Mystery of Christ from other sources
(The secret from the “Apocalypse of Peter” non-canonized text)
It’s interesting to note that in this ancient text, Christ tells apostle Peter “not” to reveal that He Will Save All due to foolish men who might fall greater into transgression (unable to handle the Truth to walk in the paths of righteousness instead).
Also, this same book has some gory descriptions of hell and the punishments therein apart from these beautiful universal salvation verses & explanations as copied-and-paste below.
To quote:
“Next: ‘ The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Son.’ The destiny of sinners -their eternal (age during?) doom- is more than Peter can endure: he appeals to Christ to have pity on them.
And my Lord answered me and said to me: ‘Hast thou understood that which I said unto thee before? It is permitted unto thee to know that concerning which thou askest: but thou must not tell that which thou hearest unto the sinners lest they transgress the more, and sin.’ Peter weeps many hours, and is at last consoled by an answer which, though exceedingly diffuse and vague does seem to promise ultimate pardon for all: ‘My Father will give unto them all the life, the glory, and the kingdom that passeth not away,’ . . . ‘It is because of them that have believed in me that I am come. It is also because of them that have believed in me, that, at their word, I shall have pity on men.’ The doctrine that sinners will be saved at last by the prayers of the righteous is, rather obscurely, enunciated in the Second Book of the Sibylline Oracles (a paraphrase, in this part, of the Apocalypse), and in the (Coptic) Apocalypse of Elias (see post).
Ultimately Peter orders Clement to hide this revelation in a box, that foolish men may not see it. The passage in the Second Book of the Sibylline Oracles which seems to point to the ultimate salvation of all sinners will be found in the last lines of the translation given below.
The passage in the Coptic Apocalypse of Elias is guarded and obscure in expression, but significant. It begins with a sentence which has a parallel in Peter.
The righteous will behold the sinners in their punishment, and those who have persecuted them and delivered them up. Then will the sinners on their part behold the place of the righteous and be partakers of grace. In that day will that for which the (righteous) shall often pray, be granted to them.
That is, as I take it, the salvation of sinners will be granted at the prayer of the righteous.
Compare also the Epistle of the Apostles, 40: ‘the righteous are sorry for the sinners, and pray for them…. And I will hearken unto the prayer of the righteous which they make for them.’
I would add that the author of the Acts of Paul, who (in the Third Epistle to the Corinthians and elsewhere) betrays a knowledge of the Apocalypse of Peter, makes Falconilla, the deceased daughter of Tryphaena, speak of Thecla’s praying for her that she may be translated unto the place of the righteous (Thecla episode, 28).”
P/S:
An important point to note is that Clement of Alexandria (who was never marked out as a heretic by even the Catholic church and regarded as a saint in many Eastern Orthodox churches) himself quoted the “Apocalypse of Peter” text as Scripture.
For example, he quotes in the ‘fragment’ below (the secret of Universal Redemption of Christ – some parts of these text survived only in bits and pieces):
To quote, again:
FRAGMENTS OF THE APOCALYPSE OF PETER.
“1. CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS, Eclog. 48. For instance, Peter in the Apocalypse says that the children who are born out of due time shall be of the better part: and that these are delivered over to a care-taking angel that they may attain a share of knowledge and gain the better abode [after suffering what they would have suffered if they had been in the body: but the others shall merely obtain salvation as injured beings to whom mercy is shown, and remain without punishment, receiving this as a reward].*.”
My standpoint:
Whether these surviving texts are the originals or not (or inspired Scripture or not), it does point toward the Great Mystery of Christ toward universal reconciliation of the whole world as found in many places in the Bible especially in Scripture writings of apostle Paul (“agreeing” with it).
Also, Sadhu Sundar Singh (in more recent times) as well testifies to something similar in that he was told to “not tell” regarding Christ Saving All —> lest men become careless (and fall into sin due to not able to handle the Truth in purity & holiness).
Here’s a brief quote highlighting this (from a previous sharing):
It is so, but don’t tell,’ they said, as it were, in jest, ‘because it will make men careless, and we want them to enjoy the First Heaven that is the Heaven on earth as well.’ ”
“If there were no hope for all the non-Christians in the world and all the Christians who die in sin, God would stop creating men.
We must do our part here on earth to save sinners, but if they refuse we need not be
without hope for them. ‘ ‘
The Sadhu’s “universalism” recalls the famous
“Shewing” to Mother Juliana of Norwich, “All manner of things shall be well,” and her comments thereon except that her respect for the authority of the Church precludes her making any suggestion how this may be
possible.
The Sadhu faithfully obeys the injunction,
“Don’t tell.”
To read more of this, please visit:
https://anonymouschristian.org/home/the-truth-on-hell-by-the-vision-of-sadhu-sundar-singh/
Just interesting. That’s all.
Only to some it has been given to “know the mysteries of secrets of the kingdom of God” as this verse declares in all truth:
“And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,” – Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 4:11)
Yes, these Christians have been speaking the “same” thing from the dawn of Christianity till now (thus, “not” heretical as this verse points out – note the phrase “same thing” in the verse below):
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 1:10)
End of sharing.
Remember, Lord Jesus Christ is the
“Saviour of the World”.