My take on Universalism

I was shocked to see a well known Christian trending on Twitter the other day. His name is Rob Bell and he has courted controversy in the past with books such as Velvet Elvis, The Gods Aren't Angry and his latest offering Love Wins. I don't really know him that well and have nothing against him.


He was trending because his latest book confirms his belief in Universalism.


I have looked into this and will explain why Universalism does not add up Biblically and is therefore an incorrect doctrine.


Universal Reconciliation - the idea that all will be reconciled to God no matter what, the penalty for sin is not everlasting and that everyone will eventually go to Heaven is a major belief of Universalists.


My question to that is, if the penalties for sin are not everlasting and everyone will go to Heaven then why did Jesus have to die? Because if the Universalists are right then Christ died for nothing.


Nowhere in the Bible is a verse found that suggests our sin doesn't last forever and we will all go to Heaven. 


Jesus made it clear to Hell does exist and some have to go there because of their own choice to reject God.


Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.


Jesus also says that there is such thing as eternal sin


Mark 3:29
but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”


Universalists also believe that we pay for our sin in Heaven, which simply isn't true. For Jesus told many in the Bible that their sins were forgiven.


Matthew 9:2
Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”


Actually, anyone believing in Christ and accepting the sacrifice of His blood is forgiven. My take on forgiveness is that the sin is gone once you have been forgiven. You don't then pay for it afterwards!


Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.


Christ died because the 'wages of sin is death' (Rom 6:23). God is LOVING but He is also JUST. Just like we want to see pedophiles & murderers punished for their crimes, God is also passionate about justice and that every wrong should be punished.


But because God also Loves us and wants us to go to Heaven...Christ came, God Himself, to die and take the bill for all of our sins so that we could go to Heaven because God Loves US!