5 Points of Universal Salvation

The five points of Universal Salvation:

1. God is love. His goodness is free, immutable, eternal, infinite, and impartial.
2. Kingdom government by the faithful. To be a child of God is to be an heir of the kingdom and therefore carries royal authority but is not exclusive salvation from death.
3. Death will be abolished by Christ. All of mankind is rescued from death by Christ, even non-believers, at the resurrection of the dead on the last day.
4. The judgment seat of Christ. God demands equity in his justice. Therefore God’s punishments are always corrective and measured, rooted in his nature of love and goodness, and never infinite.
5. Followers of Christ alone pass directly through death and into life before the resurrection of the dead on the last day.

Doctrinal Summary

The Five Points of Universal Salvation
1.) God is love. His goodness is free, immutable, eternal, infinite, and impartial.

• “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” – Psalm 145:9
• “Oh give thanks to the God of heaven; for his loving kindness endures forever.” – Psalm 136:26
• “He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.” – 1 John 4:8
• “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” – Psalm 136:1
• “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.” – Psalm 25:7-8
• “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.” – Genesis 50:20
• “Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.” – Psalm 135:3
• “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” – Psalm 106:1
• “Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism; but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” – Acts 10:34
• “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39
• “But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” – Matthew 5:44-45
• “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.” – 1 Chronicles 16:34
• “Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:20-21
• “But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
• “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” – Psalm 106:1
• “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” – Psalm 107:15
• “O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.  For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.” – Psalm 117:1-2
• “The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:10-11
• “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.” – Romans 11:29-32
• “Praise waits for you, God, in Zion. To you shall vows be performed. You who hear prayer, to you all men will come. Sins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.” – Psalm 65:1-3
• “But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.” – Hebrews 2:9

 

2.) Kingdom government by the faithful. To be a child of God is to be an heir of the kingdom and therefore carries royal authority but is not exclusive salvation from death.

• “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light…” – 1 Peter 2:9
• “And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.” – 1 John 2:2
• “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” – Titus 2:11
• “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” – John 1:12
• “He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.” – Revelation 3:21
• “Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” – 1 Corinthians 6:2
• “Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?” – James 2:5
• “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3
• “For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” – Hebrews 9:15
• “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men  nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
• “But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33
• “But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” – John 1:12-13
• “For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” – 1 Timothy 4:10
• “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;  and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him” – Roman 8:16-17
• “Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” – Hebrews 12:28-29
• “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.” – 1 John 5:1
• “For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:17
• “But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.” – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

3.) Death will be abolished by Christ. All of mankind is rescued from death by Christ, even non-believers, at the resurrection of the dead on the last day.

• “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:24-26
• “But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” – Hebrews 2:9
• “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming. Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” – 1 Corinthians 15:22-26
• “By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.” – 1 John 4:13-14
• “The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:29
• “For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.” – John 3:17
• “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained.” – Job 42:2
• “Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.” – John 5:28-29
• “And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.” – 1 John 2:2
• They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” – John 4:42
• “The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:10-11
• “The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:13-14
• “If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.” – 1 Corinthians 3:13
• “For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” – 1 Timothy 4:10
• “Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.” – Micah 7:18
• “For the Lord will not cast off forever. For though he cause grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses. For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men” – Lamentations 3:31-33
• “For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls whom I have made.  I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness, and struck him;  I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.  I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.” – Isaiah 57:16-18
• “In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting lovingkindness I will have mercy on you,” says Yahweh your Redeemer.” – Isaiah 54:8
• “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
• “Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by myself. The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and will not be revoked, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.” – Isaiah 45:22-23
• “The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” – Psalm 145:9
• “…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11
• “…No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 12:3
• “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all; the testimony in its own times;” – 1 Timothy 2:3-6
• “He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4
• “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.” – Romans 11:29-32
• “For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.” – Colossians 1:19-20

4.) The judgment seat of Christ. God demands equity in his justice. Therefore God’s punishments are always corrective and measured, rooted in his nature of love and goodness, and never infinite.

• “A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.” – Proverbs 11:1
• “He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.” – Psalm 103:9
• “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” – Proverbs 3:12
• “But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
• “For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” – Lamentations 3:31-33
• “If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” – Matthew 18:13-14
• “Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.” – Micah 7:18
• “For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls whom I have made.  I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness, and struck him;  I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.  I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.” – Isaiah 57:16-18
• “All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.” – Psalm 86:9
• “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.” – Psalm 22:27
• “yes, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”” – Isaiah 49:6
• “For it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’” So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:11-12
• “Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” – Psalms 145:13-14
• “Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”” – John 12:30-32
• “He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”  – Micah 6:8
  
• “Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you will judge the peoples with equity, and govern the nations on earth. Selah.” – Psalm 67:4
• Let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. – Psalm 98:9

5.) Followers of Christ alone pass directly through death and into life before the resurrection of the dead on the last day.

• “Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” – Luke 23:43
• “Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”” – John 11:23-26
• “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose. But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” – Philippians 1:21-32
• “We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 5:8

NOTE: This doctrinal outline does not cover translation problems in the bible. However it is important to understand that nowhere in the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts does the phrase “eternal punishment” exist. Such a notion was imposed on the text in translation originating in the Latin manuscripts and carried forward into other languages including English.

The main problem in the New Testament is the Greek word “aión”, and it’s cognate adjectives, being translated as “eternity” or “forever and ever”. The Greek word “aión” merely means “age” and not eternity. This is in keeping with doctrinal point #4, that God’s punishments are always corrective and measured, rooted in his nature of love and goodness, and never infinite.

This outline of Universal Salvation is not intended to be an exhaustive bible study but merely a study guide. © 2017 Michael A. Webber, is released under creative commons license 3.0 and may be freely distributed. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/