Cult Watch: Is Seventh-day Adventism a Cult or a Christian Denomination?

 

We explore whether the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is a cult or a Christian denomination.

For a brief overview of the SDA’s history, you can visit this link.¹

CARM.org outlines some of the core teachings and the more controversial doctrines of the SDA Church:²

Some of the key doctrines and teachings of Seventh-day Adventism.  Is it Christian? Does it teach aberrant doctrines?

Affirmations

1.     The Bible is inspired and the word of God.

2.     Trinitarian: The Father, Son, Holy Spirit are all one God in three persons.

3.     Jesus is God and has always existed with the Father.

4.     The Holy Spirit is a person.

5.     Jesus’ sacrifice was vicarious.

6.     Salvation is by grace, not works.

7.     Jesus rose from the dead physically in his glorified body.

8.     Jesus ascended bodily into heaven.

9.     Baptism is by immersion

10.  The literal, visible return of Jesus.

11.  Jesus will return to set up a millennial kingdom.  They are Premillennial.

12.  Literal six-day creation, not long periods.

Denials

1.     Denies the doctrine of predestination

2.     Denies baptism by sprinkling

3.     Denies infant baptism.

4.     Denies the immortality of the soul.

5.     Denies the eternality of hellfire.

6.     Denies any use of alcohol (as a drink) or tobacco.

Aberrant

1.     Our sins will ultimately be placed on Satan. (White, Ellen, The Great Controversy, p. 422, 485.)

2.     Jesus is Michael the Archangel.

3.     Worship must be done on Saturday (the Sabbath).

4.     On October 22, 1844, Jesus entered the second and last phase of His atoning work.

5.     Investigative Judgment – the fate of all people will be decided based upon this event in the future.

6.     The dead do not exist anymore — soul sleep.

7.     The wicked are annihilated.

8.     Ellen G. White, the “founder” of Seventh-day Adventism, was a messenger from God gifted with the spirit of prophecy.

9.     There is a sanctuary in heaven where Jesus carries out his mediatorial work.

Some heretical teachings of the SDA are:³

·       Ellen G. White made much of the Saturday Sabbath (sunset Friday to sunset Saturday), and believed that Christians should keep the Jewish Sabbath, even claiming that those not keeping the Sabbath would receive the Mark of the Beast! Hence this becomes a condition for salvation, again adding to the atoning work of Christ

·       Soul sleep and Annihilationism (which contradicts Matthew 25:46).

·       Christ will lay our sins on Satan! Satan is the “scapegoat” and will bear believers’ sins (The Great Controversy, p. 422, 485)—this is the opposite of what the Bible says about who bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24).

·       Seventh-day Adventists teach that Jude 9 refers to Christ. Jesus as Michael the archangel (Jude 1:9, Clear Word Bible, published by Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1994)—a doctrine that denies the true nature of Christ—and teaches that Jesus entered a second phase of His redemptive work on October 22, 1844, as prophesied by Hiram Edson.

·       Seventh-day Adventists still consider Ellen White to be a prophetess of God.

Here are some differences between SDA & Historic Christianity:

DOCTRINE / BELIEF	SDA	CHRISTIANITY
DIET	Vegetarian / Fish / Certain meats	No Prohibition
WORSHIP DAY	Saturday	Sunday
HELL	Annihilationism (No hell)	Literal Hell
HEAVEN	Heavenly Sanctuary	Literal New Heaven & New Earth
PROPHETS	Ellen G. White	Biblical Prophets only
2nd COMING OF CHRIST	Rapture / Premill	Premill / Postmill / Amill etc.
AFTER LIFE	Soul Sleep till Resurrection	Disembodied & conscious until resurrection

 So, is the SDA a cult?

The Adventist guide states the following:⁴

So, is it a Cult?

We think it’s fair to say that Adventism started as a cult. It was centered around William Miller at first, and people gave up their possessions and lives in preparation for what they believed to be the imminent return of Christ. This apocalyptic thinking still greatly influences the lives of Seventh Day Adventists – you’ll see Seventh Day Adventists as “preppers”

Is Adventism A Religious Cult?

The ongoing influence of Ellen G. White could certainly be regarded as cult-like. The SDA church is not a cult a la Scientology, in which members have been abused. We could refer to it as an “established cult” which, for some, might mean “a religion.” As Mormonism might be described as the “Cult of Joseph Smith” that outlasted Joseph Smith and continued to grow, Seventh Day Adventism could be described as the “Cult of William Miller and Ellen G. White” that outlasted them and grew beyond them.

 

Endnotes:

¹https://adventistguide.com/adventist-cult/

²https://carm.org/seventh-day-adventism/what-does-seventh-day-adventism-teach/

³https://www.spiritlifemag.com/why-seventh-day-adventists-are-a-cult/

⁴https://adventistguide.com/adventist-cult/

Websites last accessed on 19^th May 2025.

Cult Watch: Emperor Emmanuel Church

 

            Naïve Christians, especially from the Roman Catholic Church, are being lured into joining the Emperor Emmanuel Church. This group is located at Muriyad in Thrissur district of Kerala state, India. It is also known as ‘Zion.’

            Is Emperor Emmanuel Church a cult? Let us examine a few facts.

About

            Zion or Emperor Emmanuel Church is significantly established. They exist in India and other countries.

            This excerpt is from their website:¹

Zion is the little flock that believes that Jesus Christ has come again in flesh, his true name is Emmanuel and that he will transfigure and take them to the Eternal City in the New Earth…Zion believes that God the Father will come to visit them and when He comes, they will become like Him and so they eagerly wait for Him…Emperor Emmanuel Church is located at Muriyad in Thrissur district of Kerala state, India. This Church consists of 80 local fellowships in Kerala as well as other states such as Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Puducherry, etc. Emperor Emmanuel has overseas fellowships in places like Australia, the UK, the USA, Ireland, Italy and the Gulf countries such as Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, etc.

            Zion was pioneered by Mr. Roy Joseph aka Joseph Ponnara. (Emphasis Mine).

            Catholic apologist, Michael Prabhu has published pertinent information about Zion on his website. This excerpt provides significant details about Joseph Ponnara:²

Emperor Emmanuel is a charismatic-style, rabidly anti-Catholic doomsday cult whose centre is in Muriyad, near Irinjalakuda in Kerala. It is also known as "Zion". Its founder and leader is one Joseph Ponnara, a former drawing teacher in a school in Erattayar where he was active in the Catholic charismatic renewal. He started his activities in Thodupuzha in Kerala in 2000, calling his centre the "Embassy of Emperor Emmanuel", before moving to Muriyad in 2005 and renaming it "Zion".

Apparently, he lacks an academic background, theological formation as well as Biblical scholarship. His knowledge of English is insufficient for him to preach in any language other than Malayalam, so he depends on a translator. His only credentials are his personal interpretations of Scripture and what he claims are revelations from the Father and the Holy Mother [Mary]. Of course, he claims having discernment and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Ponnara is the cult’s sole preacher and teacher. Two priests have joined the cult. One, the elderly Fr. Joseph Ayyankoil, left the Vincentians [which runs the retreat centre at Potta and the Divine Retreat Centre at Muringoor, both of which are situated just a few minutes drive from "Zion"] in 2005. The other is a young Irinjalakuda diocesan priest Fr. Roby…

A three-storey concrete Noah’s ark is under construction at "Zion". Here, they are preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus.

But this Jesus is not the Jesus that other Christians know. Neither is the Second Coming the one that either Catholics or the fundamentalist Protestants teach.

Cultish Characteristics

            A closer observation of Zion through a cursory reading of their own website reveals the following cultish characteristics:

            A. Zion proclaims a “New Jesus” – a Jesus who has already come to earth for the second time, “Zion is a community that believes in Jesus Christ who took flesh from Holy Mother, was born two thousand years ago, preached the Kingdom of God, died on the cross, rose from the dead, and who procured forgiveness of sin for the children of God. Having received the salvation he gave 2000 years ago, this flock called Zion waits for him as a savior. Zion is the little flock that believes that Jesus Christ has come again in flesh, his true name is Emmanuel and that he will transfigure and take them to the Eternal City in the New Earth.” (Emphasis Mine).³

            In another article on their website entitled “Jesus Christ: The Savior,” Zion teaches, “Behold, Jesus Christ has come again in flesh on this earth now! Today, he is called by the Name Emmanuel, the only Name of the Son of God that God revealed to Prophet Isaiah more than 2700 years ago. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ and his Glorious Manifestation are not one and the same event, but two distinct events. Even though both these events take place in the End Times, there is a time gap between these two events. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is his Coming in flesh from Heaven to this earth in the End Times. But the Glorious Manifestation of Emmanuel is the revelation of the Son of God in all glory after living on this earth for a period of time.

            We are now living in the time period between the Second Coming and Glorious Manifestation of the Son of God, Emmanuel.” (Emphasis Mine).⁴

            B. Zion has a non-biblical source of authority. In an article about Jesus on Zion’s website, Zion alludes to the non-biblical authority, “This article is not based on worldly knowledge or any human philosophy or thought. Instead, it is solely based on the knowledge that comes from faith and Divine Wisdom.” (Emphasis Mine).⁵

            C. Zion rejects all churches subscribing to historical biblical Christianity when it teaches that all churches will be destroyed, “Emmanuel, the Son of God, is Going to Annihilate all Churches (1 Cor. 15/24)”⁶

            D. Zion subscribes to a new interpretation of the Bible.

            For instance, 1 Corinthians 15:24 says, “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.” (RSV).

            Zion interprets this verse as the destruction of all churches subscribing to historical biblical Christianity. This is an incorrect interpretation of this verse.

            The correct and contextual interpretation of this verse is that Christ would destroy all rule, authority, and power that opposes HIM.

            Interestingly, by teaching a new Jesus, Zion stands opposed to the Jesus Christ of the Bible. Thus, when Christ would destroy everything that opposes HIM, HE would also destroy Zion (but HE would not destroy the churches subscribing to Historic Christianity). Sadly, the adherents of Zion do not understand this stark truth.  

            Intriguingly, Zion’s own website reveals these Cultish characteristics. 

Belief

            Michael Prabhu reports that Zion believes and teaches the following:⁷

1. Jesus has already come on earth in the flesh, born of a virgin. His name is Emmanuel and not Jesus.

2. The name of the Father is Jesus. The Father has a physical body of flesh and blood. So, too, does the Holy Spirit. Melchizedek, the priest, and the king of Genesis 14 is the Holy Spirit.

3. The Blessed Virgin Mary, or Holy Mother as they call her, is co-eternal with the Father and was present at the creation of the world. Ponnara taught that Mary is to be worshipped.

4. While not attempting to hide the fact that they are not Catholic, and while teaching that the Catholic Church is the agent of Satan, they say the rosary, hear people’s private confessions, and celebrate Mass among other things. However, all of these are very different from what Catholics are familiar with.

5. The cult’s followers believe that the end of the world is imminent, that Jesus is already here and so are some of the prophets of the Old Testament, that they will turn up at "Zion", the Father will be there too, that only a pre-ordained 144,000 will be saved from annihilation, and that the 144,000 will only be those who accept the "Zion" gospel preached by Ponnara who is apparently, though he doesn’t say it in so many words, one of those prophets.

Conclusion

            Is Emperor Emmanuel Church a cult?

            This post offers adequate information with which you can arrive at your own conclusion.

            Their own website reveals stark cultish characteristics [about Zion]. Their beliefs, if what’s documented is factual, are also cultish.

            So, beware!

Endnotes:

¹https://www.emperoremmanuel.org/page.php?slug=about_content

²http://www.ephesians-511.net/results.php?q=joseph+ponnara (A word document in this website search entitled “EMPEROR EMMANUEL A DANGEROUS DOOMSDAY CULT” offers this information.)

³https://www.emperoremmanuel.org/page.php?slug=about_content

⁴https://www.emperoremmanuel.org/page.php?slug=temp_four_content&id=291

⁵Ibid.

⁶https://www.emperoremmanuel.org/page.php?slug=temp_four_content&id=123

⁷http://www.ephesians-511.net/results.php?q=joseph+ponnara (A word document in this website search entitled “EMPEROR EMMANUEL A DANGEROUS DOOMSDAY CULT” offers this information.)

Websites last accessed on 4^th September 2020.

Cult Watch: Definition, Modus Operandi and Characteristics

 

            Cults are aggressively deceiving God’s people.

            A cult is a perversion, a distortion of historical Christianity and/or a rejection of the historic teachings of the Christian church, says Josh McDowell. He also cites Walter Martin’s (a Baptist minister and a counter-cultist) definition of a cult: A cult, then, is a group of people polarized around someone’s interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, particularly the fact that God became man in Jesus Christ.¹

            Christians are seduced by cult groups for several reasons:²

            (1) They are ignorant of the Bible (Christian doctrines) because they have not diligently read the Bible and the church they attend does not faithfully teach the Bible.

            (2) Christians do not know why they believe in what they believe.

            (3) Most cults brainwash their followers by telling them what to believe, how to behave and what to think.

            (4) Cults always emphasize their followers to depend upon the group or the leader of the group for their emotional stability so much so that any member of the cult shall not dare disobey the leadership of the cult.

            (5) Cults will devour people going through crisis in their life by offering them love, acceptance and direction.

            (6) Cults provide seemingly authoritative answers to man’s basic questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going?

            It is not the stupid people who join cults. “People who join cults are not stupid, weird, crazy, weak-willed, or neurotic. Most cult members are of above-average intelligence, well adjusted, adaptable, and perhaps a bit idealistic,” says an article in the Apologetics Index.³

            Cults can be identified by the following characteristics:⁴

            A. New Truth: Many cults promote the false idea that God has revealed something special to them. This is usually truth that has never before been revealed and supersedes and contradicts all previous revelations.

            B. New Interpretations of the Bible: Some cults believe that they alone have the key to interpreting the mysteries in the Bible. The Scriptures are their only acknowledged source of authority, but they are interpreted unreasonably and in a way different from that of orthodox Christianity.

            C. A Non-Biblical Source of Authority: Some cults have sacred writings or a source of authority that supersedes the Bible.

            D. Another Jesus: A common characteristic found in cults is false teaching about the person of Jesus Christ in the light of historical biblical Christianity.

            E. Rejection of Orthodox Christianity: Many cultic groups launch a frontal assault on historical Christianity. One common allegation is that the church (subscribing to historical Christianity) has departed from the true faith.

            F. Double-Talk: Some cultic groups will say one thing publicly but internally believe in something totally different.

            G. Non-Biblical Teaching on the Nature of God (Trinity): Cults will usually teach an inadequate view of the Trinity or they will deny the blessed Trinity. Thus they will have a perverted view of the nature of God.

            H. Changing Theology: Cult doctrines are continually in a state of flux and have no sure foundation on which to anchor their hope. Adherents of a particular cult will learn a doctrine only to find that doctrine later changed or contradicted by further revelation.

            I. Strong Leadership: Cults are usually led by strong and central leader figures who consider themselves as messengers of God with unique access to the Almighty. Since the leader pretends to have such a special relationship with God, he/she can dictate the theology and behavior of the cult.

            J. Salvation by Works: One teaching that will be totally absent from all cults is the gospel of the grace of God. No one is taught in the cults that he can be saved from eternal damnation by simply placing his faith in Jesus Christ. On the contrary, it is always belief in Jesus Christ and “do this” or “follow that.” All cults attach something to the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. It might be baptism, obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, or something else, but it is never taught that faith in Christ alone will save anyone.

            K. False Prophecy: Another feature of the cults is they often promulgate false prophecy. They make bold predictions of future events, supposedly revealed by the inspiration of God. When these predictions do not come to pass, these leaders are exposed as false prophets.

            Some famous cults are:

            1. The Church of the Latter Day Saints (The Mormon Church).

            2.  The Unification Church.

            3. Christian Science.

            4. The Way International.

            5. The Worldwide Church.

            6. The Jehovah’s Witnesses (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society).

            Overcoming cults is possible if we know the truth. Learn how to and how not to interpret the Bible.

            Identifying an error is impossible if we do not know the truth, “…develop an intellectual depth to your biblical study. J. P. Moreland argues that two of the great Christian cults were started on the heels of the great American revivals.¹⁷ Because many of these new Christians didn’t know their Bibles very well, they were easily captured by the false teaching of these cult groups. Paul predicted that the false teachers in Ephesus would actually arise from within the church itself (Acts 20:29-30). Therefore, in the modern church, we need to learn how to interpret and read our Bibles with clarity in order to combat false teaching like this… when we have been steeped in the word of God, we become more effective at identifying counterfeit Christianity,” says an article in Xenos.org.⁵ 

            Last but not the least; let us never forget the teachings of the Bible that motivates us to be aware of the cults amongst us in order to reject them.

            “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” ( 1 John 4:1, NIV).

            “But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, NET).

            “For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted…For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11: 4, 13-15, NASB).

            Stay away from the cults. Remain in the Lord Jesus. Amen.  

            

Endnotes:

¹Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Handbook of Today’s Religions, p17.

²Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Handbook of Today’s Religions, p18-19.

³https://www.apologeticsindex.org/265-who-joins-cults-and-why

⁴Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Handbook of Today’s Religions, p20-25.

⁵https://www.xenos.org/essays/what-cult

Websites last accessed on 2^nd September 2020.

Dangers and Consequences of Christian Universalism: Cultic Status & Hellfire (Part 2)

Can a loving God send people to hell?

Does God take pleasure in the death of the wicked? No (Ezekiel 33: 11). Does God desire that all be saved? Yes (1 Timothy 2: 4; 2 Peter 3.9). Has God done everything for man to believe in HIM? Yes. So, can a loving God send people to hell? Yes! But the question is not fully correct! God does NOT send people to hell. Instead, people choose hell. C.S Lewis said, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.” ¹ Another perspective is from the Christian analytic philosopher William Lane Craig, “The exercise of saving faith is not a work we perform for salvation, but merely the allowing of the Holy Spirit to do His work in us. Far from making unreasonable expectations, God is ready to equip anyone for salvation. We have only not to resist.” ² Man decides his eternal destination, and God allows it.

Annihilationism

Rev. John Stott and a few other Christian scholars endorse(d) the position of Annihilationism – a next of kin to Universalism. This position asserts that God will annihilate those who do not believe in Christ or that God will annihilate all of mankind after death. This position lends credence to immorality. A subscriber to annihilationism can think, “I can do anything, even evil, for I will be annihilated as the others.” Volitional justification of immorality in any form is an assault against God and HIS Word. Annihilationism reduces mankind’s purpose of living to a temporal realm as against the eternal life taught by the Bible. Annihilationism opposes the teaching of eternal life from the Bible.

A flavor of annihilationism that subscribes to annihilation of all mankind violates Bible. For instance, the believer of Christ longs for the Second Advent (coming) of the Lord for he confidently hopes to live with HIS maker forever and ever (1 John 2: 17; cf. Revelation 22: 20 et al.). Annihilationism deprives a believer of Christ of that glorious hope in the Lord, and Christ is unnecessary if annihilationism is factual.

Annihilationism also deprives justice to man. If a man is convicted of theft, he may be sentenced to a few months to a few years depending on the intensity of his crime. But if man kills another man, then he is imprisoned for life or executed. So a pattern is established in justice – unauthorized plunder of another’s wealth results in a lesser sentence, whereas unauthorized plunder of another’s life justifies life imprisonment or death of the murderer, which is a greater sentence. If a murderer walks away scott-free, all sane minds will term this decision as injustice. Justice is determined by the enormity of the assault, which in turn determines the degree of punishment.

Similarly, since God is infinitely holy and just, any sin against HIM deserves an infinite punishment. But annihilation does not offer an infinite punishment to an evil man. Positing annihilationism eliminates justice. An unjust god is not a good god. Since God, by definition, ought to be good, annihilationism implies a godless universe. But the Christian Universalist proclaims that God exists, so his doctrine of annihilationism is a contradictory and a self-defeating doctrine. Therefore, annihilationism is also not a wholly tenable truth claim.

Uncertainty (Partial Agnosticism)

Some Christians resort to uncertainty and proclaim that God can do anything (implying that HE can save all). First, if God can do anything, then God can create another God or God can lie or even commit adultery. If Christians hold to a contradictory view of God, they are affirming a mystical God – a God who exists only in the subjective, fanciful and mystical imaginations of these men, for God cannot contradict HIS nature.

Second, if God can do anything, then heaven and hell can also be true. But this is the very claim these Christians reject. Therefore these Christians don’t believe in their own statement that God can do anything, so their claim is a self-defeating claim.

Third, uncertainty negates the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our constant counsel (John 14: 16), HE convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16: 7-11), and HE is our guide into truth (John 16: 13). Uncertainty negates all the above functions of the Holy Spirit.

Fourth, denying the concrete or reducing the concrete to a realm of abstract is blindness or insanity. This is akin to claiming that there is no sun, when the whole world can see and experience the radiance and radiation of the sun. The Bible is abundantly obvious about salvation. Only the insane or blind can negate the obvious.  

Finally the statement, “I do not know, but God can do anything” implies that “I know that I do not know and I know that God can do anything.” This statement posits knowledge. The statement, “I do not know” posits finite knowledge that he does not know. The statement that “God can do anything” posits infinite knowledge that God can do anything. This is a knowledgeable statement for it rejects all definitive truth claims but deceitfully masked under the pretext of agnosticism by these Christians. Uncertainty predicated on knowledge is untenable.

Christian Universalism mutilates the loving relationship between God and man

Christian universalism destroys the beautiful and a loving relationship between God and man. Imagine an instance where all athletes registered to participate in a race are informed much beforehand that each of them will win the gold medal – the highest prize. If every athlete is guaranteed to win the highest prize, practice prior to the race will be discarded. Therefore, the joy innate in the race would be nonexistent.  The athletes may participate in this farce of a race, but they will never be wholly involved with the race. A man can simply get out of his bed, participate in this farce of a race, and yet win the highest prize. If this be true, imagine the plight of an athlete who intensely practices for this race - his practice and preparation mean nothing. The race is reduced to a farce. No sane mind will even conceive this race, let alone implement it in today’s world.

Therefore, if God states that all men will inherit heaven (the highest prize), man need not be involved with God – he need NOT love and worship God. If man need not love and worship God, then there is no meaningful relationship between man and the living God.

Christian Universalism negates Evangelism

Evangelism intends to bring people into the knowledge of truth and eternal life. Christian Universalists declare that all will go to heaven. If so, why evangelize? How then would the Christian Universalist decipher all the verses in the Bible mandating us to evangelize (Daniel 12: 3; Ezekiel 3: 17-20; Matthew 10: 8b, 28: 18-20; Mark 16: 15-16; Acts 1: 8 et al.)?   

Consequences of Christian Universalism

By virtue of his universalistic persuasion, a Christian Universalist proclaims that:

1. Bible is corrupt – errant and fallible.

2. God is a cruel dictator without holiness, justice and true love. God’s commands need not be obeyed (e.g. evangelism is a non-factor).  

3. The roles of Christ and the Holy Spirit is a non-factor

4. A believer need not be holy, need not love and worship God, and can be immoral.

5. A believer need not repent or believe in Christ and need not produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Since Christian Universalism opposes the Bible, we can reasonably assert that Universalism is a heretical teaching and Christian Universalists are a cult (false religion). Christians espousing universalism are not Christians even though they may term themselves as a Christian. 

Although I don’t stand in judgment, the Christian Universalist, according to my understanding of salvation, lives dangerously close to an eternal separation from God.

Why does a Christian succumb to Universalism?

Let me suggest two reasons:

1. Unbelieving family and friends: If we believe in Christ, and our family and friends do not, then we suffer intensely knowing that those whom we love so dearly are hell bound. This constant pain gives way to Universalistic persuasion. Since universalism is an untenable proposition, a better mode of reconciliation would be to pray earnestly for God’s light to shine in the hearts of our loved ones. Meanwhile, we should gently and respectfully provide reasons for our hope in Christ, hoping that they would turn to Christ. 

2. Observing the apparently flawless lives of the non-Christians: There are many Non-Christians who through their apparently impeccable life put Christians to shame. So one could wonder how such a life would be deemed to hell.

This situation could be reconciled through the fact that all are sinners and imperfect in thoughts, words, and deeds. None can be as perfect as God. So an impeccable life is only impeccable within the confines of the act(s) that invoke impeccability (e.g. charity). Most surely, I cannot fathom a man claiming absolute impeccability. Therefore, since the flawless lives of non-christians are merely confined to certain acts, a reasonable conclusion is that all men are imperfect sinners worthy of infinite punishment.

Conclusion:

The Bible affirms that those who lead others to sin (disbelieve in God) are in a great and mighty danger – a potential loss of eternal life (cf. Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:1-2).

Universalism states that all will go to heaven. If Universalists are right and the debunking of Universalism is incorrect, then all will go to heaven (I and the Universalists). This is a win-win situation for me. But if Universalism is nonsensical, non-Universalists will go to heaven but the Universalists will go to hell. For the Universalists, this is a win-lose situation (they lose, Christians win).

May we earnestly seek to follow and obey God in the light of HIS truth. Amen.

Endnotes:

¹ C.S Lewis, The Great Divorce.

² http://www.reasonablefaith.org/politically-incorrect-salvation#ixzz2ihiiIG00