The Fate of the Wicked

A Tentmaker Tract

Christians in the twentieth century have primarily three views of the fate of the wicked:

The eternal torment view has been the majority view for about the last fifteen hundred years. The main Scriptures used to support that view are: The annihilation view has been the minority view since the beginning of church writings after the disappearance of the apostles. Some of the most ancient of the Christian writings taught this view. The Scriptures used to support this view are: This may come as a shock to most Christians today, but what is today the remnant view was the majority view for the first five hundred years of Christianity. As a matter of fact, of the six theological schools we know existed in the second to fourth century, four of them believed in the salvation of all mankind, only one taught annihilation, and only one taught eternal torment, the school at Rome. For a brief history of how this reversal of doctrines came about, write for the article, The Early Christian's View of Salvation. The doctrine of eternal torment did not become popular until the fifth century when Augustine began to push it. Once the doctrine was firmly injected into the church, the church brought about the Dark Ages, which lasted about a thousand years.

Most Christians, when they are told their doctrines do not agree with the views of the early Christians, do not believe it. They are so certain that the Bible does not contradict itself and that their beliefs are based upon the Bible. Those who are in the majority and minority views often have those Scriptures that support their position memorized. Evangelists always use them at revival time to scare people into their church.

Following is a list of Scriptures that early Christians used to support their view that all mankind will be saved. Do they contradict the beliefs that you presently hold? If they do, does the Bible contradict itself? And if it doesn't, is it possible that the present church majority is wrong?

  1. 1 Timothy 2:4  God will have all to be saved
  2. 1 Timothy 2:6  Salvation of all is testified in due time
  3. Ephesians 1:11  God works all after the counsel of His will
  4. John 12:47  Jesus came to save all
  5. John 4:42  Jesus is the Savior of the world
  6. 1 John 4:14  Jesus is the Savior of the world
  7. John 12:32  Jesus draws all to Himself
  8. Hebrews 7:25  Jesus is able to save to the uttermost
  9. Colossians 1:15  Jesus is the firstborn of all creation
  10. Colossians 1:16  By Him all things were created
  11. Romans 5:15-21  In Adam all condemned, in Christ all live
  12. 1 Corinthians 15:22  In Adam all die, in Christ all live
  13. Ephesians 1:10  All come into Him at the fullness of times
  14. 1 Corinthians 15:26  Last enemy, death, will be destroyed
  15. Philippians 2:9-11  Every tongue shall confess Jesus is Lord
  16. 1 Corinthians 12:3  Cannot confess except by the Holy Spirit
  17. Romans 11:26  All Israel will be saved
  18. Acts 3:20-21  Restitution of all
  19. Luke 2:10  Jesus will be joy to all people
  20. Ephesians 2:7  His grace shown in the ages to come
  21. Hebrews 8:11-12  All will know God
  22. Titus 2:11  Grace has appeared to all
  23. Romans 8:19-21  Creation set at liberty
  24. Colossians 1:20  All reconciled unto God
  25. 1 Corinthians 4:5  All will have praise of God
  26. James 5:11  End of the Lord is full of mercy
  27. Revelation 15:4  All nations worship when judgments are seen
  28. II Corinthians 5:17  New creation in Christ
  29. Romans 11:32  All subject to unbelief, mercy on all
  30. Romans 11:36  All out of God, through Him, and into Him
  31. Ephesians 4:10  Jesus will fill all things
  32. Revelation 5:13  All creation seen praising God
  33. 1 Corinthians 15:28  God will be all in all
  34. Revelation 21:4-5  No more tears, all things made new
  35. John 5:25  All dead who hear will live
  36. John 5:28  All in the grave will hear and come forth
  37. 1 Corinthians 3:15  All saved, so as by fire
  38. Mark 9:49  Everyone shall be salted with fire
  39. Romans 11:15  Reconciliation of the world
  40. II Corinthians 5:15  Jesus died for all
  41. John 8:29  He always does what pleases His Father
  42. Hebrews 1:2  He is heir of all things
  43. John 3:35  All has been given into His hand
  44. John 17:2  Jesus will give eternal life to all whom His Father gives to Him
  45. John 13:3  The Father gave Him all things
  46. I Timothy 4:9-11  Jesus is the Savior of all
  47. Isaiah 46:10  God will do all His pleasure
  48. Daniel 4:35  God's will done in heaven and earth
  49. Proverbs 16:9  Man devises, God directs his steps
  50. Proverbs 19:21  Man devises, but God's counsel stands
  51. Psalms 33:15  God fashions all hearts
  52. Deuteronomy 32:39  God kills and makes alive
  53. Psalms 90:3  God turns man to destruction then says "return"
  54. Lamentations 3:31,32God will not cast off forever
  55. Isaiah 2:2  All nations shall flow to the Lord's house
  56. Genesis 18:18  All families of earth will be blessed
  57. Isaiah 45:23  All descendants of Israel justified
  58. Psalms 138:4  All kings will praise God
  59. Psalms 72:18  God only does wondrous things
  60. Psalms 86:9  All nations will worship God
  61. Psalms 65:2-4  All flesh will come to God
  62. Psalms 66:3-4  Enemies will submit to God
  63. Isaiah 19:14-25  Egypt and Assyria will be restored
  64. Ezekiel 16:55  Sodom will be restored
  65. Psalms 22:25-29  All will turn to the Lord and all families will worship before Him
  66. Psalms 145:9-10  He is goo to all and merciful to all His work
  67. Psalms 145:14  God raises all who fall
  68. Psalms 145:16  God satisfied the desire of the living
  69. Psalms 145:10  All God's will praise Him
  70. Isaiah 25:6  Lord makes feast for all people
  71. Isaiah 25:7  Will destroy veil that is spread over all nations
  72. Isaiah 25:8  He will swallow up death in victory
  73. Jeremiah 32:35  Never entered His mind to burn people in fire
  74. Psalms 135:6  God does what pleases Him

 

What Pleases God?

1 Timothy 2:3-6 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires ("will have" in some translations) all me to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time..."

I John 4:14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

John 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands.

John 6:39 This is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all He has given me, I should lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day.