Does Universal Reconciliation Invalidate Missions Work?

We have good friends that are engaged in the important work of fulfilling the Great Commission overseas. Someone asked me recently whether our understanding of God’s plan to reconcile all people to Himself in the fullness of time makes their work unnecessary. “After all”, I was told, “If God is going to reconcile everyone anyway, why bother evangelizing at all?”

On the surface, one can see the argument of this. Why engage in an activity whose outcome is already guaranteed? What’s the point?

But it is ONLY on the surface that this argument has any logic. Once you penetrate just a little deeper, as with most objections to Universal Reconciliation (UR), the entire discussion fails miserably.

Let me ask a few questions to illustrate.

First, do we currently engage in any activities that are definitely going to succeed? Of course we do. Many humble and great activities are done every day that we fully expect to be successful. So why would we think that success is a reason NOT to do something? That argument, which is the essence of the argument above against UR, viewed more broadly falls apart quickly.

Second, it would be more logical to turn the argument around against Partialism itself! What makes more sense, engaging in missions work with people that you know eventually will receive the Gospel or engaging in missions work knowing that most of your effort is wasted because most people will never receive the Gospel and go to hell to be tortured forever without mercy due to God’s will or inability to save them? Obviously the first. Now, the response to this would be, “Yes, we know we won’t be fully successful, but we are commanded to fulfill the Great Commission and teach the Gospel, so we have to do it anyway”. Fine, but it certainly isn’t a valid answer to the argument. This leads quite naturally to the third point.

Third, we should go forth and fulfill the Great Commission EVEN MORE with the understanding of UR. Not ONLY because we are commanded to (and this is indeed sufficient reason by itself), but also because we know Christ gave us a job that is not an exercise in futility but rather a triumphantly successful venture in the great work of reconciliation that Christ came to do!

Additionally, we are much more likely be successful if we go into a venture with the idea of being successful in it than we are if we go in believing we will achieve only a tiny bit of success. This is one reason we can point to why more people do not engage in the hard and glorious work of missions. Whether consciously or subconsciously, the teaching of God’s Eternal Torture Chamber undermines missions work because it sets us up for failure right from day one. Of course, some are content with being set up for failure like that because, after all, God Himself is going to fail ultimately in the great work of reconciling many to Himself so we can’t feel too bad. I know, “be nice”, that was a bit sarcastic, but it does illustrate an underlying and, as much as some might want to avoid it, unavoidable conclusion. The Great Commission will either be 100% successful in reaching everyone or it will be only partially successful. Those who believe in only partial success have to conclude that God only INTENDED it to be partially successful. Saying “successful” at all in regard to this is an overwhelming kindness to the doctrine of Partialism because it is hard to imagine anything being called successful when the endeavor results in a only some being rescued from a cruel horror that never ever ends and is devoid of all mercy that in some fashion meets with God’s approval, or at least acceptance.

The argument could be extended even further for more impact (and I do not promise not to do so in the future), but for now, this should illustrate the absurdity of claiming that UR invalidates missions. In fact, the understanding of God’s biblical plan to restore all people to Himself becomes a great compelling factor to engage in the Great Commission! It is an enterprise commanded by God and destined to be fully successful, to God’s unending Glory and to the great satisfaction and thanksgiving of those brave and self-denying souls who engage in this wonderful work! Glory to God! Great things He has and is and will do!!