Frequently Asked Questions

 by Wendy Burnfield

Response:
Clearly, intellectual assent alone does not equal salvation. From the restorationist view, salvation was fully accomplished on the cross when Christ declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30). What remains is the inward transformation of the heart— a willingness to live according to Christ’s teachings. “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?” – James 2:14 (NLT)

This transformation is so complete that it is described as being born again:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
— John 3:3 (ESV)
 

Response:
Scripture affirms that God disciplines, but His punishments are always purposeful and restorative, not eternal for the sake of endless torment. For instance, in Jeremiah 7:20, God's wrath against Jerusalem is described as unquenchable. Yet, later in Jeremiah 31:38–40, Jerusalem is restored—clearly showing that “unquenchable” or “forever” doesn’t always imply eternal duration. Consider also:" For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever.” – Lamentations 3:31 (NLT)
 

Response:
This frames salvation as something we accomplish or preserve by our own effort. But salvation is God’s work from start to finish. He is not a passive observer; He is the Shepherd who seeks until He finds (Luke 15). His love endures, and His desire is for all to be reconciled.

“For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know Me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” – Jeremiah 31:34 (NLT)
 

Response:
While public declarations and sacraments like baptism are valuable, salvation is not dependent on specific rituals or denominations. In the restoration view, Christ has accomplished salvation for all, and in the coming age, all deception will be removed. Every soul will know the truth fully and respond willingly in due time. God does not coerce, but neither does He abandon.

“Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess…” – Philippians 2:10–11
 

Response:
Paul warned repeatedly against relying on the law or religious structures for salvation (Galatians 3:10–14). Legalism—even in the form of rigid denominationalism—adds human requirements to what God has made freely available through grace.

“For it is by free grace… that you are saved… it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8 (AMP)

Response:
This language is metaphorical, not literal. Just as we don't literally cut off our hands when tempted (Mark 9:43), we should not assume “the worm” is an eternal creature. Jesus often used hyperbolic warnings to convey the seriousness of sin. We must interpret Scripture in light of God’s character—loving, just, and compassionate—not with a rigid literalism that contradicts the rest of the biblical principles.

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt."
Response:
“Shame and everlasting contempt” reflect the consequences of a life lived in rebellion against God—but not necessarily eternal conscious torment. Shame may persist until healing and restoration take place, and “everlasting” (Heb. olam) often refers to a long, indefinite period, not unending duration. All will be judged, and all actions will be brought to light—but judgment serves a purpose: restoration and justice.

Response:
God's justice is not separated from His love—it is His love in action. He does not ignore sin, but neither does He hold it against us eternally. We are now in the age of grace, and in that grace, God brings every soul to awareness, correction, and transformation.

“It is I who sweep away your transgressions for My own sake and remember your sins no more.” – Isaiah 43:25 (HCSB)
 

Response:
The challenge isn’t with the Greek language itself, but with how we interpret it—through context and our own theological lens. Knowing Greek is helpful, but it doesn’t automatically reveal the full meaning of what the biblical author intended. Even in everyday English, a sentence like “I don’t like my car because it rides rough” can mean different things depending on the context—maybe the suspension is bad, or maybe it’s the tires. Language always requires careful interpretation. 

Response:
David’s language is poetic and personal, not systematic theology. His prayers reflect the human cry for justice. The passage does not teach eternal destruction, but God’s intervention against injustice. This fits the biblical pattern of temporary judgment that leads to restoration.

 Response:
The previous verse (23) speaks of Restoration. All of mankind will worship the Lord. Verse 24 Speaks of judgment. All people will be held accountable for the life they lived while on earth. The language denotes that judgment has been determined and is unstoppable.

The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. 1 Corinthians 3:12 (AMP)

Response:
This speaks of the total removal of evil—not of eternal obliteration of individuals. In God's redemptive plan, evil is uprooted so that righteousness can flourish (Revelation 21:4). The "root and branch" removal signifies purification, not extermination.

Response:
The Greek word translated “destroy” (apollumi) does not mean annihilation; it means to ruin or render useless. Jesus is warning us to take God seriously—not suggesting He will obliterate souls. Instead, this affirms God’s role as just Judge, worthy of reverent fear and trust.

Response:
Universal Restoration does not deny judgment or consequence. What it challenges is the nature, purpose, and duration of that judgment. “Eternal fire” (aionios pur) refers to divine fire of God’s age-enduring judgment, which purifies rather than tortures without end. God's discipline is like that of a loving parent—painful but purposeful (Hebrews 12:6-11).

Response:
We are preparing for ourselves now, for those who believe, are in a condition of everlasting life. Those who are perishing now on earth, perish for lack of knowledge. 

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...

See Hosea 4:6 (AMP)

Response to Objection:
We all will have to account for the lives we lead. It does not mean all will be eternally lost, because Christ came to remedy the problem. No one is excluded; all will come to know the Lord see Hebrews 8:11.

Response:
When God restores all things, the old nature will be destroyed, the old order will pass away, and wickedness will be no more. Take this simple example: I came home a few days ago to find my cats had “destroyed” my chair. It didn’t cease to exist—but it was certainly changed. Similarly, the consuming fire of God doesn’t erase existence—it purifies, burning away all impurity. Think of radiation: it destroys cancer, but in doing so, it restores health. The process is painful, but it brings healing. Just as Adam brought death to all, Christ brings life and justification to all—not in an instant, but within the fullness of time.  

"[He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth."
— Ephesians 1:10 (AMP)

Response:
Christ preached to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19; 4:6), proving His saving work extends beyond the grave. God’s mercy endures forever (Psalm 136), and James 2:13 reminds us that “mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Response:

The verse does not say that the unredeemed immediately go to hell upon death, nor does it describe the nature, timing, or outcome of that judgment. It simply affirms a general theological principle: death is followed by judgment. Hebrews 9:27 emphasis is accountability. The text remains silent on the fate of the individual post-judgment.

Response:
Because love compels us (2 Corinthians 5:14). The Gospel is about transformation now, not waiting until death. But if God’s mercy extends beyond death, it doesn’t negate our responsibility—it magnifies God’s goodness. Our true calling is not to save people—that’s already finished at the cross—but to love them and point them to the benefits of knowing God in this lifetime.  

Response to Objection:
On the contrary, it magnifies God’s justice and mercy. If eternal conscious torment were true, it would portray God as less merciful than humans. Universal Restoration affirms both the reality of judgment and the ultimate triumph of grace. 

Response:
Commentaries are helpful, but not authoritative. Scripture—and God’s character—must be our ultimate guide. Even respected theologians disagree. We are called to test all things and hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Response:
This verse highlights the reality of divine judgment, not its final outcome. Job, a righteous man, was not destroyed but refined through suffering (see 1 Peter 1:7). The “destruction” referenced here aligns with God’s purifying judgment, not eternal annihilation.

Response:
The imagery of stubble here is used in the context of condemning idolatry, not human souls. False systems and idols are powerless and destined for destruction. The emphasis is on the futility of trusting in sorcery—not eternal damnation of people.