1. clarification of different definitions of terms

Universal reconciliation is to be distinguished from

• Universalism: a philosophical or religious approach according to which the world ends in harmony – However, without salvation, the cross and Jesus Christ.
• Universal Salvation: the general availability of Universal Salvation, for everyone. The Bible says: For Jews and for the nations (= the whole world).
• Salvation automatism: according to which everyone and the whole world is saved “just like that”, namely without cause or purpose, “automatically”.
• Apokatastasis: in the narrow sense, which, according to Acts 3:21, concerns only the times of restoration for the fulfillment of prophetic promises to Israel.

2. Misinterpretations

There is in some places a blanket rejection and undifferentiated rejection of universal reconciliation. Often this happens out of ignorance. Regularly, this is also done out of fear of supposed “heresy” leading to exclusion and ostracism (of oneself, causing fear). In other words: Those who do not have a healthy picture of the biblical statements will come to reject them based on false assumptions.

A blanket rejection of universal reconciliation is often made with one of the following assumptions:

• “If everyone is going to be saved anyway, then I don’t have to believe anymore.”
  Answer: The goal is for everyone to believe. And you may already stand in it today. The Bible says that God is a “Savior of all men, especially of believers” (1 Timothy 4:10). That is your privilege today. So rejoice and live in gratitude. Do not regard the grace of God as unimportant.
• “If everyone will be saved anyway, what do I even believe in?”
  Answer: Faith seems to be a work for you, a personal achievement. You seem to have earned salvation yourself and are not dependent on God’s grace. This is called self-righteousness. You are denying the relationship He is seeking with you with your question. But God has long since decided for you in Christ. He wants you to know His grace in truth (Col 1:6).
• “If everyone will be saved anyway, what’s the point of the mission?”
  Answer: Are you only going out into the world to save people from hell? Where, then, is this connection found in the Bible? Paul gives a very different reason for telling good news: “The love of the Christ urges us …” (2Cor 5:14-21). The Bible can recalibrate and align our thinking with His grace. Then the heart overflows. I wish you that.
• “If everyone will be saved anyway, then who cares what I do?”
  Answer: This is a really twisted understanding of reality. But it is not new, because Paul also had to deal with it. He summarily places this misinterpretation under the judgment of God (Rom 3:8). What we do does matter. Rather, it is that God’s grace educates us (Titus 2:11-12). Otherwise, we deny it.
• “After all, if everyone is saved anyway, then there is no need for Jesus Christ!”
  Answer: Here universal reconciliation is confused with universalism. Paul writes that God, making peace through the blood of the cross, reconciles the universe to himself (Col 1:20). I know of no doctrine that has Christ at its center as much as universal reconciliation.

Motives, assumptions and general beliefs become visible here.

3. Evasive maneuvers

There is a third way to misunderstand universal reconciliation. It is the assumption that talking about it is wrong. This has nothing to do with doctrine, but rather with suppressing doctrine out of personal considerations.

• “Of course, I hope that God will save everyone one day, but there’s no way to really know.”
  Answer: I would lose my intellect and integrity if I did not seek answers. Otherwise, I am expressing that either I have never read the Bible, or I don’t care about the question of God’s nature and actions. This is not about what you cannot know, but about what you can know confidently because it is written in the Bible. Laziness is a poor excuse when it comes to the question of whether or not most of humanity will end up in eternal damnation.
• “Of course I hope God saves everyone one day, but I act like He doesn’t.”
  Answer: That sounds pious, but you are living with an inner contradiction. You hope that God is merciful, but you are not sure. Why is that? Are there any biblical passages that speak against it? Shouldn’t we take a closer look at them? And do you know the Bible passages in which God includes everyone in salvation, justification, vivifying and reconciliation?
• “I believe that God saves all people, but I don’t talk about it because it shocks people.”
  Answer: Grace always shocks. That’s no reason not to talk about it. The all atonement is not a secret teaching, but a public doctrine, taught in the Bible (Paul to the Colossians: Col 1:20). Listen to what Paul writes to his co-worker Timothy: “Trustworthy is the word, and worthy of every welcome (for to this we labor and are reviled), that we rely on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. This instruct and teach” (1 Tim. 4:9-11).
• “I believe God saves all people, but talking about it risks my job.”
  Answer: Pastors who recognize that God is a Savior of all people actually risk their jobs if their understanding contrasts with the teaching of their own denomination. I have encountered this several times over the years. It takes courage to express oneself in an open and differentiated way, and at the same time it also shows how much of this openness and differentiation is still missing in the communities. This makes it all the more important to address the issue.
• “I believe that God saves all people, but you should not talk about it for the sake of peace.”
  Answer: Not everyone likes to take a position. This should be respected, of course. Not everyone works the same way. The man of God does not argue (2Tim 2:14). It’s not a matter of taking this or that position – you may not have well-reasoned arguments for any one position. Maybe gather information first. It is certainly not about doctrine or teaching, but ultimately only about growing toward Him who is the head, Christ (Eph 4:15-16). That’s one side. The other side to this attitude, however, is that we are not serving anyone by not talking about such important issues. Fear of man does not give freedom, but fear of God does. Perhaps that is why Paul writes to his co-worker Timothy: “Herald the word, stand by it, whether convenient or inconvenient, convict, caution, speak up, in all patience and instruction. For a time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine, but will heap up teachers for themselves according to their own lusts, because their hearing is tickled; and that is, they will turn away their hearing from the truth, and turn to fables” (2Tim 4:2-4).