Does Paul Teach Universalism in 1 Corinthians 15:22?

Some debate arises as to the universal salvation implied in verse 22. How much weight should be given to the two uses of “all” in 22b? Is Paul teaching the ultimate salvation of all humankind in Christ in the same way that he asserts the universal death of all humankind in Adam? Most commentators agree that such an idea is incompatible with the rest of Paul’s teaching; throughout this letter Paul has spoken of those who perish (1 Cor 1:18; 3:17; 5:13; 6:9; 9:27). In light of this it seems that we are left to limit both (or at least the second) “all” clauses of verse 22 and have them act as modifiers of “in Adam” and “in Christ.” Thus we can take the meaning of the verse to be “all who are in Adam die, while all who are in Christ shall be made alive.”

Larry Kreitzer
Adam and Christ in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters
editors: G. Hawthorne, R. Martin, and D. Reid