The Theology Of Calvinistic Universalism

SOTERIOLOGY 

Acts 24 clearly states that there is a resurrection of the Just and the Unjust.  

Acts 24:14–15 (ESV): …I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 

We call this the General Resurrection.  

Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 are clear that we are in Adam as our federal representative in the Fall and in Christ as our federal representative in redemption.  

Romans 5:15 (ESV): But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for man

1 Corinthians 15:22–23 (ESV): For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:23, ESV)

I Corinthians 15 is clear that the General Resurrection is underwritten by Christ’s own redemptive work, esp. His resurrection.  

1 Corinthians 15:20–22 (ESV): But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

There is therefore no resurrection for anyone without the resurrection of Christ, and all resurrection requires union with Christ in order to obtain.  

Where does the Bible teach there is any sort of union with Adam that results in the resurrection of the Unjust?  Nowhere!

Where does the Bible teach there is a union with Christ that is not salvific?  Nowhere!  Union with Christ results in eternal life, not death.   

ONTOLOGY 

1 Cor. 15 employs the language of signs and seals.

1 Corinthians 15:42–49 (ESV): So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 

Ephemeral bodies are dishonorable, corruptible/perishable, natural, earthly/terrestrial. Resurrection ontology is glorious, incorruptible, imperishable, spiritual, and heavenly, blessedly corporeal, not under the curse of sin and death, & neither incorporeal nor ghostly.  Moreover, these seals describe the physical and moral ontology of the body and the soul.   

SOTERIOLOGY 

Matthew 22: 1 - 14 teaches us the majority of humanity will be saved, & the minority will wind up in Outer Darkness.   

In the story, after the King rolls over the people who disrespected, persecuted, & even murdered his messengers, he sends the surviving servants/messengers into the highways & byways to gather anybody & everybody from every walk of life —- which resulted in the wedding hall being full.

Of those who were there, there was only one individual who refused to wear the wedding garment provided by the king & his household.   He appears to have been making trouble — enough trouble to garner the attention of the servants working the banquet hall.   

The king reacts to the servants’ report about the man’s behavior by speaking to him personally.   As a result of their conversation, the king says, “Nah, he’s not getting it,” & has him cast in Outer Darkness. 

Thus many are called (filling the Wedding Hall) & few are chosen (to be cast into Outer Darkess), so contrary to Ecclesiastical Tradition, the majority of humanity is chosen to be the Many, whereas the Few are those cast into Outer Darkness. 

COSMOLOGY 

In addition, Ezekiel teaches that the Valley of Dry Bones is resurrected, passing from death to life.   Jeremiah teaches that the Valley of Hinnom will be regenerated.  These locations are the source of the Lake of Fire imagery in Revelation.  

 

SOTERIOLOGICAL ESCHATOLOGY 

Thus, when you put it all together, the Bible most certainly teaches that God intends to redeem us all, including those who arrive in Hades when the cross over. 

If not, then you wind up with ideas like there being such a thing as a union with Christ that is not salvific for some but not all those united to Him & the renovation & regeneration of hell/the Lake of Fire (Gehenna) but not the people it/they contain — both of which are ideas for which there is not biblical support.  

Are people who reject the Gospel arrive in heaven when they cross over? No.  

Of those who reject the Gospel arrive in Hades when they die? Absolutely they do.  

Does God intend to shut those who arrive in Hades away forever?  Only if they continue rejecting the Gospel.   

How does the LORD accomplish this?  Via the Doctrines of Grace (commonly called Calvinism), 

Since the Bible teaches that we are all united to Christ & rejects the notion of a non-salvific union with Christ & that both the people & the environment down below will be redeemed, those who live down below will most certainly eventually be redeemed.