|
Thank you for raising this important issue. First of all, allow me to express my deepest sympathy and condolences about your experience in the Holocaust. I assure you that I do not believe Hitler and the Nazi war criminals deserve to go to heaven -- at least not anytime soon after their death. The real issue is whether or not extremely evil people like Hitler deserve to be tortured forever by God; whether their punishment should be permanent and infinite, without any purpose except inflicting unending vengeance for their sins, or temporary and for the purpose of eventual reform and redemption. Christian Universalists such as myself believe no person is deserving of infinite, eternal torment -- even people whose sins were as terrible as Hitler. They will receive the just punishment that is due, but no more than that. After they have been thoroughly purged of evil in the metaphorical "fires" of hell, they will finally be able to enter heaven and be with God, just like everyone else. For somebody like Hitler, hell might last a very long time and involve a lot of difficult and painful lessons for the restoration of his soul. There are several reasons why I believe even Hitler can be saved. One reason is that the sins of one mortal life are finite, and therefore it would be unjust for an infinite duration of punishment to be imposed on anyone, even someone with many terrible sins like Hitler. Since God is a God of justice, He cannot punish a finite mortal being infinitely, or else God's wrath would outweigh his love. Hitler is human too, and he was not totally devoid of goodness and redeeming qualities. God loves even the heinous criminals like Hitler, because He knows that there is still a spark of the divine within them and therefore they still have the potential to be redeemed. In fact, when Hitler one day will be redeemed and restored to communion with God, that will be a day of great rejoicing, because it will show God's amazing power to transform even the most evil beings into good. Another reason why I believe Hitler can be saved is because, contrary to your statement that God doesn't force us into His house, I believe the Bible actually says that God is totally in control, and it is only because of His saving grace that we can ever return to His house in heaven. All human beings -- every one of us -- is fallen and a sinner. There is no fundamental difference between you and me and Hitler; it is only a matter of degree of sin. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Rom. 3:23-24). As soon as a person believes in Jesus and walks in his way, either in this world or the next, that person will be saved and begin the purgatorial process of transition from hell to heaven. No one can overcome the intrinsic human inclination towards sin without God's help. True, people like Hitler who rejected God instead of asking for His help in this life will find themselves in hellish condition when they die. But that doesn't mean they will be in hell forever, because God will continue to try to bring them back into the fold of His love. This is the role of Jesus: to go to the sinners and the corrupted people, whether on earth or in the afterlife, and help them to repent and ascend into righteousness. Jesus did this in his earthly life, seeking out the sinners to associate with, and forgiving them and encouraging them to change their ways. He also goes to hell and seeks out the sinners there, as Peter tells us in the Bible: "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit, through which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago..." (1 Pet. 3:18-20). Jesus already has been to hell to preach the Good News of forgiveness and love to the suffering souls there, and he probably makes frequent return trips for the benefit of new souls who enter there -- people such as Hitler. When God has determined that they have spent enough time in the misery of hell, repenting for their sins and learning not to repeat their mistakes, then Jesus will allow them to be released and take their place in heaven. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that human sinfulness is all part of a larger divine purpose, which we cannot fully understand while we are living on earth. "For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.... For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things." (Rom. 11:32,36). Far from teaching absolute freedom of the individual human will, Paul teaches here and elsewhere in his writings that God is in control. Human beings are currently sinners because this is part of God's plan. It is God who has made men disobedient, and it is God who plans to have mercy on all men, all of whom He forces to be disobedient for a time. God's purpose in doing this is to teach us to recognize our own limited nature and our need for God at all times, in all things. Ultimately, God will forgive all people of their sins through His boundless mercy, and all things will return to God from which they came. What this means is that it was part of God's plan for us to leave His house in sin and for all of us to return in glory. Each one of us goes through this process in a different way, at a different pace, according to individual uniqueness -- because God likes variety. Some people such as Hitler and other heinous criminals will sin severely and spend a longer term in hell than others. Some will be able to go to heaven almost immediately after they die. Most of us are somewhere in between. Jesus taught forgiveness for all sins. That's why he even asked God to forgive the very men who pounded nails into his own hands. Surely, there is corrective punishment for those who need it, but that doesn't mean there is not forgiveness and love at the same time. As our Father, God sometimes must use tough love to raise His children into maturity, so we can become like Christ His Son. I'm sure Hitler will receive plenty of tough love, with the emphasis on tough. Nevertheless, "God is love," (1 John 4:8,16) as the Bible tells us, so the ultimate goal is for all people God has ever created to be brough back into harmony and reconciliation with their Maker. And this goal will be accomplished. Jesus says, "I will draw all men to myself" (John 12:32). Paul says that at the end of time, "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:10-11). This is not a prediction that all people will cry uncle and grudgingly accept Jesus as the Lord who forever condemns them to torture. Such a horrible outcome would not be to the glory of God. Also note that the word "should" in this translation means shall or will, not ought. The verse is saying that all knees will bow and all tongues will confess, not that they ought to. When they finally do, it will be in a way that glorifies God, which means a true acceptance of Jesus, forgiveness and reconciliation. So, the answer to your question is yes, one day even Hitler will be in heaven, and you will see him there. I am sure when you see him, he will apologize to you and your family and the Jewish people for the Holocaust, and you will know he has already paid the price for his sins in hell. You will understand that he is redeemed just like you, and you will forgive him for what he once did. That, indeed, is the true Christian spirit. As Jesus taught, "Love your enemies.... Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:35,36-37). It is extremely difficult to overcome the natural human desire for vengeance, but God will help us break free from the shackles of our own pain and anger, through the power of Jesus Christ's boundless love. Vengeance is God's, and rest assured it will be meted out appropriately, according to the divine attributes of justice and mercy. That means no one, not even Hitler, will be forever unforgiven and remain in hell for eternity. Peace in Christ,
|
|
Christian Universalist FAQ -- Frequently Asked Questions
|
|
Heavenly Father, please bless this ministry, lead multitudes to this website, and help them see the truth of Your love and forgiveness for all people through the power of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the whole world. Open their eyes to Your true nature, take away their fears, and fill their hearts with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. |