32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Mt 10:32-38).
Critics of universalism typically quote and exegete the hellish passages. And I think that's an adequate disproof of universalism. But now I'd like to comment on a neglected disproof of universalism. For if universalism is true, then what Jesus says here posits two false dilemmas:
i) If universalism is true, then a would-be apostate is at zero risk of damnation if he publicly renounces the faith to avoid persecution or martyrdom. Yet Jesus boils it down to two stark alternatives: either save your skin in this life at the cost of losing out in the afterlife, or face martyrdom in this life to gain eternal life in the world to come. But if universalism is true, then it's a win/win situation for the apostate.
ii) If universalism is true, then it never comes down to choosing between Jesus or your relatives. You will have it all.
I suppose a Universalist could try to squirm out of that by saying what the person will lose is the greater rewards, commendation and honor he would have received from God had he not renounced the faith.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that really that works of course.
Steve,
ReplyDelete“[E]ither save your skin in this life at the cost of losing out in the afterlife, or face martyrdom in this life to gain eternal life in the world to come.”
How does the interpretation “face martyrdom in this life to gain eternal life” comport with, “And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price”?
Chip, perhaps one can be a spiritually fulfilled and satisfied martyr. And while the water of life is free, if one intends to follow Jesus as a disciple, they must be prepared to die.
ReplyDelete