mylifemyfaith (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} mylifemyfaith) wrote,@ 2008-07-22 22:04:00 |
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Universalism, Armanianism, Calvinism
I had a discussion with my prayer group this evening about salvation. Two members of the prayer group were strongly universalism. They believed that God's sovereignty and God's love, taken together, meant that universalism was the only logical position for a Christian to take.
I took the position that the presence of social injustice which is not punished in this life means that God's justice demands punishment of perpetrators of injustice in the next. Therefore, I cannot be a universalist- and if I was, I would not bother with being a Christian. (I would join the UUA and become a Hellenic pagan.) I am an Armanian- I believe that God's sacrifice was be sufficient for the whole world, but that some people choose to exclude themselves from Heaven by their own actions. This view is in accord with God's justice and mercy, but does seem to make God less sovereign, but in my view only because God has chosen not to limit human free will.
Edit:
I could summarize my position on salvation as being:
1. Jesus' incarnation, ministry, death and resurrection are the only way to eternal union with God
2. All persons could come to union with God through Jesus- God has not chosen to exclude anyone. Therefore, God will deal mercifully with those who could not know Jesus in this life. Therefore, all might be saved.
3. There is the potential for eternal separation from God ("hell") if a person will not, even at the point of death or beyond, avail themselves of God's grace. I do not know if this will happen, but respect for human free will means that the possibility must be there.
I hope this will not be too conservative for the UCC.
I had a discussion with my prayer group this evening about salvation. Two members of the prayer group were strongly universalism. They believed that God's sovereignty and God's love, taken together, meant that universalism was the only logical position for a Christian to take.
I took the position that the presence of social injustice which is not punished in this life means that God's justice demands punishment of perpetrators of injustice in the next. Therefore, I cannot be a universalist- and if I was, I would not bother with being a Christian. (I would join the UUA and become a Hellenic pagan.) I am an Armanian- I believe that God's sacrifice was be sufficient for the whole world, but that some people choose to exclude themselves from Heaven by their own actions. This view is in accord with God's justice and mercy, but does seem to make God less sovereign, but in my view only because God has chosen not to limit human free will.
Edit:
I could summarize my position on salvation as being:
1. Jesus' incarnation, ministry, death and resurrection are the only way to eternal union with God
2. All persons could come to union with God through Jesus- God has not chosen to exclude anyone. Therefore, God will deal mercifully with those who could not know Jesus in this life. Therefore, all might be saved.
3. There is the potential for eternal separation from God ("hell") if a person will not, even at the point of death or beyond, avail themselves of God's grace. I do not know if this will happen, but respect for human free will means that the possibility must be there.
I hope this will not be too conservative for the UCC.
