In our search for the universalist's theories in the words of Jesus, we will once more come up short as we examine Matthew 12. Bleak is the word for the future of the godless.

Matthew 12:31-32 . Jesus says here that some sin will simply not be forgiven. And here He actually divides the ages. Earlier translations spoke of the division of the worlds. But whether we are talking of times or places (and we will discuss the Greek word involved much later in this study), this unforgiveness extends from the present world/time into the next world/time, that is, the time after Jesus comes. This would also be the time after the death of all the saints, for they will now begin living in resurrection bodies.

However, the non-believers will not be raised until after the 1,000 year-reign. This potentially introduces a third "age" that Jesus could be talking about? But do you think they will suddenly be forgiven then? I don't, based on th book of Revelation, which we will cover. In the absence of more thoughts from God, we must use the thoughts/words that He gave us. "No forgiveness" leads to no resurrection with the saints which in turn leads to the final public judgment of Revelation.

Serious business, this. I will not delve deeply into the centuries-old speculation about what this blasphemy could be, but since we know that rejection of Christ is not forgivable, could these two be one? How does one know of Jesus in our day except by the wooing of the Spirit? If that Spirit is "spoken against", i.e. blasphemed, and one's heart is hardened against Jesus...

For our purposes of course, the point is that universalism falsely claims that there will be a point somewhere down the road where forgiveness will "kick in", though the Scripture is silent about such a phenomenon. Surely Jesus would have made that crystal clear in passages like this. But He didn't. "No forgiveness" stands.

Matthew 12:36-37. Here again is the affirmation that there are two classes of people, in this case called the justified and the condemned. And how do they arrive in those categories? By their words, Jesus says. It is, on the surface, true that even for Christians there is a way to be in or out of God's momentary favor based on the careless words proceeding out of our mouths, but the bigger picture here seems to be that those who use their mouths to confess Christ before men will be, or already are, righteous in God's sight. Those who use those same mouths to deny Him will be condemned with that same eternal condemnation of which Jesus speaks in John 3 and 5 (later).

Matthew 12:45. Far from an upward evolutionary trend toward more and more favor from God, the case is made by Jesus here that things can actually get worse and worse for the Christ-rejector, the one who has opened his life to demons.

In the passage, a man is delivered, but cares so little about His soul and eternity that He immediately fills his life with the vanities of this world, making no room for the Spirit's presence. The enemy who has been cast out now returns with company, and that man's house is chosen for a party.

Jesus says that the increased evil in this man's life is typical of the men of this generation, who are getting worse and worse as time progresses. By what logic or statement from God can it be suggested that at the death of men like this, all is turned around and God is happy with this one with whom He has been angry all His days?

I mean, the Psalmist (7:11) did say, did he not, that God is angry with the wicked every day? Does the sinner's death change that? If so, why does Ezekiel (18:23) say that God does not delight in the death of the wicked? You would think that if He had happy plans for evil men, He'd be joyfully anticipating their death so He could fellowship with them now, forever?