Monday 21 August 2017

Why I Believe In Universal Salvation

What is Universal Salvation?

Also referred to as Universal Reconciliation or (Christian) Universalism, Universal Salvation is the theological doctrine that ‘all sinful and alienated human souls - because of divine love and mercy - will ultimately be reconciled to God’ (source). In other words, it’s the belief that everybody goes to heaven. Everybody. It competes with the more typical Christian belief that only Christians who have repented and believe wholly in Jesus Christ’s status as Lord and God will go to heaven when their time comes, and I have personally wrestled with both concepts, seeing both the Scriptural and moral reasoning behind the two.


Why do I believe in Universal Salvation?
I believe this for two reasons; morally and through the promises of Scripture. Firstly, Scripture.

Why wouldn’t everyone go to heaven? Well, in Isaiah 59:2, we learn that our sins have ‘hidden His (God’s) face’ from us. This implies that should we sin, God will turn from us and therefore nobody at all would go to heaven, as we all sin (see Romans 3:23). However, John 1:29 counters this idea in favour of heaven’s accessibility. ‘John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”’. If Jesus takes away the sin of the whole world, then the whole world has no reason to be separated from God.

The next logical question is what does ‘heaven' mean? Descriptions and signs of heaven are prevalent throughout the entire Bible, so I’ve picked out a select few that I feel sum it up. Isaiah 54:8 says that ‘“in a surge of anger I (God) hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you”, says the Lord your Redeemer’. To me, this verse promises kindness both in this life and the next, as God and eternity are everlasting. The idea of eternity is echoed later, in the New Testament (John’s Gospel, chapter 17, verse 2 to be exact). This verse is a little tough to comprehend without context, so I’ve replaced the ‘You’s and ‘He’s with whom they are referring to. ‘For God granted Jesus authority over all people so that Jesus might give eternal life to all those God has given to Him’. If God has committed all things to Christ and Christ can give eternal life to all that God has given Him, then surely it makes sense for all things to have eternal life (in heaven). Revelations 21:4-5 are two of my favourite verses, as they provide such a vivid picture of heaven; ‘He (God) will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’.

Then, we get to the tougher part: but is salvation for everybody? I think that Scripture says yes. ‘The Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples… destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations… swallow up death forever… wipe away the tears from al faces… remove His people’s disgrace from all the Earth’ (Isaiah 25:6-8). For all people. All people. He will eliminate death and remove the stain of all people’s sin. This notion of ‘all’ is repeated in John 12:32 (‘“And I (Jesus), when I am lifted up from the Earth, will draw all people to myself”’) and 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (‘the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all people’). If God wants all men to be saved, can His wants be thwarted? One final comment on the ‘all’ is the Parable of the Wandering Sheep in Matthew 18, telling us that like the man who owns 100 sheep and is unwilling to lose even one, God is not willing to lose one single person.

As a final point on Scripture and to sum up the entire belief of Universal Salvation, Romans 3:3-4 (‘What if some were unfaithful (to God)? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all!’).


Phew. Thanks for sticking around. Here’s the much shorter but just as important reason for my belief in Universal Salvation; morals.
Not morals as in ‘I want everyone to be happy, so I want them to all be happy in heaven’, although that is true of me honestly. If that was my only reason, that wouldn’t make either haven or Universal Salvation real, that would just make me compassionate. I mean morals as in I know God’s heart, I know He is loving and forgiving, compassionate and kind, and I know He wants the best for every single person, because He created them. He is your protector and sustainer who does not want to see you go without. He is infinite and eternal, with you in your past and present and future whether you feel like you know Him or not. He is wise and just and faithful, He will strengthen you and help you if you only ask. But most of all, God is Love.

If you know love, you know God. And believe me, He knows you.


For a more comprehensive list of the Scripture that supports the doctrine of Universal Salvation, visit this link.

Monday 17 July 2017

Religious Shaming

As a person of faith, all too often in church I hear the words 'you should be ashamed'. More often, it is implied rather than directly said, but the message is still the same.

You should be ashamed because you're gay.
You should be ashamed because you're not a virgin.
You should be ashamed because of who your parents are.

This humiliation and formation of some moral hierarchy really, really grinds my gears, particularly when it happens in the name of a higher power. Jesus didn't die so that I/you/anyone could be shamed for being themselves, He died so that we didn't have to feel ashamed. I know quite a lot of people who have rejected faith because they felt pressured and defamed by it, and who were actually made to feel inferior due to this integrated 'shame culture'.

Many pastors/church leaders seem to try and disguise this shaming with making people humble. Humility is not hiding who you are because you feel embarrassed. Humility is having a modest and rightful view of your own importance (which in the grand religious scheme of things is either not very important, as God is so much greater than us, or pretty important, as He did decide that the world needed one of you), which is very different indeed to shame.

Another way this religious 'shaming' is masked is as repentance. As a Christian, repentance is very important; confessing what you've done wrong to God and accepting His forgiveness. Repentance is, once again, not shaming. As a 21st-century human being, you do not need to repent for what is called 'original sin'; Adam and Eve's mistake of eating the apple. Original sin is a very difficult concept for me to understand, and I don't think that it is an issue that we should be dealing with nowadays, even as 'good' Christians (also wtf is a 'good' Christian? Any Christian is a 'good' Christian). If I have done something which I see as sinful, I will repent and ask for God's forgiveness. I told neither Adam nor Eve to eat the apple, so (assuming that the story is literal) why on earth should I be punished for it?

Jesus was (and is) all about forgiveness, all about compassion, all about love. Heck, He is love (see 1 John 4:8). I don't think it's very compassionate to force someone into feeling ashamed for something that they can't control, e.g. original sin or being gay, therefore it isn't very Christ-like to do so either. And we all know that the number 1 goal for Christians is to be Christ-like (see Matthew 11:29, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 Peter 2:21, 1 John 2:6, and the entire rest of the New Testament).

So I will not be ashamed for something I should not be ashamed for. I will boast in Christ, I will tell of His gifts and His love for me and for you, and I will not be silent because you have told me I should be.

So yes, the Bible does say that we're all sinners (Job 15:14). But also yes, the Bible tells us to 'Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed' - 2 Timothy 2:15. If your church/pastor/family is shaming you (especially in a religious context), feel free to come at them with any of this scripture. Or if all else fails, just tell them to stop being judgey. You know who's the only judge here? God.

Sunday 16 July 2017

New Side Blog!

Hi guys!

So here is some very exciting news:
I now have a side blog! It's called Christianity In Motion, and (as the name implies) will be all about Christianity. It is accessible through the tab at the top of this blog, and Daintily Dreaming is accessible from a tab on CIM! I'll still post all of my posts on here, but the ones concerning faith will also be posted on there.
I hope you're all having a wonderful week <3

Saturday 15 July 2017

WW: Study/Sleep Soundtracks

Happy Wednesday! The second installation of Wellbeing Wednesdays is here: Soundtracks that I use to help me sleep or study (or both)!

1. Pirates of the Caribbean Soundtrack (sounds EPIC, makes you feel like finishing that essay will save the world and the seven seas)

2. Piano Music (2 hours of calming and lovely music)

3. Guitar Music (3 hours of beautiful plucking and strumming)

4. John Williams Soundtrack Compilation (oh JW, I love you)

5. Piano Music Masterlist (my no.1 go-to! A collection of Classical, Baroque, Romantic, 20th Century, and Contemporary pieces)

An Apology!

Hi guys!!!
I realise I haven't posted since Wednesday the 5th, sorry! I wish I had a good excuse as to why, but honestly it was solely because I was having the most amazing time in Berlin! Check out what we got up to in Jemima's epic post about the week!

Anyways, now we're ready to get back on track, starting with the post that should've gone up on Wednesday (again I am very very sorry :( Watch this space!)

Wednesday 5 July 2017

WW: Websites for Calm

Hello all! Welcome to a brand new series that’ll run for more than one month: Wellbeing Wednesdays! Here are my top 5 websites to use when you need to just get away from what you’re doing and distract yourself for a little while.


1. The Quiet Place - So relaxing. Let it take you on a calming journey.

2. Neon Flames Make a nebula! Beautiful and calming.

3. Looking at Something Control the weather and let our frustration if you need to.

4. Weave Silk The BEST. Make such beautiful art so easily - an incredible distraction.

5. Liquid Particles Tiny particles follow your mouse. Always a great distraction.

Sunday 2 July 2017

My Bucket List

Hiya everyone, here’s my shortened, revised bucket list. I feel like everyone should have one just for the sake of it, and although to some it’s seen as morbid, to me it’s an endless supply of hope and imagination and excitement for what is to possibly come. Some of the places I’ve never been, and others I cant wait to return to. Some things are one-off, some are ongoing. Some can never be truly completed, but that doesn’t mean we can’t aspire. Sometimes unfinished is okay, sometimes it is wonderful.

To Go:
  • Alaska
  • Argentina
  • Arizona
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • California
  • China
  • Colorado
  • Cuba
  • Egypt
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hawaii
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Illinois
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kansas
  • Kenya
  • Madagascar
  • Morocco
  • New Zealand
  • Portugal
  • Quebec
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • South Africa
  • South Carolina
  • Sweden
  • Texas
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
  • Wales

To Do:
  • Be contented with myself 
  • Be in a feature-length film
  • Be self-sufficient for a while
  • Concerts
  • Find my place in the world
  • Finish reading the Bible
  • Get a degree
  • Get baptised
  • Get married
  • Get my seconds pierced
  • Go on the London Eye
  • Grow as a Christian
  • Help people, however I can
  • Join a sorority
  • Keep my house plants alive
  • Know for sure my path and purpose
  • Learn how to cheerlead
  • Learn more about other faiths and cultures
  • Little tattoos
  • Meet a royal
  • Musicals
  • Play Éponine in any production of Les Miserables
  • Play Evita in any production of Evita
  • Plays
  • Raise a child
  • Read
  • Stay vegan
  • Take my child(ren)/niece(s)/nephew(s) to Disneyworld
  • Thank SK for all she does and has done
  • Thank the Ss for all they do and have done
  • Write a kick-ass Personal Statement
  • Write a novel (doesn’t have to be published, doesn’t have to be good)
  • Write more poetry


Disclaimers:
- These are all ‘I’d-Like-To-Do/Go’s, not ‘I-Must-Do/Go’s. I will still be totes fulfilled if I don’t complete all of these, and I have so much more I want to do in life than just these.
- My overarching and sole goal in life is to do/go/be what/where God wants me to do/go/be. If His plan is for me to have achieved none of these ‘objectives’, that’s more than cool with me.
- These are solely in alphabetical order. No preference is listed, no urgency put on anything.