Too often justice is tied to the psychological concept of "deserving". You just used the two words together back to back. I have some notes on the subject on one of my jump drives but would need time to do a lot of sifting through word documents to find it. Not sure it would change your views or not.Universal salvation is something I can accept if it's actually there, which from what I have seen, is not. (Not like I don't deserve justice either..)
As far as universalism, there is no explicit verse to proof text. From what I have read, there were originally three views that one could hold as valid and still be considered Christian.
Guys like Tertullian favored eternal torment. Tatian and Arnobius taught annihilation, and possibly also Justin and Irenaeus.
Irenaeus wrote: He who cherishes the gift of existence, and is thankful to the Giver, shall exist forever; but he who despises it, and is ungrateful, deprives himself of the privilege of existing forever."..."He who is unthankful to God for this temporal life, which is little, cannot justly expect from him an existence which is endless."
Justin Martyr wrote: "but the others are tormented so long as God wills that they should exist and be tormented. Whatever does or ever will exist in dependence on the will of God, is of a perishable nature, and can be annihilated so as to exist no longer. God alone is self-existent, and by his own nature imperishable, and therefore he is God; but all other things are begotten and corruptible. For which reason souls (of the wicked) both suffer punishment and die."
St. Isaac of Nineveh (the Syrian) taught universalism, and it was even a whole different brand of universalism than that of Origen.
It was not until Justinian issued his edict to Patriarch Mennas of Constantinople that the Church began suppressing other doctrines besides torment being eternal (ateleutetos), as Justinian worded it. Whether annihilation, eternal torment or universalism, all three can be wrestled from of Scripture. I think Christianity should have left eschatology open for healthy difference of opinion. I think it was imperial decree and the meddling of the emperior in theological matters that led to force of conformity to a one-party system. Christianity would be a much stronger, unified religion if everybody didn't argue about "last things", who is in and who is out. I say bring back the "three party system" of Christianity and focus on letting your particular eschatology simply make you live out the Gospel better. It's all really the same Gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Who cares whether it is from hell, annihilation or temporal chastisement in the lake of fire to then be quickened after paying the last farthing? Give God the glory for simply being God. Take whatever story or metaphor or eschatology you find in Scriptures which make life make sense. When I argue with eternal tormentists and annihilationists on here, I'm not really trying to change their minds as much as giving passers by the chance to see there is a third option to choose from.
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