Ultimate Reconciliation, Universal Salvation, the Restoration of All Things, and Inclusion ... receive constant criticism from those who perceive that these ancient truths somehow prostitute/diminish the blood of Jesus or minimize the work of Jesus on Calvary's Cross. II Timothy 4:3-4 says, They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. It is imperative that we uncover one of the greatest theological myths that has ever been sold to, and bought by, Christianity. The myth to which I am referring is simply this: Adam's work of disobedience is more complete and more powerful than Christ's work of obedience.
The Church's actions and preaching, especially over the past few centuries, would lead an outside observer to believe that this is the truth. On the contrary, however, the central idea of this message is that Jesus TRIUMPHS over sin, over any devil, over death, over any hell ... and more specifically Jesus TRIUMPHS over Adam! Those who criticize this message for minimizing Jesus - are unconsciously and blindly guilty of their own accusation. In truth, this message of Ultimate Reconciliation only declares that Jesus is AS POWERFUL as Adam - not more powerful. After researching the scriptures regarding Universal Salvation we find that many in the Christian world have cried heresy and false teaching about a doctrine that merely says Jesus is AS POWERFUL as Adam! If equating Jesus to Adam stirs this much controversy, what will magnifying Jesus as greater than Adam cause? As we accept the idea that the Finished Work of Jesus is at least EQUAL to the finished work of Adam, then perhaps we may be able to someday sufficiently and soundly magnify Jesus above Adam!
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as IN ADAM ALL DIE, so IN CHRIST ALL WILL BE MADE ALIVE. So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. AND JUST AS WE HAVE BORNE THE LIKENESS OF THE EARTHLY MAN, SO SHALL WE BEAR THE LIKENESS OF THE MAN FROM HEAVEN.
I Corinthians 15:21-22, 45-49 - NIV
ALL DIE in Adam ... and ALL will BE MADE ALIVE in Christ. This passage in Corinthians shows us that we are not merely alive and reconciled to God because of Christ - we are also given the promise that even though we have reflected the likeness of Adam, we will certainly reflect the likeness of Christ. |