Introduction
    You will likely hear of the concept of Universal Salvation, also called Universal Reconciliation. This concept states that all humanity will be saved and no one is excluded. This idea brings the following Scripture to mind:
   There is a way [which seems] right to a man, but its end is the way of death, Proverbs 16:25. (The New American Standard Bible used throughout, unless otherwise noted).
    Yahweh and Yahshua are very clear about the consequences of continuing in sin. But the idea of Universal Salvation suggests that the consequence of a second death is no longer a deterrent to living any way one wants.

Consequences of Sin
    The Apostle Paul understood the consequences of sin and did not teach a Universal Reconciliation or Salvation ideology, but rather the end of those who persist in sin.    So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh — for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live, Romans 8:12-13.
   This agrees with what he says in Galatians 5, in which no one who continues in the flesh will enter the Kingdom of Yahweh. The deeds of the flesh are sin, and sin is the transgression of the Law. But rather, we walk in the Spirit, producing the fruit of the Spirit – doing righteous deeds, rather than Lawless deeds – and are, therefore, not under the penalty of the Law.
   But what if we no longer walk in the Spirit, but become entangled again under the yoke of sin?
   But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die. Yet you say, “The way of Yahweh is not right.” Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die, Ezekiel 18:24-26.
   Preceding this passage, in verse 20, Yahweh declares, “The person who sins will die.” We know there is a first death (physical) and also a second death (spiritual).
   Could this be just talking about the first death? No, there is a deeper teaching here than just a first death.
   The Great White Throne judgment proceeds after Yahshua’s millennial rule, which from its beginning – at the end of the tribulation period – will be introduced with a FIRST resurrection. Those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire, which means THEIR END is NOT life, but rather death … a second death, as it is written:
   Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire, Revelation 20:14-15.
   Those facing this death are twice-dead, a finality of existence without the possibility of resurrection, because in the eternal Kingdom, there will be no admittance to evil.

Kingdom Come, Not for Everyone
    Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying, Revelation 22:15.
   Yahshua in speaking to the Pharisees, in Matthew 8:12, prophesied that they whom He intended should be “the sons of the Kingdom,” who were supposed to be the good seed producing good fruit, but who instead were corrupt, producing bad fruit and were no longer thought to be good seed, would “be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
   Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever, Jude 1:11-13.
   Ideas such as the immortal soul are false teachings since immortality which we should seek, is not inherently a characteristic of the soul. For though there is eternal life through Yahshua, attaining eternal life has conditions that must be satisfied. Look at what the author of Hebrews says:
   For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on [the testimony of] two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of Elohim, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? Hebrews 10:26-29.
   Death is bad, but the second death is even worse. Judgment, in this context, is CONDEMNATION. No further forgiveness, only the lake of fire. This judgment of fire comes from heaven, and not from earth.
   For after all it is [only] just for Elohim to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and [to give] relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Master Yahshua will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know Elohim and to those who do not obey the evangel of our Master Yahshua. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Master and from the glory of His power, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9.
   “Eternal destruction” – this agrees with “eternal” in the following Scripture:
   But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin, Mark 3:29. These are Yahshua’s own words.
   Yahweh condemns and rules with judicial judgment. Though committed to the Son (John 5:22), the Son does His will and He is in agreement with the Father.
   If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell (Gehenna), Matthew 18:8-9.
   This is the same wording, but with the definite article, emphasizing total and final destruction without necessarily, any such connotation of “everlasting.”
   It’s Yahshua’s own words. It is Authority proceeding from Heaven and pronouncing upon those who continue in unrepentant sin, that they will be cast into the eternal fire. And, they who heard His words, understood He was making a plain statement of truth – the eternal, fire and destruction, leaving no doubt to what He was saying.
   And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone, Revelation 19:20.
   Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name,” Revelation 14:9-11.
   Similarly, they who blaspheme Yahweh’s Spirit, there is no forgiveness, NOT in this life and NOT in the next. This is the truth.
   The problem is, a teaching of Universal Salvation is now being presented to some of the Assemblies, and Scripture is being misappropriated to justify the teaching. So, let’s take a look at the go-to Scriptures of those who are promoting this idea.

Five Go-To Scriptures – Number One –
    Colossians 1:18-20: He (Yahshua) is also Head of the body, the Assembl[ies]; and He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the [Father’s] good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His stake; through Him, [I say], whether things on earth or things in heaven.
   Here we have it. The Messiah is reconciling ALL THINGS to Himself. This is Universal Reconciliation or Salvation. Right? Not so fast. Let’s read a little further.
   And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, [engaged] in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach – if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the evangel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister, Colossians 1:21-23.
   If, is one of those conditional statements. “Not moved away” speaks similarly to what the author of Hebrews said when saying “fallen away”:
   For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of Elohim and the powers of the age to come, and [then] have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again impale to themselves the Son of Elohim and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from Elohim; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned, Hebrews 6:4–8.
   If there is one thing we can say about Scripture, it is that there is consistency. Notice, especially the last part, “ends up being burned.” The author understood the concept of fire and that in this example, those things that are worthless and close to being cursed will be destroyed. That is the final curse for those who fall away after coming into the knowledge of the truth (Heb. 10:26).

Number Two
    1 Timothy 4:9-10: It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living Elohim, Who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
   “The Savior of all men …?” But will all men be saved? Will all men accept the Savior? We don’t think Scripture indicates that.
   First of all, then, I urge that entreaties [and] prayers, petitions [and] thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all righteousness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of Elohim our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one Elohim, and one Mediator also between Elohim [and] men, [the] man Messiah Yahshua, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony [given] at the proper time, 1 Timothy 2:1-6.
   Paul states here, Yahweh desires that all men be saved, coming to a knowledge of the truth. But will all men desire to be saved? Yahshua came to provide Himself as a ransom for all, and we are charged to pray for all. But to assume all will be saved? Not so fast. We have to revisit the idea of sinning willfully.
   If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not [leading] to death, he shall ask and [Elohim] will for him give life to those who commit sin not [leading] to death. There is a sin [leading] to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death, 1 John 5:16-17.
   The sin not leading to death is the ignorant sin. Willful sin is entirely different. We don’t go on sinning once we come into the faith, we rather put to death the sinful deeds of the body. It’s in doing so, that we will live. Paul said in Romans 8:13, for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
   Here is the definition of willful sin and the end result of it:
   You shall have one law for him who does [anything] unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them. But the person who does [anything] defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming Yahweh; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the Word of Yahweh and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt [will be] on him, Numbers 15:29-31.
   Defiance is an attitude of not caring and inwardly shaking one’s fist at Yahweh. We find agreement in Hebrews 10:26: “For if we go on sinning willfully … there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin.” Numbers 15:31, “that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him” is further corroborated, moreover, by these words from Hebrews 10:26b-27: “… there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.” Sorry, no more sacrifices for the individual cut off, just death.
   What Yahshua asserted about Judas who betrayed Him, “It would have been better if that man had not been born” (Matt. 26:24), could also be affirmed for that individual cut off.
   We affirmed earlier, there is consistency in Scripture.
   In Leviticus 16, we read:
   He (the high priest) shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities. When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel. Leviticus 16:16-17.
   But then, we read in Hebrews 9:6-7,
   Now when these things have been thus prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle, performing the divine worship, but into the second only the high priest [enters], once a year, not without [taking] blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. (See our mini-study concerning The Hope of Israel.)
   All their sins, for all the assembly? But we understand as did the author of Hebrews, that all is NOT all. Just as Yahshua is NOT going to save all, as in, universally, all people.
   Entering into, and making atonement in the holy of holies, is NOT for “defiant” sinners; NOT for those who blaspheme Yahweh’s Spirit; NOT for those who, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, choose to continue sinning willfully.
   Let’s look at this in a different way. Yahshua said that whatever we ask in His Name will be granted to us. True or false?
   Whatever you ask in My Name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My Name, I will do [it], John 14:13-14.
   Think about it: Can we ask for that which is forbidden and expect to receive it? Can we ask for anything outside of Yahweh’s will, and expect it to be done?
   So, along the same line of thinking, can we assume all means all, even if all will not abide by His commandments? Should we assume all will believe in the only begotten Son, for certainly not all will … even as the Apostle Paul observed in 2    Thessalonians 3:2b, “for NOT all have faith.”
   Some will rather believe in the anti-Messiah, and receive the mark and worship the image of the beast. So, no, not all, just like all can’t ask for anything in Yahshua’s Name and expect to receive it.

Number Three
    Ephesians 1:9-12: He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, [that is], the summing up of all things in Messiah, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Messiah would be to the praise of His glory.
   All things, means, all things, right? Things in heaven and things on the earth? What did the Apostle Peter say?
   But the day of Yahweh will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and righteousness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of Elohim, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 2 Peter 3:10-12.
   The Day of Yahweh is speaking of a time prior to Yahshua’s return. Peter was familiar with the prophecies of Joel and of Zechariah, and of Malachi 4:1-3, the latter of which reads:
   “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says Yahweh of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear My Name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says Yahweh of hosts.
   Are the ashes something that indicates life or death? After the 1,000-year reign of Messiah Yahshua, the second resurrection takes place and the rest of mankind are judged for their deeds. Some will be condemned to the lake of fire, as we’ve already seen from Scripture. After this, Yahshua will make all things ready for Yahweh Himself to come down from His throne. It may be that there will only be spirit-beings left, since there will be no more sea (symbolic of people, Rev. 21:1).
   Nevertheless, in all of this, nothing sinful, evil or wicked nor unpurified, will remain, since Yahweh cannot tolerate or be around such things – only, a new heaven and a new earth, all things purified. With this in mind, let’s read the passage again:
   Ephesians 1:9-12: He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Messiah, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Messiah would be to the praise of His glory.
   “Summing up” means in the end Messiah will, with the Father, be all and in all, of them that remain.

Number Four
    Luke 19:10: For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
The Universalist would posit here, that everyone, that is, all mankind, is lost … which they are, until they aren’t. But “everyone,” is not necessarily what Yahshua is saying here.
   In response to a woman who, though not of the family of Israel, wanted to be healed, “… He answered and said, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’” (Matt. 15:24). Nevertheless, by her persistence and faith, she was granted healing as we, too, are granted that honor because of a faith that produces repentance and a desire to become a part of the family through Messiah,
   Zacchaeus, whom Yahshua called a son of Abraham, through the line of Isaac to whom the promises were given, was a sinner – a sinner, however, who showed true repentance. Let’s read the passage in context.
   He (Yahshua) entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. Zaccheus was trying to see who Yahshua was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. When Yahshua came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. When they saw it, they all [began] to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” Zaccheus stopped and said to the Master, “Behold, Master, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” And Yahshua said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost,” Luke 19:1-10.
   In none of this, however, may one deduce that all of mankind will be saved. Only those who repent. Let’s examine another passage from Matthew 22:11-14:
   But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?” And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few [are] chosen.”
   In Revelation 19:7-8, we are told the bride prepares herself, and is given white linen garments. Even those who follow her in – having come out of “the great tribulation” (Rev. 7:14) – are able to wear purified white robes because of their repentance toward Yahweh through Yahshua.
   We can appreciate the similarity in weddings today, in which the bride and bridesmaids wear special garments.
   Nevertheless, there is inconclusive evidence in support of the idea of Universal Salvation.

Number Five
    Acts 3:19-21: Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Master; and that He may send Yahshua, the Messiah appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until [the] period of restoration of all things about which Elohim spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.
   A restoration of all things? We understand this to mean restored truths of Yahweh’s Word – the use of, rather than the covering up, of His Name, His Feast days, etc.
   What prophets did Luke, the author of the Acts, have in mind? Well, verse 22 clarifies his meaning. He is speaking of Moses.
   Moses said, “YAHWEH ELOHIM WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. And it will be that every soul that does not heed that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people,” Acts 3:22-23; Deut. 18:15, 18-19.
   Reading Scripture contextually really does give clarity. In this case, the Universal Salvation (or Universal Reconciliation) doctrine is discarded into the dumpster.

Conclusion
    TIn light of the these things, it is hard to understand how this false doctrine of Universal Salvation has gained ground, among those presumed to have already been established in the knowledge of the truth.
   This notion of Universal Salvation is part and parcel to the Once Saved, Always Saved, or Eternal Security, apostasy – and all, but false doctrines not fitting for Yahweh’s people to believe in, or hold fast to. We have presented a warning not to syncretize what’s false with what’s true.
   It finally comes down to this: mankind has been given free will. Though Yahweh urges man in Deuteronomy 30:19 to choose blessing and life, the outcome of being saved, the truth is, not all men will contritely repent, confess, and forsake willful sin. And Yahweh, though He is not going to take away man’s free will, he will take away one’s life who, through continuing willfully in sin, rejects His offer of Grace.
   Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his Elohim and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part [will be] in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death,” Revelation 21:6-8.
   The second death is not a purification process, where one comes out the other side purified. It is the cessation of life. It is death. It is the outcome of having in this time, chosen life.
   In addition to what we’ve seen already, is this additional plain statement from Yahshua:
   Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (gehenna), Matthew 10:28. (See our in-depth study on Understanding HELLFIRE).