Greetings Mike,
I was wondering if you could tell me your take on the question that some orthodox christians pose that universal salvation misses the propitiation of Christ’s death on the cross. I have heard some theologians and preachers state that if hell doesn’t really exist why then did Christ have to die as in the end mankind would simply be corrected in the lake of fire.
Personally I think there is a parobolic message in Christ’s death in that He was dying to Himself in submission to His Father’s will which He was wrestling with in Gethsemani. In that we have to die daily mortifying the flesh also, so Christ was setting the standard and showing that is exactly what all mankind will now be able to do, that is be crucified in the flesh. Crucified with Him. This I feel is the symbolic prophecy from God through His son that God indeed will kill all his creation in the flesh and in turn therefore Jesus’ sacrificial propitiational death on the cross has set us all free from our sins.
God almighty raised His son from the grave and Jesus only had His faith in His Father that that would indeed happen, and we must have the same faith in God that He will raise everyone to immortality in spirit with Him for the ages of the ages. 
If I’m a mile off could you steer me to shore. Thanks for your time and your amazing site. 
 
J____

Good morning J____,
The direct answer to your question is “for the sins of the whole world” (1Jn 2:2).
First let me say that I need not steer you anywhere since you are already right on target.
Christ’s propitiatory death was to save us from sin and death. It was never intended to save us from a fictional ‘hell.’ It is orthodox Christianity which has nullified and missed the sufficiency of Christ’s propitiatory death. That propitiation was “for the sins of the whole world.” It was not just for the sins of God’s “special… elect” who will be in that “blessed and holy… first resurrection.” These are God’s “firstfruits,” not his ‘only fruits.’

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, [ being] the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Christ is the very first of God’s harvest of mankind. He is followed “in order” by His elect firstfruits in the first resurrection. But first is first for a very good reason.  That reason is that they are not the only fruit of mankind which God will harvest. “Then comes the end” when “death will be destroyed.” So long as even one person is not given life, death has a victory, and death has not yet been “destroyed.” But death will not have even one victory over the life of even one person. “AS in Adam… SO in Christ…” To make sure we do not misunderstand this good news we are also told:

1Ti 2:4  Who [ God] will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

And just in case we think that this “all men” is a reference to only all who accept Christ, we are also told:

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially [ not exclusively] of those that believe.

Yes, believers are special as the firstfruits. But they are not the only fruits of Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice:

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our [ first fruits] sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world .

“Not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world?” Who now, is it that is denying the sufficiency of Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice?
I hope this is of some help to you. Those firstfruits are God’s chosen few, but they are only the beginning and the channel for all the rest of mankind:

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Mike