Why "Love Wins" by Rob Bell is NOT Universalism

[codyhill06]

Thank you for making this video. It saddens me that more people don't invest more time in the original texts to rid "Hell" from scripture. You wouldn't call the Passover (Paschal) "Easter" in the same context we shouldn't call Sheol/Hades/Gehenna "Hell". Keep preaching the Good News, my brother and don't lose patience when dealing with scoffers! May God bless you.

[hopebeyondhell]

@codyhill06 Great point Cody. Can I quote you on this? If so please email me this quote with you full name, Ok? Thanks. hopebeyondhell@gmail.com

Blessings

[exploradorcosmico]

How is Gods justice balanced with this view? Will He judge injustices done on earth at all?

[hopebeyondhell]

@exploradorcosmico

Because Jesus paid the price for all sin. John 1:29, etc.

THough He paid the price, that does not mean He does not judge sin.

Read Hope Beyond Hell for more details.

[hopebeyondhell]

@exploradorcosmico There is no real difference between this view or the other view except that judgment is not infinite and fire is not literal. Please read "Hope Beyond Hell" for a detailed Biblical presentation of this. You can download it free online, or get the Ebook on Amazon for one dollar.

[MrPaulryan76]

The only wages of sin is death and that's it. Not wages of sin to a fiery garbage dump.

[MrPaulryan76]

How can an immortal body burn in fire anyway. Nothing burns forever. Only anything physical can be annihilated by fire. Spirit cannot feel pain or be destroyed.

[staum607]

Any teaching that espouses the idea that everyone will eventually get to heaven is by definition universalism. There are many "flavors" of this though, Rob Bell's seems to be a version of the 'anonymous christian view". The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus only died for the sheep (not the goats), and that only those whom the Father draws will come to Him. And finally, that after death comes judgement - not a second chance.

[hopebeyondhell]

@staum607 I respect your view on the definition of Universalism. I will not debate this question. I am so saddened and grieved that you think Jesus died for only some people. May God open your eyes. God bless you.

[staum607]

@hopebeyondhell I should only believe what the Bible teaches. The Bible says most choose destruction (Matt 7:13) and that their judgement lasts forever (Rev 14:11). I do not want anyone to got to hell, God desires all to be saved, but God also says He will pour out His wrath (Rom 2:5). Therefore I must submit to the entire Bible, not just the "easy" parts

[hopebeyondhell]

@staum607 I fully understand what you are saying. I too base my beliefs on the entire Bible. We simply differ in how we are understanding judgment and the terms associated with it. Please read "Hope Beyond Hell" to see the Biblical facts for why I believe all God's judgments have a good and remedial purpose to them. God accomplishes all His will for all people. The death of Christ was not in vain for anyone. He will draw all people to Himself in due time. Jn 12:32. Blessings to you.

[staum607]

@hopebeyondhell Since you have stated you do not wish to debate this question I will respect that desire of yours. If you change your mind, then I have a list of Bible verses I would like to hear your opinion on. However, I do have one challenge for you. IF you are right and I am wrong about this issue, what will happen to me when I die? It sounds like I will still end up in heaven. IF I (and the early church, and the reformers, and the puritans, etc) am right, what will happen to you?

[hopebeyondhell]

@staum607 I am solidly anchored in my faith in a God I feel totally safe in. No wittily crafted threat of any man or demon can rob me of that security I have in Christ and in His blood shed for all men. I feel so sad for those on which your witty threat has an effect. Oh, if you only knew the scope and power of the blood of Jesus, you would know the truly GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. "Lord, please open the eyes of this dear brother." Please read 'Hope Beyond Hell." Judge for yourself. 

[staum607]

@hopebeyondhell no threat! no threat! the character limit is sometimes difficult to work with. I simply meant if my (and the early church, reformers, and puritans) understanding on this topic is correct, then you wouldn't be a christian, and therefore don't have your sins forgiven. We cannot be spiritual brothers because we dont worship the same God. Our descriptions are so contradictory that it doesn't matter if we both say "Jesus", we are talking about different beings - that's my point.

[hopebeyondhell]

@staum607 Dear brother, until you take the time to read my book, you will not understand where I am coming from. Once you have done that, let's continue to talk.

Blessings to you

[staum607]

@hopebeyondhell Please refrain from calling me brother. I worship a different God than you and thus we are not brothers. Regarding your book, sorry, I hold to sola scriptura. Yes, I do read other books, but not to change my theology - I will only do that by going through the all the Bible verses on a specific topic in their context. AFTER doing that, then I would be willing to read books on the subject.

[hopebeyondhell]

@staum607 This is fine sir. Blessings to you.

[hopebeyondhell]

@swimmerfish

Thank you, I understand. It is true that for many, it is understood as you say. But in the context of believers in Christ who believe that He died for all and also in the Divine sovereignty of God (that God accomplishes all His will), it is mostly understood by us I have explained. Based on what I have read, Bell denies Universalism as you define it. May God lead us all into His truth, and most of all into the unity of His Spirit, as He prayed in John 17. Father, make us one.

[swimmerfish34]

sorry but that is not the definition of universalism, it's the belief that everyone goes to heaven eventually, and Bell makes it clear this is what he believes

[nrolett]

@swimmerfish34 "CHRISTIAN Universalism" AKA "Universal Reconcilliation" is the belief that God saves all eventually. However, some people, like you, incorrectly call it "Universalism." Universalism teaches, like Gerry said, that Christ is unnecessary and sin is inconsequential. CHRISTIAN Universalism teaches those who don't repent in this age will be judged and rehabilitated in the age to come, but that all will be saved THROUGH CHRIST in the end.And yes, that is what Rob Bell seems to believe.

[1300david]

"there is no bad news in the good news." a wonderful statement. 

[zytigon]

For the truth about religion try Robert M. Price, ' The reason driven life ' or John W. Loftus or Victor J. Stenger, ' God, the failed hypothesis' . Also interesting to have a look at the 1500BCE papyrus of Ani, with its god Osiris who weighs the heart to decide who can pass to the land of the living.[ The need to know the names of the gods & the negative confession & other magic texts to get there]. James Frazer's 'The Golden Bough' and C.S. Lewis, 'Mere Christianity'

[agente180]

Given time more people will discover that many of our medieval interpretations didn't reflect what the original biblical text meant. Rob just found that earlier and remains courageous. And not alone.

[JoshuaHooker1995]

In John 12:32, Jesus clearly says that all men will ultimately be drawn unto himself; Hell is a place of temporary, corrective punishment where sinful souls are prepared for Heaven.

[Andante931]

Thank you for your book and work

[hopebeyondhell]

@letloosethelion My time is limited on the net with limited space to adequately answer complex (not unanswerable) questions. I prayerfully delete selected comments as I sense the Lord would lead me to protect genuine seekers of truth from gross error. This site is not a forum for debate as I don't have the time to do it justice or space to provide lengthy answers. That is why I refer people to my book which addresses most questions. Email me personally instead: hopebeyondhellatyahoo

[hopebeyondhell]

@tehonebeast Mt 7:21YLT says "reign" of the heavens. Ro 14:17 YLT says "The reign of God is righteousness." "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful. He cannot deny Himself (2Ti 2:12-13)." Even if we fail Him, He will not fail us. He will keep His restoration promises for all people in the fullness of time. (Jn 12:32, Ph 2: 9-11, 1Ti 2:3-6, Col 1:19-20, Ro 5:18-20, 1 Co 15:22, Ep 1: 9-11, John 1:29, etc.)

[chapellecrumb]

Hey, thanks for your video response.

I am a little confused over why you participated in missions if you believe there will be no eternal condemnation. Can you please explain that to me? Not trying to argue, just trying to understand!

[hopebeyondhell]

@chapellecrumb Why does God's punishment have to be eternal to participate in missions? There are many reasons to tell a hurting and dying world good news. Read Matthew 9:36-38, and you will see that Jesus urges missions because people are distressed and dispirited (New American Standard), and makes absolutely no reference to eternal punishment. It's the love of God that leads us to repentance, not horrific threats of eternal torture. Romans 2:4. I urge you to read Hope Beyond Hell. Blessings

[hopebeyondhell]

Most questions, such as the ones you raised are discussed or alluded to in Hope Beyond Hell. Please prayerfully read what the Bible teaches about God's righteous judgments. This book, with the Holy Spirit, can help you accurately understand the Scriptures about hell and judgment. A free download at my website or $1 as an E Book on Amazon (Kindle). May the Lord open His truth to your heart. "Fear Not, I...have the keys of hell..." Jesus (Rev 1.18)

Please pray about what this means

[Teoroy]

@hopebeyondhell I absolutely LOVE your message! Thank God for the message of hope!

[BenjaminWirtz]

So what you are saying is that eventually everyone will find the right path. How then do you explain people who deny Jesus up until their death?

[rebekahblue8]

@BenjaminWirtz Simply that they deny Jesus up until their death :) Once the body dies, the spirit carries on. Even though their physical body is dead they still exist. They can still accept Christ!

[Christian61204]

Although I am not a univeralist, I understand and sympathise with those who disagree with me; the belief that all will ultimately be reconciled with God is arguably supported by numerous Bible verses.

[hopebeyondhell]

My dear friend, there are no buts with God's love, because He IS love. Love is His essence. Love is manifested in all His attributes. Who can eternally reject Him since no one truly knows Him in the first place. We have no idea of what we are rejecting. Sure, He will judge us all, and some of us will face a stricter judgment. But His judgments are not infinite. I know this sounds radical. Please test this for yourself. Read Hope Beyond Hell to see all the Biblical support for this.

Blessings

[riversidechamp11]

@hopebeyondhell

Yes bro, I agree and know with all my mind and soul that God is love. He has displayed this love for sending His son and for sustaining us each day. This being true, to truly love is to hate sin that which causes pain. So in order for God to love us He needs to hate the sin that causes us pain. That being true, without accepting the redemption through Jesus Christ , we are choosing sin over God's love. For this reason, those who follow sin over God's love can not be with God.

[hopebeyondhell]

@riversidechamp11

Yes, they are not with God WHILE they are following sin. But at some point they will choose God. That's the whole point of my book. You can download it free at HopeBeyondHell or on Amazon Kindle for only one dollar. Blessings to you dear brother.

[xVyKariousx]

@riversidechamp11

If you knew what Gerry teaches you would find that what you are saying does not refute what he teaches.

[artistickman]

I love your statement, "there is no bad news in the good news." I'm glad I found your videos. God is love and love will win! Thanks Brother!

[tintinworld]

this is superb!! thank you for taking the time to release this video, James

[LIGHTRONIX]

The problem is not that people are rejecting God, it is that they do not fully understand what they are rejecting. We all have warped perceptions of reality, we should not be judged by those perceptions we cannot control.

[davidbrucemusicvideo]

I love this guy. So simple, yet fact filled. He's always spot on. I love his book and have given many out to people I teach. Yay, God!

2 Corinthians 5:19

...that God was reconciling THE WORLD to Himself in Christ, NOT counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

John 12:47

As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge THE WORLD, but to SAVE IT.

[agnegrav]

Right on, brother! Great words! Peace and Grace to you.

[frithar]

Thank you.

[hopebeyondhell]

@frithar You are very welcome.

Blessings

[edytjoson]

God bless you! Thank you for such a thorough explanation. You helped me realize why people IN the church seem to bristle against such good news; their preconceived ideas about "universalism" get in the way of their hearing what it is we're actually trying to help them recognize. I intend to share this with others. Thanks so much.

[hopebeyondhell]

@edytjoson Thank you. That's wonderful.

[kevinborst]

Thank you for the video!

[hopebeyondhell]

"Hell" as it is commonly understood is not a Biblical concept. The "righteous judgment" of God renders to each person according to their works. (See Rom 2:5-6) Now that is Biblical. For a clear, Biblical presentation of God's righteous judgments, I refer you to my book, "Hope Beyond Hell: The Righteous Purpose of God's Judgments" by Gerry Beauchemin. You can get this 256 page book on Amazon.com in Kindle format for only $1.00. "Oh Hades where is your victory?" 1Cor. 15:55 God Bless you!

[reliablebow]

well said....

[dwellceller]

Good video!!

I have 2 copies of the physical book 'HopeBeyondHell' and several other friends have bought it too - here in Australia! Keep it up Gerry!

[ijp88]

Nicely done Gerry. I don't know you, but you are a brave soul indeed. In my experience, a stand for this will cause many to leave off from fellowship with you. How sad indeed. Most think that the "justice" they see in an "ever lasting fire" is the only true "justice" for sin. Jesus is simply greater than all the sins ever committed. The hell many Christians misunderstand is not Biblical in form, but is more like the hell of Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Chaldean, and Babylonian mythology. Love Wins

[hopebeyondhell]

finalewiz

Thanks dear brother for your good feedback below and for recommending "Bell's Hells: seven myths about Universalism." by Robin Parry who says "You can be a good evangelical without believing in eternal punishment." This article is quite accurate from what I have seen, and yet I would add several more points to it. I wrote a short article on my blog over a year ago that I hope you all will read. See Hope Beyond Hell dot net and go to my blog under Universalism.

[PCAutomation50]

Your words speak what I have always known in my heart most of my 25 years of Christian life. The Gospel has been indeed hijacked by the church. Someone posted on Youtube "Whats the purpose of attending Church if we don't have to worry about going to Hell". I say its all the more reason to attend Church, to fellowship with others, to worship God, and to learn of Gods love for each of us. Christ paid the price for us. We can now draw people to church by His love, not by fear of going to Hell.

[PainterofPaint]

Thanks Gerry, for forcing us (well at least some of us) to restudy this doctrine by taking a careful look at the original languages and intent of these most controversial passages. As my 91 year old father said the other night "it is not one of the most important doctrines." And he is right. Would Christendom embrace the more "important' ones and get on with the real work of the Christ!

[shebrew570]

This video was like breathing a sigh of relief. Thank you for your passion and wisdom. What you have so sweetly and elaquently communicated here resonates with my deepest longings for the truth of God's character and speaks to the wounds of extra-biblical 'hell driven' false doctrines.

God Bless You.

[hopebeyondhell]

@shebrew570 That is wonderful. The message of Jesus Christ is truly GOOD NEWS!

[redrassleberry1]

Traditional Christianity, for the past 1500 years, has taught that a lifetime of sin, say, 80 years, warrants trillions of ages of torment in the next life, and that's just for starters. For anybody who has even the tiniest inkling that there may be something wrong with this picture, please read Gerry's and Rob's books.

[DayspringBooks]

Those who insist that God, who is holy and just, MUST eventually punish sin by sending sinners to hell misunderstand the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. He was "made to be sin for us" (2 Cor 5:18-21) and took our place as the object of God's passion against sin. Sin was judged at the Cross! It's a done deal. Everybody is saved. They just don't know it yet. That's the Good News of Rob Bell's book. The penalty for sin has been paid. What all people need to hear is the "word of reconciliation"!

[hal7ter]

I am so glad my earthly father did not choose which among his children he would favor and lock the rest of us in the closet to starve to death.

I am so glad that when I repent of my wrong-doing, I have close fellowship with God once again and it is just as if I had never done wrong, and that he does that for everyone.

I am so glad that one day I will have sweet fellowship with my parents who never had the joy of knowing God in this life.

[omegabea42]

Your passion to share God's love for all is evident and I will give "Love Wins" a look.

God Bless and may knowledge of this truth continue to expose false doctrines of eternal torture still taught in many Christian churches.

Beatrice Schuller

[46kente]

Understanding the proper translation of the Greek word "aionios" would clear up the improper use of the word "eternal" found in our Bibles. The scriptures do speak of torment (judgment), but never that this torment goes on "forever and ever." God's grace and love will ultimately win when when "All things will be filled with Christ" and "God is All in ALL."