Everybody Going to Heaven?

It's in vogue now: everybody is going to heaven! Perhaps that's why modern people don't believe in hell. If heaven is full, then hell would have to be empty. The belief that everyone is heaven bound is called "Universalism". It's heretical!

"Universal reconciliation is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls — because of divine love and mercy — will ultimately be reconciled to God." (Otis Ainsworth Skinner;1807-1861; A Series of Sermons in Defence of the Doctrine of Universal Salvation, Page 209).

Surprise! That's a lie. We care little what Otis Skinner wrote. Let's see what God says!

Matthew 7:14 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

"Life" is eternal life. "Strait" is an archaic word for "strictness". There is rigorous criterion to obtain eternal life. Note that there is NOT criteria (plural), but criterion (singular). That's why salvation is rigorous!

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (Jesus)."

Essentially this says "Jesus holds the keys to heaven. To get in everyone must go through him!" What we want to get is into heaven because the Father is there. That's a rigorous requirement, but that's God's rules! God certainly isn't a liar. It must be that Universalists are!

If you believe that everyone is going to heaven, one must ask, "Where does that notion come from?" It's certainly not from scripture. It's fantasy. It's merely how you wish it was because the criterion for salvation is too rigorous for you. So, what do you do? You make up silly criteria: "Everybody is going to heaven because God's a really nice guy!" He is a just God, but for some, he won't be nice! He will allow them to abide in hell; the choice they have made. It seems that the gods of Universalists have let them down. He is wrong because what this doctrine is comes from the devil!

Of course, Universalists don't believe in hell because they don't believe in the devil. The devil is real whether Universalists like it or not!

1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour..."

If you believe that everyone is going to heaven, then the devil has devoured you! Why even waste your time using the word "Christian" if Jesus is no more than a liar to you!

The second point is that the way is narrow. If anyone passes the rigorous criterion for entry onto the path, then his or her walk must be along the narrow way. The minute a person begins to walk the way, the devil puts up roadblocks. Few will walk the way of life without being knocked off the path to heaven. The devil is stronger than you, and unless you have great faith, Satan wins and you go to hell... you know, the one which you don't believe in!

You can play games with your homemade religion; the batter you mixed yourself. But it's only God's recipe that will get you manna from heaven. If you believe everyone is going to heaven, you already stand too close to the oven. Don't be surprised that you get burned when God says on Judgment Day,  "I never knew you!"