Is Ultimate Universal Restoration a Heresy?

It comes as a surprise to many that that the doctrine of Ultimate Universal Restoration does not violate any critical church doctrines. This is not to be confused with the New Age or other unbiblical doctrines termed “Universalism.” In fact, early church fathers who outlined our most critical doctrines believed in Ultimate Universal Restoration and Salvation. They called the doctrine in Greek the “apokatastasis,” meaning the restoration of all things to what God originally intended. The doctrine of the apokatastasis was not even controversial at that time. They were mostly concerned with the nature of Christ, his deity and bodily resurrection.

The doctrine of Ultimate Universal Salvation rests upon the fact that the concept of eternal punishment does not exist in the original Greek and Hebrew languages of the Bible. This subject is  discussed in greater detail in the “Apokatastasis” FREE Watchman report. Christians need to understand that according to church history the pagan idea of eternal punishment gained prominence in the 5th century under the heavy hand of the Roman church and then Latin translations of the Bible magnified it as a doctrine. This man inspired doctrine that began in the Latin manuscripts then found its way into other languages including English.

The early English translation, the Wycliffe bible, was taken from Latin manuscripts. This man inspired doctrine has subsequently held great influence on later translations such as the King James bible. However, if you read translations that stick to the original Greek and Hebrew texts such as Young’s Literal translation or Rotherham’s Emphasized bible you will not find the phrase “eternal punishment.” 

We know that salvation was accomplished by Christ at Calvary in his death and resurrection on the third day to atone for the sins of mankind. In the words of John the Baptist,

“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”.  – John 1:29.

The penalty for sin is death and Christ came to rescue all of mankind from the jaws of death.  The Bible clearly tells us that all people are raised from death by Christ.

“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.

Ultimate Universal Salvation affirms that God will punish sinners. Merely that those who did not follow Christ in their lifetime will be subjected to temporary corrective punishment at the judgement seat of Christ. Just because Christ rescued all people from the jaws of death does not mean they are ready to walk into God’s kingdom of love and goodness. Each person who becomes born again must go through the process of sanctification known as our baptism of fire or they too will be judged and given corrective punishment according to their works.

“But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God; who “will pay back to everyone according to their works.” – Romans 2:5-6.

Notice that Christ is going to judge unrepentant people and pronounce their sentence according to how hard their hearts are. Hitler, verses that kind and thoughtful but unrepentant neighbor will not receive the same sentence of punishment. This is clearly a righteous, just and balanced scale of judgment, but not eternal punishment. 

As sanctified followers of Christ we are rescued (saved) from this judgment entirely and enter directly into life in God’s kingdom. But Paul is warning carnal unsanctified believers that those with an unrepentant heart are treasuring up wrath for themselves. If as believers we are judgmental and unforgiving Christ is not going to forgive us either. We too will be punished for a determined period of time by God’s in His purging crucible, known as the Lake of Fire, according to our works… but not forever (this subject is also Scripturally covered in the Apokatastasis Watchman Report).

Ultimately, all unrepentant people, will be reconciled to God when they truly become willing to confess with their mouth all unrepented sin and willingly bow our knee in submission to Jesus Christ. Again, according to (Romans 2:5-6), how long this takes to happen depends upon how “hard” the unrepentant person’s heart is.

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 2:10-11

The Two Principles of Universal Salvation:  

• The Bible explicitly teaches that through Jesus Christ all people will be rescued from death. (1 Corinthians 15:22-26, 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10)
• The Bible explicitly teaches that God does not punish infinitely.

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 and accuse forever, neither will I be angry always, for if I did stay angry the spirit of man would faint and be consumed before Me, and My purpose in creating the souls of men would be frustrated.- Isaiah 57:16 AMP ( see also Micah 7:18, Isaiah 54:8, Proverbs 11:1, Psalms 145:13-14)

These two principles provides a basic biblical introduction for those who are unfamiliar with the doctrine of Ultimate Universal Salvation. Once we understand that the atoning work of Christ is the bases for the resurrection of the dead, including all of mankind, then we only need to determine if God punishes people without end.