Hello everyone,
From what I can tell I have a story similar to a lot of people here. I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, but I eventually found my way into Calvinism and Pentecostalism; I've been all over the place in Christianity really, but I've always believed in the doctrine of hell. Really, I didn't know there was an alternative to it.
Now that I'm in college and around a lot more diversity, the doctrine of hell started to pull me apart from God. I was surprised when I talked to a foreign student and he never even heard of Jesus before. It made me think of all the people who haven't heard of Jesus, who would be sent to eternal torment if hell is real.
I came across this forum and universalism in general by researching alternatives to hell. Now that I know about it, my heart wants to believe in the salvation of all. I have hope that it is that way. Yet, I still hold the Bible in authority and need to find out what it truly says. In that way I wouldn't call myself a universalist right now, but I'm actively searching and could one day be one myself.
Thanks for taking the time to read and I am excited to see where this faith journey will take me!
...........
:welcome: keep knocking...keep seeking.....May He establish your heart..... :HeartThrob:
God bless your heart ethanfm , and welcome to the Tentmaker :dsunny:
Welcome, I'm also an ex-Catholic who had some experience with Pentecostal doctrine, but now I'm an ex-churcher who just reads scripture everyday. I'm aware that I'm in the ecclesia, the body of Christ, without belonging to a church which teaches false doctrine that contradicts the inspired written word of God. If you get hold of an accurate translation, you'll see that scripture reveals the truth of universal reconciliation, and there is no "hell" for torture in fire forever.
"We rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers." (1 Timothy 4:10)
"through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens" (Colossians 1:20)
"Yet now Christ has been roused from among the dead, the Firstfruit of those who are reposing. For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ's in His presence; thereafter the consummation, whenever He may be giving up the kingdom to His God and Father, whenever He should be nullifying all sovereignty and all authority and power. For He must be reigning until He should be placing all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy is being abolished: death. For He subjects all under His feet. Now whenever He may be saying that all is subject, it is evident that it is outside of Him Who subjects all to Him. Now, whenever all may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be All in all." (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)
Welcome! May the Holy Spirit guide you into all of the truth! :dsunny:
:welcome:
Hi ethanfmf116....
:dsunny: Welcome to the forum. :angelharp:
Welcome, Ethan! :o)
Welcome to the Tent! You will find us to be a very tolerant bunch of people, and if for no other reason, because we know we have to put up with each other (and everyone else!) for eternity.
Here are a couple of points to ponder as you begin your journey:
If Death and Hell (better translated "Grave") are cast into the Lake of Fire, as described in the Revelation (20:14), then how can anyone be dead and/or in Hell after that?
If anyone is still dead and/or in Hell, how can God ever become All in all?
The truth is out there - you just have to walk away from what you think you knew... :Chinscratch:
www.mercifultruth.com (http://www.mercifultruth.com)
www.hellisamyth.com (http://www.hellisamyth.com)
Two web-sites where you can find detailed explanations of the salvation of all and the true alternative to hell.
Welcome brother! :)
Quote from: ethanfmf116 on May 04, 2015, 08:06:30 AM
Hello everyone,
From what I can tell I have a story similar to a lot of people here. I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, but I eventually found my way into Calvinism and Pentecostalism; I've been all over the place in Christianity really, but I've always believed in the doctrine of hell. Really, I didn't know there was an alternative to it.
Now that I'm in college and around a lot more diversity, the doctrine of hell started to pull me apart from God. I was surprised when I talked to a foreign student and he never even heard of Jesus before. It made me think of all the people who haven't heard of Jesus, who would be sent to eternal torment if hell is real.
I came across this forum and universalism in general by researching alternatives to hell. Now that I know about it, my heart wants to believe in the salvation of all. I have hope that it is that way. Yet, I still hold the Bible in authority and need to find out what it truly says. In that way I wouldn't call myself a universalist right now, but I'm actively searching and could one day be one myself.
Thanks for taking the time to read and I am excited to see where this faith journey will take me!
hello! :hiya: thanks for posting! It's always interesting to hear of a brother or sister's search and (tentative) arrival to u.r.! I pray you will find many supports for the hope of UR in God's Word! Once one becomes aware of it, I believe we perceive it more and more in the Word.
..and I fully applaud your holding back on total acceptance until you do find those supports! If something is true, it is in God's Word.. and it doesn't require an intricate system of loop de loops either! Rather we come to learn that some strongly held doctrines are loop de loops away from the original words used..
Such as the seeming references to a `hell` are actually quite simple to explain.. for example "He descended to the lower part of the earth", I now consider to be the dust of the grave.. After all He paid the debt for us.. the debt of death.. otherwise to pay the debt He would have to be tormented in a fiery hell for ever..
Welcome to Tentmaker forums! :smile:
These days I think "the lower parts of the earth" (Ephesians 4:9) simply refers to the geographical location some of which is well below sea level.
Your in the right place!
:welcome: