The New American Universalism and Ultimate Reconciliation

Many years ago, my dear friend John Sandford, author of the Elijah Task, shared with our church what a false prophet is.  I've certainly heard lots of teaching on the prophetic but rarely have we heard people teach how to recognize a false prophet.  Some people think that a false prophet is a person who's prophecies do not come to pass.  Other's seem to attack those who teach theological views that differ from theirs as false prophets (I.e., premillenialism, post-millenism, Amillenialism etc).   However, John Sandford shared with us a very important scriptural understanding that "a false Prophet" is not a person whose prophecies don't come to pass, rather "a false prophet" is one who comes in miracles, signs, and wonders, and teaches a false doctrine.  Notice what I said, "Teaches A False Doctrine" after performing miracles.

There is no greater "false" prophets than those who teach "ultimate reconciliation" or "universersialism" and comes with lying signs and wonders.  William Branham and George Warnock were such men in the 1940's.  Universalism nor it's "Latter Rain Movement" counterpart of ultimate reconciliation is new in North America.  Basically, Universalism is a theological position that teaches the view that all human beings and ALL fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God and go to Heaven.  Some main proponents include that Lucifer will ultimate be forgiven and restored also.  The two central beliefs which distinguish Christian Universalism from mainstream Christianity are universal reconciliation (all will eventually be reconciled to God without exception, the penalty for sin is not everlasting, i.e. doctrines of everlasting damnation to hell and annihilationism are rejected) and theosis (all souls will ultimately be conformed to the image of divine perfection in Christ).   Those within the Pentecost- Latter Rain Movement taught that "The works that Jesus Did we will do also, even great works than these." (John 14:12)  They continued their position by stating that "When Jesus went to Hell (as found  in Acts 2:31; Eph. 4:9) he preached to those captive in hell (I Peter 3:18-19) then led those who recieved him back with him to Paradise as he promised to do with the thief on the cross (Luke 23:42).  In other words,  Jesus went to Hell between the cross and the resurrection and liberated those who died in faith.  Likewise, according to the ultimate reconciliation teachers of "Latter Rain" who fell in this error, we too will go to hell when we die as believers.  We will then preach to those who are still in the grips and hell.  We then, like Jesus will liberate those who hear us and lead them to Heaven with us once our work in Hell is done.  Recently, among the so called "Apostles and Prophets" gatherings here in the USA it has been proclaimed by several that the Body of Christ will go to grave yards in the future and raise people, who have been dead for 30+ years, and we will be given the opportunity to preach the gospel to them and lead them to Christ so that they don't have to spend ALL of eternity in captivity.  In fact, for those of you who have been around the "Charismatic/Petecostal" streams the last twenty years would be shocked at who is involved in teaching these heresies.  I'd like to believe there is no "Hell" too.  But, the scriptures neither teach ALL will be saved nor does it say anywhere we get a second chance for salvation after death.  

In a recent turn of events, even though the damage has been done, Rob Bell, the evangelical pastor who wrote the book "Love Wins" that has been a lightning rod for promoting Universalism, stated clearly in a recent interview that he believes in hell and no longer believes that everyone will be saved. (See: http://www.christianpost.com/news/rob-bell-i-believe-in-hell-now-and-after-you-die-49660/ ).  I wonder if Oprah would host him again to hear his new found positions.  

If you look into the Bio's of most who hold to these "fantasies" of no "Hell" or eternal punishment for rejecting Christ as their Lord, you find they never went to any credible or finished their theological seminary or got the necessary biblical or historical development of theology necessary to guide the Body Of Christ.  That's why most of these "so called" apostles/prophets find themselves in such heresey.  I'm growing quite concerned about the growing apostasy from those who have left the scriptures for their progressive revelations and beyond. I think it's time for the "church" to come to grips that just because we are called to reach popular culture doesn't mean that we are to preach a different gospel.  The culture may not like what the scrpitures teach but that does not make the "truth" of God's word relevative or subject "going beyond the scripitural norms" to fit our "post-modern" private interpretations.  Truth is truth.  Jesus died so that we do not have to go to Hell.  Reject Jesus you go to HELL.  If I'm wrong - no loss.  If it's true-  your loss!  Sorry!  The most important thing to recognize about those who are teaching and promoting this heresey is nowhere was there any mention of the Cross, Christ’s propitiation for our sins, the Resurrection, the Ascension, Pentecost or St Paul’s exhortations to the churches in their writings, teachings, or public expressions of their damnable heresies which are giving false hope to those who want to live their lives without any interference to their sinful pleasures.