Anyone who is familiar with the good news that God looks out for all and reconciles the universe to himself has, I think, heard this objection (or one like it). Will even Hitler be reconciled to God? That can’t be true!
My generation, and of course previous generations, grew up with people who experienced the Second World War. For myself, for example, this has been my grandfathers and grandmothers. I have heard their stories and I have also read countless children’s books that focused on the Second World War. I still have books about this period on my bookshelf. The images are etched into our minds and that makes Adolf Hitler the embodiment of evil for these generations.
to deserve?
But when people start citing such examples when it comes to salvation and reconciliation, the idea seems to be that some deserve it, but others don’t, because they are too bad. But what does Scripture say about the position of all humanity in relation to God?
Romans 3
9 So what? Are we privileged? Definitely not! For we have just accused both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin,
10 As it is written, there is none righteous, not even one,
11 There is none who understands, and there is none who seeks God.
12 All avoid Him, together they have become useless. There is no one who does good, there is not even one.
(…)
17 And they have not known the way of peace.
18 The fear of God is not before their eyes.
grace
All people are sinners and in that respect they are in the same boat. There is no distinction in that. Justification, salvation and reconciliation is a matter of grace, it is free. It is God’s work and goes beyond man’s activities, including his works and sins. Where sin increases, grace abounds more, Scripture teaches (Rom 5:20)! And grace is also what the rest of Romans 3 talks about:
22 the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ’s faith, for all and on all who believe, for there is no distinction.
23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
look up!
Anyone who looks at man sees impossibilities. Those who look up and look at God know that with Him all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). Man condemns, hates, misses his target, is hostile and sows death and destruction. But God:
…loves this world (John 3:16
…works out his plan and never misses the mark (Isaiah 46:10; Eph 1:11)
…justifies all men (Rom 5:18)
…saves all people, the whole world (1Tim 4:10; John 3:17)
…makes all alive in incorruption glory and power (1 Cor 15:22,42-44)
…makes peace and reconcile the universe through the blood of the cross (Col 1:20)
judgement
Hitler will also have to appear before his creator. When he stands before the great white thrown (Rev 20:11-12), will be revealed who he is in the light of the creator. Gods judgement is true (Rom2:2), the truth will come to light and everything that was hidden will be brought into judgement by God (Eccl 12:14). God does not bend justice, but he executes justice. That is: everything will be made public and put right. The evil that someone has done will be repaid (Rom 2:8) and this will be an experience of tribulation and distress for many (Rom 2:9).
judgement = gospel
It is Gods goodness that He does justice and that is why Paul also calls the judgement of God: gospel (Rom 2:16). God is going to set everything right and make everything that is broken whole. In that light where everything is revealed, every person can only do one thing now, bend his knees before him. All enmity will be turned into peace and every creature will heartily confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Philippians 2
10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow ,of those in heaven and on earth ,and under the earth
11 and every tongue should heartily confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of to the glory of God the Father.
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