[QUOTE=Struggling Christian;64709337] Do you believe that my understanding is accurate and do you have anything else to add?  Thank you.[/QUOTE]

 

Christian Universalism is true, that is, Christ will save all people. Because everyone will believe in Christ Jesus with faith alone. You also mention repentance. Repentance means when a person acknowledges that they have sin, that is, they understand that they are sinners and the wages of sin is death, thus realizing their need for a saviour.

 

ISAIAH 54:7-8 "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the Lord your Redeemer.

 

Their graves, Sheol, the Lake of Fire, is the temporary mental anguish people feel when they realize that they have these sins. It's like the guilt of finding out you did something bad. From God's perspective, imagine you're a father and you find your son was playing outside and jumped into a big puddle of mud, even when you told them not too, and now they're all dirty. Well, they can't go inside the house and track up all that mud, they have to go out to the bath house outside and clean themselves up!

 

The Lake of Fire is a metaphor for when a blacksmith heats up iron ingots in a furnace (of affliction) so it can be molded into a desired shape. A metaphor of course, since it's really our spirits that get heated up by these flames of guilt.

 

ISAIAH 48:10 See, I have refined you ... I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

 

A person can only change and be purified by sin by believing in Christ by faith alone, not of any good works, not by following the commandments, or upholding the law. Because we can only gain glorified bodies like Christ if we first believe in Christ, otherwise our good works are like filthy rags to the Lord.

 

ISAIAH 45:22-24 "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, `In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.'"

 

I hope this helped give you understanding, my friend "Struggling Christian". :) The Lord God blesses you with understanding and love <3