What Is the Unpardonable Sin?

Matthew 12:22-32 

Jesus and Beelzebul

22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

New International Version (NIV) https://www.biblegateway.com/

   . . . The thought that a sin could be so bad hat it is unforgivable sometimes leads people to fear that they may have committed it. That's why it i important to understand the context of this statement, which Jesus made to the Pharisees.

   Although they had seen compelling evidence that Jesus was the Messiah, the Pharisees refused to believe in Him. What's more, they even attributed to Satan the miracles Christ performed by the power of the God's Spirit. This blasphemy of the holy Spirit was unforgivable because despite the clearest possible revelation of God, they still weren't willing to accept Jesus as the Messiah. Their unrepentance prevented them from receiving salvation.

   Since people living today do not have the undeniable physical presence of Jesus Christ in the world, the Pharisees' unforgivable sin doesn't apply to us. However, it is possible for people to end up in an unpardonable state. This happens when a person repeatedly rejects the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin and the clear revelation of Jesus Christ as the Savior., With each rejection, the heart becomes harder - eventually the calcification prevents it from sensing any impression God's Spirit tries to make.

   If you are worried that you may have committed the unpardonable sin, then I can assure you that you haven't, because you are still feeling the conviction of the Spirit. God doesn't withhold salvation from a repentant sinner who comes to Him for forgiveness through faith in his Son. The only thing that makes sin unforgivable is a hard, unrepentant heart.

Stanley, Charles F. "What Is the Unpardonable Sin?" In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. May 2019. Atlanta, Georgia: In Touch Ministries. page 30

Grafted Into Christ

 

  

John 15:1-8

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. NIV Bible Gateway.com

   A vinedresser plants and tends his vines for the purpose of seeing them produce grapes. God, as our vinedresser, encourages us to bear spiritual fruit. He wants us to have a character like that of Christ - marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Our Father wants to ensure that believers will be fruitful; for this reason, they are removed from the dead tree of humanity and grafted onto the living vine, Jesus Christ.
   After His baptism, Jesus was "full of the Holy Spirit," who led Him to the next step (Luke 4:1). Christ's life and ministry were the result of the Spirit's empowerment, and when we become believers, God sends the very same Helper to indwell us. In the language of vineyards, the sap from the vine flows into a grafted branch, giving it life and the capacity to grow the kind of fruit typical of that plant. The branch and the vine become one life. The Living Bible translation says, "Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him" ( Col. 2:7).
    Some people run away from the Christian life because they think they cannot do it. And they're right: They cannot, but the Holy Spirit can. When we are one with Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God lives His life through us. That doesn't mean we are free from responsibility - the Spirit can do His work only as we wisely choose to yield to Him. When we are obediently following the Lord, our joy and peace are not dependent upon circumstances; the One in whom we are rooted is our joy and peace.
Stanley, Charles F. "Grafted Into Christ." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 36. 

 

 

Set Apart for God

Romans 12:1-3

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.  NIV Bible Gateway.com

    By placing faith in Jesus Christ, a person becomes a new believer and is sanctified - that is, set apart for God's purposes. Unlike salvation, which takes place in a single moment, sanctification is a lifelong process. We who are followers of the Savior should be letting the Holy Spirit control our lives. If that's the case, we are currently being sanctified, regardless of what we may feel or how our actions appear to those around us. In other words, we are progressively maturing in our faith.
   And if we are progressing, we must be working our way toward something. The apostle Paul explained the Christian's mission: "For those whom [God] foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). A believer's character, conduct, and conversation should be reflections of Jesus, who lives within. On our own, we might place too much emphasis on behavior and get caugh up in following rules and rituals that look Christian without truly reflecing Christ. But God has given each believer His Holy Spirit as a teacher and guide. The Spirit works to transform our minds and hearts so that we are markedly different from our unsaved peers. When we allow the Spirit to control us, we speak and act in acordance with our true identity: God's sons and daughters.
   Our Father wants His children to be living examples of who He is. He doesn't expect perfection - He knows we can't be totally sinless in our human body. But He shows us how to think and act so we may "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which [we] have been called" (Eph. 4:1). 
 Stanley, Charles F. "Set Apart for God." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 30.

"Destined to Overcome" by Paul E. Billheimer review

Destined to Overcome

 by Paul Billheimer

The Problem

   “Humanity is beset by a host of self-conscious evil spirit personalities called demons who are responsible for much, if not most, of the personality difficulties, complexities, spiritual pressures, strains and the aggravated forms of evil that characterize our modern social order…

The Solution

   “When once the technique of overcoming is understood, it can be used effectively no matter what form the demon activity may assume. God’s method of overcoming is specifically set forth in Revelation 12:11. After describing the war in heaven and the expulsion of Satan and his angels into the earth, the writer explains that in the warfare set up against the brethren as a result of Satan’s expulsion, the victory was won by ‘the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.’...the Holy Spirit has handed to the discerning saint weapons of supreme effectiveness in this spiritual warfare.

   “When one understands that evil spirits are self-conscious personalities who hear and see and feel and think, it becomes clear why the word of command in the Name of Jesus is effective… be specific and call them by their names, to command them in the Name of Jesus and upon the basis of the shed blood to go back to the abyss and stay there… Authority is transmitted and made effective only when you speak directly to them in the first person, always in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth and upon the basis of the shed blood.”

   Jesus Christ has delegated the enforcement of Calvary’s victory to believers. Luke 10:19 and Matthew 16:18-19

Prayer is where the action is!

   “And the least-gifted, the least-endowed, the least-known person in the world, by making prayer the main business of his life, may become greater in God’s book than the most highly endowed, the most brilliant and the most famous person in the world who fails to pray… God’s deepest secrets are reserved for those who take time to wait upon the Lord, who take time to be alone with Him. He has many secrets, many spiritual visions, many hidden revelations and insights which will be shared only in long hours of waiting upon God in the secret place of prayer… If we will not take time to be alone with God, we forfeit the most priceless and invaluable secrets known to divine intelligence.”

   Paul Bellheimer addresses the subject of illness, healing and sin when writing about his own health. The following information has been passed on to me by other sources.

Sources of Bodily Affliction:

V  Adam’s sin-death entered earth    Job 5:7; John 16:33; 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4

V  Personal Sin    John 5:14; Romans 2:9, 6:23

V  Satan         Job 2:7

V  For the glory of God    1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

According to 2 Cor. 6:3-10, 12:7-10, not all affliction will be removed this side of physical death.

Developing Patience

Colossians 3:12-14

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. NIV Bible Gateway.com

    On any given day, we may encounter frustrating people and situations. We may feel like lashing out, but God wants us to stay calm and be patient with everyone (1 Thess. 5:14). And in fact, there are a number of reasons we should devolop patience:
   OUR CALLING. Through once alienated from the Lord, we have been made part of His family through Jesus' shed blood. As God's children, we're called to live a life worthy of Him - one that is characterized by humility, gentleness, and patience (Eph. 4:1-3). 
   BIBLICAL TEACHING. Scripture tells us to be tolerant of one another, bearing each other's burdens and responding with kindness (Gal. 6:1-2).
    JESUS' EXAMPLE. The Lord demonstrated patience toward Peter's impetuous actions, the crowd's demands, and the leaders' false accusations. We are to cultivate an attitude of patience and love towards others.
   HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. Our impatience can hurt others and close off dialogue. Responding calmly gives room for the other person to confess wrondgoing, explain an attitude, and make changes.
   GOD'S APPROVAL. The apostle Paul wrote that we are to be joyful in hope and patient in affliction (Rom. 12:12). When we quietly endure our suffering, we find favor with the Lord (1 Pet. 2:20).
   The Holy Spirit is conforming us to Christ's image. As we cooperate with Him, He will develop in us the ability to persevere - without becoming agitated - when waiting or provoked. A calm demeanor in times of delay or adversity can be a powerful witness to the transforming work of God.
 Stanley, Charles F. "Developing Patience." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 17.

The Requirements of Faith

Romans 6:22-23

²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. NIV Bible Gateway.com

  The moment we trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we enter into a life of faith. In other words, we live be assurance that God is all He claims to be and will do everything He promises. Salvation is instantaneous, but it takes a lifetime to learn and understand what that entails.
   As soon as we are saved, God begins what is known as sanctification, teaching us to be like Him. This is a process, as it takes time to learn to walk by faith, trusting what we cannot see.
   Even with God's Holy Spirit living inside of us, we nonetheless battle our flesh. We desire to do what God says and to see He sees, but because we have behavior patterns left over from our old sinful nature, we will falter and do things in our own strength, according to our own rationale. We must choose daily to follow His way.
   To grow in godliness, we must learn to listen to our Father. But since this is not a natural tendency, self-discipline is needed. It is best to set a specific time each day to meditate upon God's Word. Eagerly expect Jesus to speak to you, and listen to what He is saying. Write notes in your Bible with the date and what the Lord has impressed upon you. Then, apply the truth you learn, and observe the results.
   Hearing God's voice and being in tune with His Spirit are vital parts of walking in faith. But these things don't just happen; they require determined persistence. As with physical exercise, the more we strengthen our spiritual "muscles," the more the process becomes part of who we are.
Stanley, Charles F. "The Requirements of Faith." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 6.

God Works Within Us

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

   Let the words from today's reading slowly sink into your understanding: "able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think" (v.20). What an amazing description of the Lord's ability to work within us. Yet so often our focus is mainly on what we want Him to do around us: If He would change this situation or fix that problem then my life would be better. But He invites us to think and ask bigger - He wants to change us!
   The Holy Spirit has more than enough power to transform lives from the inside out, but working change within is usually a slow process. Spiritual fruit takes time to grow and mature. That's why we need patience and faith to believe He is working even when we don't see the results right away. God is never in a hurry and will never give up on us.
   The Lord has a purpose for your life, and He is constantly working to achieve it. Although He has an individualized plan for each one of His children, He also has an overarching goal - to conform every believer to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. In order to accomplish this, He may have to bring us through some struggles and heartaches. It might not make sense to us, but God knows exactly what He's doing.
   What would you like to see the Lord do within you? As you read the Scriptures, look for qualities that God considers precious, and ask Him to work them out in your life. Then rely on His wonderful promise to do even more than you have asked or imagined.

Stanley, Charles F. "God Works Within Us." In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. October 2015.Atlanta: In Touch Ministries Inc. 2015. page 36.