Universalism (Christian) versus The Hell Doctrine! (Which Bears Good Fruit?)
Victorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, Our Father is UNFAILING LOVE!
Tentmaker Visitor Comments and Testimonies
May we add your testimony to our heavenly Father’s faithfulness real soon.
Some excerpts from recent emails we have gotten here at Tentmaker. We share them to encourage others who are on a similar spiritual journey. Please also check our Testimonials Page for more stories and testimonies. Glory to God!
October 24, 2006
Just wanted to say, The World needs more of this vision of True Gospel. I am now 52 years old, and have been a Universalist for 32 years without realising it. I could never accept the orthodox teachings of eternal damnation. I would even argue with visiting preachers that even Satan should be saved if God was to be ‘All In All’. How bright and warm the true light shines.
October 9, 2006
Dear Gary.
I have now read quite a few of your articles on Hell, eternal punishment, and to some lesser degree articles by yourself and others regarding Universal Salvation, of which I confess I hadn’t known about other than it was associated with some who were the Unitarian belief.
I want to encourage you that these articles regarding these important subjects are a vital tool of education for many of us who have been brainwashed by the false teachings that has come down to the Church over the ages of times past. Keep up the great work, and may many more of us who have been trapped in religious churches whether it be Evangelical, Pentecostal, or Charismatic or traditional come to the full knowledge of the truth concerning these things.
October 9, 2006
Dear Pastor, Receeve my greetings in the name of our soon coming King Jesus Christ.
I Just love your site with its wonderful teaching… We thank you so much for your sharing truths. Because we don’t understand the Hebrew fully, we often miss lovely little nuggets of truth.
I am your fellow servant in the land of kenya here.After reading much more about you then I totally I have a burning desire to join with you and develop a group with you here in Kenya.
I have stayed in the truth of God for so long now and when I was studying your wonderful website I found your very marvelous contact there so would you please let me know that you have a pastor in kenya East Africa so we can join you? I can develop a group with you in Kenya.I am very much interested in you. Eagerly waiting to hear from your reply. Thanks, Be guided in God’s name.
October 9, 2006
Dear Sir, This morning @ 12:30am the Lord woke me up and I could hear “Bread of Life” being spoken to my heart. I felt lead to go on internet and put what was being spoken to me in Google and was then prompted to click on the Tentmaker site and I listened to the audio of the Two Gospels. It is like fresh 100% oxygen poured into my spiritual lungs. The mixing of law and grace is why I have not attended an established church for the last 5 years, and why my family and I have continued to worship and serve God from the sanctuary of our house. I will continue to study your site to gain wisdom and material for the ministry within my home that I am about to open to others so that they may experience the freedom that we can truly have in Christ Jesus.
October 6, 2006
How are things going with me? Well, as I mentioned to you before…my whole world has been turned upside down. It is very “earth-shaking” to realize after 53 years that much of what I have been taught in the Babylonian church system is false doctrine. I feel like I’ve truly been “born again”. I am overjoyed at the “abundance of revelations”. The Bible finally makes complete sense!
I don’t know where I am going to go from here. I live one day at a time and trust the Lord to lead me.
September 30, 2006
Your site has been a huge help in my life.
September 26, 2006
Hey there, I stumbled upon your site a couple of hours ago, ended up reading most of it’s contents, and I expect I shall continue doing so for the next couple of days. I sincerely want to compliment your site. Such spirituality! Such creativity! Such a breath of fresh air considering most so called “christian” sites laden with guilt-trips and sickening literalist fundamentalism. I get the feeling you are truly on the right track and pray you will continue doing so for as long as possible. Kind regards and may God bless you in anything you do, xxxxx,, The Hague, Holland
September 23, 2006
I treasure the day that I found your website and the many others that are throughout the net. I have been haunted by the preachings of hell that I have heard throughout my life and couldn’t reconcile it with the teaching of a loving and merciful God… I know I am rambling on here but I just want to thank you for helping me find the Joy that I have been missing.
September 26, 2006
Just want to say that I love your page , good source of encouragment to me.
Keep up the good work of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. you are in my prayers. God bless. You are in my prayers
August 24, 2006
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your website 2 or so years ago. It was a major stepping stone in my walk to discovering the amazing truth about God.
Thank you for all that you do.
August 24, 2006
I stumbled across your website as a result of an article I received (Lazarus and the Rich Man) from a friend. I found your site to be both refreshing and stimulating. I have bookmarked it and will be referencing it much over time. May God bless your ministry and thanks!
August 17, 2006
Thank you so much for this in depth study on tithing.
My husband was just made a “deacon” and the preacher is now asking the deacon board for full access to what everyone is giving.
He lists the fact that tithing is a sign of spiritual maturity, and he needs to know who he can count on.
He says that tithing is scriptural and having the leader know who give what is scriptural.
He says that we should use tithing as a qualifier to becoming a leader He says it is because he should be able to acknowledge a gift of giving the same way he does teaching.
I trust this man, but I am opposed to his knowing what people give and if it is 10% or not.
We are going to talk to him soon and I needed research on the history of the tithe. You information was perfect.
July 30, 2006
thank you so much for being out there….after pondering universal reconciliation, I have a love for others that I was never able to feel before….and also a new love for and confidence in God.
July 18, 2006
Best Site on Universal Reconciliation
July 16, 2006
This was truly Spirit led.
This was truly Spirit led. I needed this. One of your best. Bless you, Gary for this word.
July 16, 2006
Best Site on Universal Reconciliation
Thanks for the permission to use the photo. The truth of the effectiveness of God’s universal love is so important. I have another book coming out sometime soon as an expansion of my booklet. Lots of famous people who endorsed my last book agreed with my beliefs about ultimate reconciliation but would not publicly say so by endorsing this new book because they were already in hot water (Clark Pinnock, Brennan Manning, Tony Campolo, etc) Your website is the best around on the subject. Thanks for it.
June 29, 2006
Got much comfort.
Just a message of appreciation for all we have received through work of the tentmaker ministry, also at this time I wish to say that I and judy got much comfort and joy out of reading the “hope of all Nations, and all generations ” maybe I have not quoted the title exactly correct, after we shared it we past it on for others to share.
June 28, 2006
web page is wonderful.
Hello servant of God, Am happy to share with you this good news, that your web page is wonderful and it has ministered to my soul.
June 26, 2006
I thought I committed the unpardonable sin.
I am thankful for your website. I have struggled with the whole concept of hell all my life even thinking I had committed the unpardonable sin at age 10 because I deliberately sinned by disobeying my parents (Heb 10:26).
I also struggled with the concept of justice. With one sin you could burn in conscious torment for eternity. None of that would be a desire for even the worst person imaginable. . I think our concept of justice comes from God.
I also had a charismatic minister tell me I committed this sin because I claimed his ministry was heretical. They beat people to help them see the light of their own pride and separated children from parents because the parents were loving their children too much. Anyway
it is great good news to know that there is a different and correct way to interpret scripture rather than the Medieval construct we have inherited in the church today. People could actually love God instead of fearing Him. No wonder people could reject Jesus or God. Anyone who would commit those eternal tortures would hardly be a God of love.
June 21, 2006
Holy Spirit led me here.
Discovered this forum about 3 days ago and must say i find discussions enlightening. I think The HOLY SPIRIT lead me to the tentmaker site because it certainly has opened my eyes to things i thought for many years but found difficult to share with my fellow church brethren. GOD bless you all. I look forward to reading more.
June 19, 2006
Sane voice clearly explaining things.
I wanted to tell you that I’ve been watching the videos you’ve posted on-line (and ordered one of them on DVD, plus a CD). WOW, WOW, WOW! My husband and I are so grateful to you for putting things like this out there. We’re starting to share these resources with our friends, and just wanted to encourage you concerning the impact you are having in our lives. There are so many “crazy” Christian reconciliationists that it has been awesome to find your sane voice out there, clearly explaining things!
June 8, 2006
Much more peace knowing God loves me.
I am almost fifty years old, and I have gone to church all of my life. Like you, I’ve been to many denominations. Right now I am attending an Episcopal church. I was taking this Education for Ministry class, as I had indicated that I was interested in being a lay preacher. Or, rather I should say, I felt God had been leading me to become a lay preacher. Now I’m not so sure where God is leading me. But that’s okay. God will show me in his time. I have got to tell you though that I am so much more at peace now then ever before in my life. Many times I have gone forward to give my heart to the Lord. I’ve spoken in tongues, I’ve stood up when the Pastor asked if we wanted to re-dedicate our lives to the Lord. But I’ve been haunted by this fear, that in spite of everything, I might still miss heaven. I’ve been on anti depressants for years now. My first marriage ended after twenty three years. That alone was enough to heap a load of guilt on me. I lost everything in a bitter divorce. This woman and I were supposed to be Christians. In spite of all of this, I am much more at peace with the knowledge that God loves me. He will not give up on me, after investing so much into the relationship already. What a joyous thought! That is truly the Good News of the Gospel for me! I will continue to read the links you sent me, and the articles as well. I pray that I will be open to hearing the voice of the Lord, as you write about. I’ve never had visions, or dreams, that I’m aware of. Maybe it will happen someday. Is it old men that have dreams, and young men have visions? Or the other way around. God is so good. God bless you in your ministry on the web, and thanks for all you do.
June 5, 2006
Thank you for all you do
I couldn’t get over the testimony of Todd Beaucoudray. I was in the United Pentecostal Church in my early years of growing up. My Mom and Dad actually attended one of their Bible schools, and my Dad was a pastor for awhile in that denomination. I heard a lot of hellfire sermons growing up. The UPC believes that the Roman Catholic Church is the harlot spoken of in the book of Revelation. Ironically, the “harlot” church at least has a means of getting people out of purgatory! Albeit, a selfish method, that has enriched the church for centuries. The UPC didn’t have such a thing. (Maybe they should, it might help with the constant building programs they have!) In my teen years, I went to other churches, but the teaching was pretty much the same. I remember as a kid listening to the radio one time. I was waiting to hear my Uncle come on to preach. My Uncle was an Assembly of God preacher, and he had a radio program in Kansas City. The preacher that had the time slot before him, believed in Hell as a place that was temporary. I was so indoctrinated by what I had heard in church, that I thought this guy is out to lunch! It wasn’t until I found this website by accident, that I had even heard of Christian Universalism. Reading the testimonies, and checking out the scriptures, I realize my idea of God’s love was all wrong. However, I am cautious as to whom I share this new knowledge with. I’ve been examining a lot of this, as I am in a Seminary training course through the Episcopal church where I attend. For the first two months, I absolutely hated it. We were supposed to do some touchy feely stuff, that I felt uncomfortable with. Most of my feelings I’ve had locked away for years. Then here I was with a bunch of people, who didn’t meet my qualifications of being a Christian. Plus the material is written by a bunch of liberal Episcopalians, Who talk about the P, J, and D versions of scripture. They certainly don’t hold to the inerrancy of the Bible idea either! So, I started researching, and I found your website. I’ve been devouring the articles like a starving man. It’s given me much to think about, and pray about. And oh yes, I’m a little more loving and tolerant of my liberal cohorts in the Seminary class! Apparently, I didn’t know it all! Thank you for all you do.. God Bless You,
March 15, 2006
Grateful Beyond Words
Thank you for presenting universal reconciliation! I’ve believed and trusted in (not perfectly, of course) the Lord Jesus for almost 20 years, and I have to tell you, there is one and one reason why I have occasionally backslidden doctrinally (or strayed looking into other things to combine with my faith in Christ): I could never reconcile the love that made Jesus die for me, taking my sins FOR me, an act of ultimate love and mercy, w/ that same mercy never extending to those who didn’t accept it while alive.
The Almighty and all-loving God who died for me to save me, forgives me endlessly – but those who sin by refusal in this life, don’t get any grace or forgiveness, EVER (as I was taught anyway) and will be tormented into eternity. I can see satan and his angels being tormented forever – that makes sense, THEY saw God, KNEW God, LIVED with Him for countless time – but then they spat in his face and turned away, but for humans — burning forever in torment for limited sins committed, it just didn’t ‘gel’ so to speak with the God who became Man and took my punishment for me!
As a result, I could never fully 100% commit to the Gospel -oh also this – what kind of war is won by God if 99.99% of mankind are lost forever? Isn’t it more like satan wins, even though he is defeated forever in the end, if he takes 99.99% of his enemies’ people down with him? I couldn’t accept that – it’s more like a doctrine of believing God wins – only through omnipotent force – but almost all of his created humans will be taken captive by His enemy into hell, and only a handful will be redeemed!
To me that is preaching the ‘good news’ that all are lost and only a handful of us can be saved, the rest will be tormented forever! A punitive, eternal hell for Satan is one thing – I always thought, “Wait, Revelation 20 says the devil and his angels will be tormented endlessly, but it says that when the lost are judged they are thrown there, too – but it does not say that is the eternal fate of the lost humans, just the fate of satan and his beast & false prophet! Even if “forever and ever” was translated right in Revelation 20, it only says that Satan, the beast, and the antichrist are tormented forever, not the humans who are thrown in there to face the Second Death!
After reading about famous universalists (and I mean biblical universalism, not the unitarian-universalist garbage which promotes sin by saying there is no hell, no punishment, all are saved, etc), I felt much better that I was not alone in this, nor did the Bible actually teach eternal suffering for the lost!
Since I could not figure this out in the Greek myself, but knowing the English alone was hugely contradictory, I just resigned myself to an orthodox faith that secretly hoped that universalism or at least annihilationism was really right, and keeping my mouth shut in ministry. THANK YOU SO MUCH for what you have done here, it is awakening again in my heart my first love, and reconciling the Gospel I secretly hoped was true with what the Word of God actually teaches!
Grateful beyond words….
February 27, 2006
On the brink!
While I have been interested in things of a spiritual nature throughout my life, I have recently been on a truly serious quest to discover Truth. I have dabbled in studies of other religions and philosophies and, indeed, am just turning from Buddhism as being, ultimately, an unsatisfactory path for me to take to discover Truth.
Having been raised Roman Catholic, and having grown up in a Judeo-Christian culture, I was exposed to so much reprehensible thinking about God and Jesus, that I had pretty much rejected it all; however, as I studied Buddhism, I kept reacting to the insistence that there is no God. I simply can’t believe that. Thus, I began to ask God to give me some sort of assistance. I continued to do Internet searches, but kept coming up with “Christian” sites where, ultimately, the message came down to “Believe in Jesus or be damned to hell for eternity.” Aside from the fact that this view of God is repugnant and seems a genuine insult to the very idea of God, I am always left wondering about the people who have been raised in other faiths, like Hinduism or Taoism, etc.. Surely, we could not expect to hand them a Bible and ask them to believe it any more than we would be inclined to do the same for them if they handed us one of their holy books. And, yet, I am sure most of these are very good people who are seeking Truth in the same way that I am. They may be as “right” as Christians are. I simply can’t say.
What I can say is that I have a tendency to relate to basic ideas about God that have been ingrained in me since childhood. I have reached the point in my life where I no longer cringe or sneer when I hear the name, “Jesus.” I have realized that the reasons I did that had nothing to do with Jesus and everything to do with the awful things humans have pinned on him. I know this in my heart, but your website is giving me proof on an intellectual level and I am so grateful for that. I’m not saying I’m convinced, just yet, that Jesus was/is God Incarnate–but I am beginning to lean in that direction and it is because of wonderful people such as yourself who have devoted so much time and effort to showing others that God really is Love…and that we don’t have to believe that in spite of stories about hell, etc..
I will continue to explore your site and learn more. But I just wanted to take a moment as I stand on the very brink of it all to thank you for your efforts. I am certain you have made a huge difference in many lives and I am hoping that soon I will be among that number.
Thank you!
February 27, 2006
Site saved me from a lot of mental/spiritual anguish
Thanks for your hard work Gary. Your site saved me a lot of mental/spiritual anguish when my brother died back in 1999. I recommended your site today to my boss, who is struggling since both his parents died. If he reads through it, I know it will give him peace as well.
February 12, 2006
Helpful and Insightful…
Your information is very helpful and insightful. I started my spiritual journey as an evolution believing, hardnosed, scientific rationalist. I was told not so politely, more than once, that I had ice water in my veins, by other unbelievers! The term “spiritual journey” held no meaning for me… To go from a diehard evolutionist to a 6 day creationist was a tortured and winding path. I joined a conservative Baptist church about 6 yrs ago because I still had much sin in my life, and I knew they would hold my feet to the fire. I gained much “Head Knowledge” but not much spiritual discernment or growth. The more I studied theology the more fear and anxiety I felt towards my Creator so I retreated into my natural hiding place of science, but at least this time I was studying creationism and intelligent design. I am mildly fanatical about spreading the gospel of intelligent design, since I view the theory of evolution as a monstrous evil that keeps millions from even investigating the claims of Christianity. I was very interested in everything ABOUT God, but was running FROM a real relationship with Him. How could I want to be close to a creator who endlessly tortures most of his creatures??? After viewing the website of L. Ray Smith for 6-8 Hrs I dared to hope that what he said might be true. I went searching for others of like opinion and found your site. After studying your material for a few hours I was flooded with hope, relief, joy, and release from a lifetime of fear, anxiety and anger. I can barely believe what I am writing, I sound like some blubbering Christian type… Me, the no B.S. nuclear weapons specialist, hardnosed career military type, confirmed agnostic and evolutionist. E-gads, “What Hath God Wrought”? I used to worship at the alter of science, now thanks to you I can worship the Ultimate Scientific Mind and get to know my real Father. I don’t know what I am going to do about the Sunday School class I teach. I always rushed through or glossed through the Hell teachings, but I no longer even loosely hold the doctrine of Hell, and I sure as hell won’t teach hell. You guys sure know how to provoke a lotta trouble. LOL…