Picking back up on answering some questions, I share an inquiry from one of my favorite younger colleagues:

“I read and agree with a lot of what you write, but there is one thing I am really confused about. Sometimes you talk as if you believe in universal salvation (unconditional love, unmerited grace) but you then talk about how important it is for Christians to be different, that our faith makes us different. Is everyone going to heaven no matter what or does it matter that we be Christian?”

My simple and glib answer to this is “it’s not my call.” I have always been a bit miffed by an ignorant tarnished variation of the Golden Rule: Judge and condemn others before they can judge and condemn you. Judging people, condemning them to hell, disgracing and shaming others for who they are and what they do – this is not our task, focus, witness, or purpose as members of the body of Christ. Judge not lest ye be judged. Take the log from your own eye before worrying about the speck in your sibling’s eye. As Paul teaches in Romans, the only sin worse than all the sins you can think of is to judge others based on that sin. Who are we to analyze and assess another beloved, blessed, and beautiful child of God? And do we look forward to the assessment, evaluation, and judgment of those around us? What can we possibly gain in our spiritual walk and development to judge others? It is not. our. job.

Do I believe in universal salvation? No. Because I believe in God’s gift of free will. No one will be coerced, manipulated, blackmailed, or forced to accept God’s grace and gift. Each of us can choose today how we want our eternity to unfold. God will honor that choice. Do I believe that salvation is limited to Christians? Absolutely not. God’s grace, the power of love, the ability to embrace God’s will (whether defined as such or not) is not an exclusive club. My God loves the whole world, the totality of creation, and if there are diverse belief systems they merely reflect to me the incredible scope and depth of the Truth that we call God. Jesus Christ came within our Judeo-Christian system to make sure that we have access to God’s freely given gift. Does God extend this gift to others? I believe God does, whether I can understand it or not.

You see, God is love, and love is not exclusive to Christians – especially “Christians” who think God is all about hate, anger, vengeance, punishment, condemnation, and torture. Imagine a beloved child. This is a normal child, learning their limitations, not only what is right and wrong but why things are right or wrong. This child chooses on a regular basis to do things she has been instructed not to do. The loving parent teaches this child a lesson by throwing her in an oven, setting it on broil, and setting the timer on “forever.” Is this really how we see God? Is our view of God retributive or restorative? Do we believe our loving parent is actually just looking for a reason to torture us for eternity?

Ignorance of God is worse than ignorance about the existence of God. To say “I believe…” without bothering to learn is the true pathway to loss and despair. I marvel at the number of people calling themselves Christian to find no joy, comfort, assurance, or kindness in their faith. Too many people believe their faith makes them superior to others. Our faith does not make us superior, simply more fortunate, but only if this faith is generative, positive, grace filled, and merciful.

If a person is truly Christian, concerned for the salvation of another, convinced that following Jesus is the ONLY way, then their approach to non-Christians will be loving, gracious, generous, kind, patient, non-aggressive, compassionate, empathetic, and tolerant. No Christian has ever told someone that they are going to hell; if a human child of God convicts and condemns another child of God, they simply are not Christian. Jesus warned that those estranged from God were in danger, but he did not come into the world to judge the world.

It has never been part of my theology that I should believe in God in order to escape the fires of hell. I have no idea what God will do with my eternal soul, and the test of my faith does not lie at some undisclosed time in the future. I am a follower of Jesus Christ because the Christ offers me a way to live in the world. That way is the way of mercy, justice, peace, and unity. I constantly seek evidence of the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit in my thinking, acting, and speaking – to be a source of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, not only with those I love, like, or agree with, but with opponents and those who think differently as well.

Who do I hope I won’t see in heaven? Well, I would rather not spend eternity with murderers, pedophiles, narcissists, the greedy, the hateful, racists, sexists, or social media influencers, but in heaven they won’t be these things. By God’s grace we will all be changed. The healing of our flaws, the reconciliation of all our divisions, the correction of all our wrong thinking is my understanding of the will of God. God wants the best for all God’s creation.

All of us have sinned and fall short of the intention of God. None of us are perfect. Accountability is essential, but it can be rehabilitative rather than punitive. We can strive to bring all people to a place of decency, civility, respect, and communal responsibility. The better we do this now, the closer we come to heaven. I do believe that God desires reunion, reconciliation, and restoration will all people, but only if we want this with God.

In my mind, in my heart of hearts, in my soul, I believe that heaven is the place where all my questions will be answered and I will more fully understand the length, height, depth, and width of God’s grace. And I think I will grow in that learning through the connections I will make in God’s realm with those of many different spiritual backgrounds and faith traditions. Who will I meet? That’s up to God. I simply plan to accept everyone that God sends my way.