Will God Forgive Everyone in the End?

A lot of people today believe that, in the end, God will forgive everyone. No matter what they believed. No matter how they lived. No matter if they ever knew Jesus.

This belief is called universalism. It’s the idea that, because God is loving, He will eventually save all people regardless of their response to Him. And honestly, it sounds extremely compassionate. Who doesn’t want everyone to be okay in the end? Who hasn’t hoped for that?

But universalism doesn’t line up with what Jesus actually taught. In fact, it completely overlooks the cross.

Shockingly, 39% of evangelicals in a recent State of Theology survey agreed with the statement that God accepts the worship of all religions. That reflects a kind of universalist thinking, the belief that all paths lead to God. But Jesus said something very different: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Forgiveness, according to the Bible, is a gift, but it must be received. In Acts 3:19, Peter calls people to repent so that their sins may be wiped away. Repentance isn’t just feeling guilty. It means choosing to turn from sin and toward God. In Romans 10:9–10, Paul writes that salvation comes through believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.

Jesus also spoke very clearly about final judgment. In Matthew 25, He gives a picture of a future moment when He will separate people like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The “sheep” enter into eternal life with God. The “goats” go away into eternal punishment, not a short-term consequence or a path that eventually leads to heaven. Jesus wasn’t vague about this. The destinations are final, and they are both forever.

So no, not everyone will be forgiven. But everyone can be. God’s heart is for all to be saved, as 2 Peter 3:9 says. But love never forces. It invites, and then waits for your response.

If something in you is wrestling with this, don’t ignore it. God’s offer is real, and your response to Him matters for eternity.