Recently a new book has hit the shelves that has caused many to be concerned. The author claims to be a Christian, and the book purports to be Christian as well. However, during the weeks preceding the book’s release, word was going around that there might be some false statements made in the book that could potentially render its contents out of the realm of Christianity and into the realm of Universalism. Now Universalism is a term that could technically be applied to all the Abrahamic religions including Christianity. This is because each of these religions claims to be all inclusive. Anyone and everyone can be a Christian if they so choose. However, this is not the definition that we are concerned with in the context of this article. Rather, we will be looking at Universalism as defined by the group called Religious Tolerance (religioustolerance.org):

Universalism is a religious movement which promotes the belief that every person will go to heaven after death. This is in contrast with the traditional Christian belief that one's natural destination is eternal torment in Hell. Only those who are saved will attain heaven.

It is clear that Universalism and Christianity are incompatible. Logically we must conclude that one MUST be wrong, and it’s possible that both are wrong. The critique that follows will mostly be discussing claims that are blatantly not Christian or that simply cannot be true. I will refrain from using the book’s title and author throughout as I am only concerned in addressing the content and not in attacking any one’s person. This is about acknowledging there is absolute truth which can be known, and once known, should be defended. Ideas have consequences. False ideas can have tragic consequences.

The book begins:
“I’ve written this book for all those, everywhere, who have heard some version of the Jesus story that caused their pulse rate to rise, their stomachs to churn, and their heart to utter those resolute words, “I would never be a part of that.

You are not alone.

There are millions of us.”

Not yet reaching the second page click on a kindle, I must stop and address some truth claims. The author refers to “some version of the Jesus story” as if there are multiple ways that Jesus actually lived. The author may not be meaning that, simply because he does not take a stance. One stance that MUST be taken regarding this issue, however, is which of these “versions” is true! There are not multiple histories of the world. There are no “versions” of George Washington being the first president of the United States. That would imply that some people say he was and some people say it was a concocted story and some flat out deny there was ever a person named George Washington. Furthermore, we would be obligated, according the author’s treatment of historical events, to treat each of these claims regarding George Washington as equal! This is logically absurd.

Furthermore, one is left wondering what the author is speaking of what he refers to “the Jesus story.” When I look back on my Grandfather’s life in photo albums, people tell me stories and memories they have. It is a reality that a person’s life can be categorized as a story. What is not possible is to have multiple contradictory stories all being true and equally valid at the same time and in the same meaning.

A few paragraphs later, we come to this statement:

“A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better. It’s been clearly communicated to many that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it is, in essence, to reject Jesus. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus’s message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear.”

Here the author seems to commit logical suicide by refuting his own stance outright. Christianity does make the truth claim that heaven and hell are real places. (See Biblical book of revelation) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. If Jesus lied about such a thing, then He would have sinned. If Jesus sinned, He could not have been God. If Jesus was not God, then He could not have been able to bear the sins of the whole world, which Christianity claims He did when He was crucified some 2000 years ago.

The foundation and core of the Christian faith can be found in the Biblical book of Romans chapter 5:
“ Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 5:12-21

In short, the message… the very truth claim of Christianity… is that all people have knowledge of God, all people reject God, all people are guilty before God, and all people are condemned before God. But God, in His grace and mercy, made a way of salvation for the lost in the person of Jesus Christ, His Son and humanity’s Lord. Through faith in Christ alone can anyone come to God.

Of course not everyone has faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. What are the logical implications? If one rejects the person of Jesus, then according the Christian truth claim, they are unable to come to God. Yet, Christianity claims our souls will live for eternity somewhere, so if one’s soul cannot come to God, then where does it spend eternity? Separated from God, cast into what the Bible calls the lake of fire. Jesus called this place hell, and He talked of it many times.

“If your right eye causes you to stumble (referring to sin), gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Matthew 5:29-30

“It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
“‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’
Everyone will be salted with fire.” – Mark 9:47-49

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” – Luke 12:5

Perhaps the passage most pertinent to our discussion here is found in 2 Peter, chapter 2:

“Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire.” – 2 Peter 2:2-10.

The author of the book acknowledges these Christian truth claims. If someone were to reject the idea that individuals will go to hell, they would be rejecting the exclusivity of Christ’s claim. He is the only way to heaven. If they reject Christ’s exclusive claim, then they necessarily reject the absolute need for Jesus as our Savior. If Jesus is not absolutely needed by everyone, then the Bible is full of lies and cannot be trusted. If the Bible, the foundation of all Christian faith, contains any lies whatsoever, the entire book is compromised and the faith which is based on it dies. Indeed, when the author says (weeding out the unneeded connotative word ploys aimed at your emotion and not at your mind), “people have been taught that …Christians will spend forever in …heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever …in hell... It’s been… communicated …that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it is, in essence, to reject Jesus,” he is exactly stating what Christianity teaches. Either this claim is true or it is not. To be Christian, one must believe it to be true. One can doubt and investigate for themselves to see which claim is true, but in the end, a Christian must belief Jesus is the only way to God and those who reject Him are cast into hell. It is essential to the message of the Christian gospel. Put simply, any belief system that denies this claim… is not Christian.

I have not yet made it through the first part of the first chapter. I shall continue my reading and continue to post my logical analysis here for all who care to read.