Pope Francis, the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, astonished many Catholic theologians and others when he declared that everyone was bound for heaven, even atheists. At least that is what some observers thought they heard him say.
Speaking during an informal Mass on May 22, he said, “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists,” he said, answering his own question.
“Everyone! And this blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the blood of Christ has redeemed us all,” he continued.
That certainly sounds like universalism, the idea that all people have been saved by the work of God through Jesus Christ and the role of the church is to announce that salvation.
If that is what Pope Francis meant to teach, he is not alone in the belief that all mankind will ultimately be saved. The famous 20th century theologian Karl Barth embraced universalism. So did the popular Anglican writer Bishop John A.T. Robinson. In fact, some trace the teaching of universalism back to the second century and attribute it to Origen of Alexandria.
When now retired Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa visited Alabama about a decade ago he preached that all humankind had been saved. He explained he came to this belief by taking the words of the Bible seriously. He quoted Jesus as saying, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:23) and the apostle Paul writing in 1 Corinthians 15:21, “so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Is universalism spreading?
To Bishop Tutu, the word “all” was his guide.
Countless Baptist pastors have warned that universalism is spreading among Southern Baptists and other evangelical groups. Universalism is not preached from many (if any) Southern Baptist pulpits but many church members live as if everyone is going to heaven and the idea of hell is just a cosmic bluff of some type.
Ironically, Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, went out of his way to stomp out the idea that salvation was available beyond the Roman Catholic Church.
In 2007 he reaffirmed his belief that other Christian denominations cannot be called true churches and do not have the means of salvation.
Benedict believed and taught that Christ established only one church on earth and that was the Roman Catholic Church.
After the May 22 Mass, Roman Catholic officials quickly began clarifying what Pope Francis had said. Catholics believe God can save anyone — Christian, atheist or member of another faith — though always through Jesus, explained Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman.
That clarification is good news to non-Roman Catholics. Evidently Rome now functions under a leadership that believes other Christian groups such as Baptists can be instruments of God’s salvation. Baptist believers also can be “first-class children of God,” the Pope now says. Rome may be interested to know that some Baptists believe God can work through the Roman Catholic Church too.
Baptist theology teaches “there is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord” (Baptist Faith and Message, Article IV). That means universalism is foreign to Baptist understanding of the Bible.
To proof texting like that of Bishop Tutu, Baptists call for placing verses in context. In John 3, Jesus also talked about being “lifted up,” (v. 14), and there He added, “That everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”
The apostle Paul also wrote in Romans 2:8 ff, “But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger … but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good.”
In Romans 10:9–10, he said salvation comes to those who “confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.”
Both Jesus and the apostle Paul linked personal salvation with personal belief. That gives no room for the idea that all people will ultimately be saved.
Still Baptists debate for whose sins Jesus died. Some contend that Jesus died only for the elect. That belief holds that God foreordained who would be saved (the elect) and died for their sins alone.
Such verses as Romans 8:30 are important to this belief. There the Bible teaches, “And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”
Other Baptists believe Jesus died for the sins of the whole world and offers salvation to “everyone who believes in Him” (John 3:15). Baptists of this persuasion say God’s desire for all to come to saving faith is affirmed by verses like 2 Peter 3:9, which says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Not all people will accept God’s offer of salvation, but Jesus died for the sins of “all who call upon the name of the Lord” (Roman 10:13).
The debate about for whose sins Jesus died will not end soon. It has gone on for hundreds of years. Still the Baptist Faith and Message offers guidance. Its article titled “Salvation” states, “Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer.”
The teachings are clear. Salvation is God’s act, not our own. Salvation is offered to all who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and apart from Jesus there is no salvation.
God can save the atheist as Pope Francis said. He can save those of other religions. He can save the child of Christian parents. But there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ as Lord. That rules out the idea of universalism.
There really is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. The decision is yours to make.
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