A brief summary of the “Doctrine of Inclusion” made known by Bishop Carlton Pearson. Otherwise known as Universalism.
The Doctrine of Inclusion, a term which seems Bishop Carlton Pearson , has coined, which is gaining notoriety in the media, is simply the ancient church teaching “apokatastasis,” that is, “the restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21) as spoken by the mouths of all the Old Testament prophets, Jesus and His apostles and the early church for at least the first 500 years the teaching of hellfire plunged the church into the Dark Ages.
The “restoration of all things” (apokatastasis/ἀποκατάστασις), is a biblical concept that has gone under many different names: universalism, universal salvation, universal restitution, universal reconciliation, ultimate reconciliation, the Larger Hope, the Pauline Gospel, the gospel of Paul, the Victorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, transmillenianism, universal restoration and other terms. Those who believe such a teaching are found in every denomination and non-denomination. They may vary greatly regarding other beliefs and doctrines just like Protestants, Fundamentalist, Pentecostals and Charismatics are divided in thousands of different sects. To them, one who believes in universalism, or “the Doctrine of Inclusion” simply is convinced that Jesus Christ will do what He said He came to do, save the world, the whole world, not just a part of it. He left the 99 sheep to find the single sheep that was lost and He will not give up until He finds and saves every single one of His sheep. That’s the truly Good News! That is news that brings hope to everyone on this planet. That is the only gospel worth preaching and living.
It is most unfortunately that since the Dark Ages, the church-at-large has abandoned the belief of the prophets, Jesus and His apostles. Thousands of pagan doctrines and traditions of false religions entered the church during that dismal time. Some of them were removed during the Protestant Reformation. Some of them have been removed since then. It is now time for Christian to abandon and stop supporting the hideous and Satanically inspired doctrine of everlasting punishment. The doctrine of Hell existed among the heathen nations around Israel. That is where it came from. It entered Judaism during the Intertestamental period through the Apocryphal writings. From there it entered the Roman Catholic church through the Latin Vulgate and then to the translations based upon the Latin text.
Today, there are many English translations of the Bible which no longer contain the word Hell or the concept of everlasting punishment. Most people are not aware of this. Pastors do not want their members to be aware of these many translations because the fear of Hell keeps the pews and coffers full. It’s time to empty both! I have in my library about 3 feet of book shelves with Bible translations which do not contain Hell. Some which can be ordered in a typical book store or online are: Young’s Literal Translation, Concordant Literal New Testament, Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible, and Weymouth’s N.T. (the one translated before 1923) as well as many others.
As in other denominations or movements, those who have the teaching of universal salvation (universalism) or the Doctrine of Inclusion, as Carlton Pearson phrases it, in common, people who hold this belief may differ from each other on other issues such as the trinity, speaking in tongues, the issue of homosexuality, women’s roles in church, church government, etc. Most of those who I personally know who embrace the Doctrine of Inclusion or the “Victorious Gospel of Jesus Christ” as I (Gary Amirault) call it, are morally conservative, Bible and Christ centered who have had a personal experience with Jesus Christ. While there are those who believe in forms of universalism which bypass the Cross, we, at Tentmaker Ministries believe it is the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross that “reconciles the world” to our Heavenly Father.
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw (drag in the Greek) all mankind unto Myself. This is spoke signifying what manner of death He should die.” (John 12:32-33)
From my understanding with correspondence with Carlton Pearson, he has not abandoned the faith of the early church, he has simply discovered what has been hidden for too long. May you discover your savior and the savior of the whole world afresh. Peace to you and yours and all the world, Gary Amirault.
For further studies, visit our website: https://tentmaker.org/topics.
Visit our discussion forum at: https://tentmaker.org/forum.