliever's rejection the of message is also a rejection of the One whose blood was spilled on the Cross for their benefit!
The Apostle John, speaking of Christ’s work says, “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Obviously, John is making the point that when Lord Jesus died upon the Cross, He not only paid the debt owed to God for sin, but also took away the guilt of the whole world with regard to sin: "The death of Christ satisfies the righteous demand of the Father. Because of sin [H]is holiness has been offended...only a sinless sacrifice could meet [H]is righteous demands...Christ...provided in [H]imself the perfect sacrifice" (ibid, p., 195). John is also making a clear contrast of the believer and unbeliever. While God through Christ has opened the way for everyone to be righteous in His sight, there is a "whole world" that will never come to experience "our" benefits from the Cross.
However, sin can never exclude an individual from coming to God. Because of the Cross of Christ “whosoever” believes can approach God in repentance and be saved! Therefore, no one need be judged of God because of their sins, if they accept the work of Christ on their behalf. That is the extent of the “propitiation” mentioned here.
Why then is it that the entire world is not reconciled to God? Why is it that some, though the guilt of sin having already been removed and settled for on the Cross, are living in estrangement and hostility toward the God who loves them and who seeks after them? Why is it that so many of our race are still defying God, blaspheming God and turning and running from Him instead of towards Him? Why are they knowingly embracing death and darkness and not desiring light and life?
The answer: They will never believe in Him, because they prefer to believe in themselves; they think it degrading to their self-perceived, self-righteousness to accept forgiveness from Him (Matthew 9:13). While God has offered forgiveness to them by the only means that can infinitely and eternally satisfy His nature (i.e., justice, love, holiness, etc.) they can never accept this (Matthew 26:28). It is this rebel attitude against the Creator that must be swept from creation (2 Peter 3:10-13), because it is the root of sin and left unchecked it will forever lift its grotesque face to cause evil and incite others to evil.
So then there are two sides to the Gospel message: On one side it benefits those who believe unto salvation; on the other it brings to the surface and displays the unchanging hatred of God and His Christ, which intrinsically exists in the hearts of those who will not believe (Hebrews 2:12) and dooms them to hell.
Future Eternal Hope For All?
Contrary to what has been presented above, Universalism teaches that all people—regardless of religious affiliation or spiritual ethics—will eventually be saved through the atonement of Jesus. It maintains that the Bible teaches that God wants all men to be saved, therefore all “all roads” lead to some higher being who will save all of humanity. It denies the eternal nature of hell as conscious punishment of the lost. The most prominent verses appealed to by Universalist to support their position are:
1 Timothy 2:3-4: “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
However, we do not make doctrine from verses taken out of context: we must consider all of God’s counsel. When we do this we know that Universalism cannot be true. For example, Jesus said in Matthew 25:46, speaking of those present on earth at the time He sets up His Kingdom, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Also He says, “all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” (Mark 3:28-29). Notice, verse 28, says that all sins shall be forgiven, then in verse 29, He clarifies His statement and flatly says that there is a sin that is “eternal sin,” which cannot be forgiven. Finally, John the Apostle writes, “the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever…if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:10-15).
Nevertheless, Universalism still claims that the verses shown at the beginning of this section are strong evidence that God will save all people. However, a closer look at Scripture clearly proves that Timothy 2:3-4, in fact does not say that God will save all people: it simply states that God desires or is willing that all people be saved.
As shown in Scripture, while God is willing that all people be saved not all people are willing to be saved. Similarly, God wants people not to sin. Do people sin? Of course we do. And some will face judgment for their sins (those not justified by faith in Christ) and fall under the condemnation of God. Likewise, God does not want anyone to go into eternal condemnation: “As I live!” Declares the Lord GOD, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn back, turn back from your evil ways!” (Ezekiel 33:11). But will some—“the wicked”—perish into eternal separation from God? Yes, because God punishes the sinner who is not covered in the blood of Christ: “he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).
Again, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, does not prove that God will save all of mankind and the same arguments used to present the case against Universalism in these verses apply to 2 Peter 3:9, too.
Conclusion
The point of all this is merely to show that there are those who will believe and those who will not. No one but God knows into which group any human will fall. And we as Christians should never be caught second-guessing the eternal destiny of anyone, but we should instead obey our Lord’s command to the take the Gospel to the “whole world.” God has chosen the Christian as the messenger of His grace: “the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21; emphasis mine). It is only by following this great commission that the “whosoevers” that are out there can come to faith in the risen Christ!
If you are saved you need to consider this question: Why am I here? The answer, you will find, is that God has placed you here, in your own time, to be a minister of the Reconciliation. And in this sense, being a Gospel preacher, not only shows you are Christian, but also gives you one strong reason of why you are a Christian.
