Finally, the grand passage of Romans 8:29-30 teaches us that only those God foreknew and personally called would be justified and ultimately glorified. (Of course, those with an Arminian view of salvation would have a harder time disproving universalism than a Calvinist-Reformed position according to this passage, although it is still possible.)
Romans 8:29-30 says: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
If everyone were equally called and drawn to Christ then all would be justified. But this passage makes it clear that a person has to be foreknown and predestined before they hear a particular call to God, which Calvinists sometimes refer to as irresistible grace. Thus, all are not saved; only those He has foreknown for predestination!
Finally, the Bible makes it clear that He commands all people everywhere to repent in this life before they face the judgment: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)
The following passage in Revelation 20:11-15 states as clearly as tar on snow that all people will not be saved: “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Is hell a metaphor, is hell eternal, and is hell literal?
Jesus spoke more about hell than He did any other subject, either directly or indirectly. Hell was very real to Him and not just a metaphor. He told His disciples to fear God who casts both body and soul into hell (Matthew 10:28); that hell was made for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25: 41); and that hell and its torment is forever (Matthew 25:46).
Some say that when Jesus spoke about a person perishing (John 3:16) or being destroyed (Matthew 10:28) that He was referring to annihilation (total destruction, in which a person ceases to exist consciously any longer; this is the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teaching on hell). But, the Greek word used in Mark 2:22 (apollomi), in which a wineskin is ruined (it still exists but is no longer able to fulfill its purpose, hence it is ruined forever) is the same Greek work Jesus used in reference to hell (Matthew 5:29-30, 10:28).
