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CHRIST’S WARNING OF UNFORGIVEABLE ETERNAL SIN
MARK 3:28-30
I. God Forgives Sin
1. God is by His very nature forgiving • Exodus 34:6-7 • Psalm 6:5 • Psalm 103:3 • Daniel 9:9 • Micah 7:18-19
2. God By His Repeated Actions is Forgiving
OT – Adam and Eve Patriarchs Moses Israel
NT – Peter and Apostles Paul Jews Gentiles *Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14, I John 1:9
3. God By His Infinite Power Is Able To Be Forgiving • He can forgive an entire life of sin (dying thief) • He can forgive the most heinous sin (killing the Son of God by crucifying the Savior. Luke 23:43) • He can forgive great sins (murder, adultery (as in David), homosexuality, gluttony, idolatry, blasphemy (Paul and Peter), fornication
So, our God is forgiving. But, there is a sin He won’t forgive. Turn to Revelation 3:20
Look at the six features made details: 1. v.20 – Attraction to Christ’s ministry 2. v. 21 – Accusation of Christ’s family 3. v. 22 – Antagonism towards Christ’s character 4. v. 23-27 – Answer of Christ
Applied to the spirit world, the principle is just as clear: If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how
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shall his kingdom stand? Outside of the Trinity, Satan is the most intelligent being in existence, and he certainly does not assign his forces to fight against each other and internally destroy his own program.
It is true, of course, that evil is destructive by nature, and that destruction often includes self-destruction. Satan is the father of hatred and lies, and where such things rule there is confusion and inconsistency. There can be no true harmony within or among evil beings. Just as god is the Lord of order and harmony, Satan is the lord of disorder and chaos, whether he chooses to be or not.
It is also true that although Satan is brilliant, powerful, and able to move from place to place with seemingly instantaneous speed, he is nevertheless not omniscient, omnipotent, or omnipresent. And the supreme deceiver is supremely selfdeceived, especially in thinking he can overpower God and unsurp His kingdom. And it is further true that Satan often disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). In that role he may pretend to cast out a demon by restricting its power over the possessed person in order to give the impression of a cleansing. That sort of supposed exorcism has been common throughout the history of the church and is practiced today by various cults, false healers, and exorcists. * Even Satan’s demons may on occasion act inconsistently and in conflict with him and each other. But despite the disorder of his kingdom, his creaturely limits, his false exorcisms, and demon confusion, Satan does not cast out Satan, and he is not divided against himself. There is no harmony, trust, or loyalty in his kingdom, but he tolerates no disobedience or division. It was therefore preposterous to accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of the ruler of demons.
5. v.28 – Affirmation of Christ’s Forgiveness 6. v.29-30 – Anathema on Christ’s Accusers
Let’s define some terms: Sin is the whole spectrum of ungodly thoughts and actions and worse. Blasphemy is “defiant irreverence, intentional speaking evil against Holy God on defaming or mocking Him.” Both Christ said are forgivable: • I Timothy 1:13 –14 – Paul said “Even though blasphemer, persecutor and violent, yet
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forgiven!” • Mark 14:71 – Peter blasphemed Christ with curses yet forgiven ⇒ Any believer, even today, can blaspheme God by questioning His goodness, wisdom, fairness, truthfulness, love or faithfulness. But, this is different. This is not confusion or misunderstanding. This is no less than full-hearted rejection of known truth. This Christ calls “Eternal Sin”. A truly born again believer in Jesus Christ cannot commit this eternal, unforgivable, unpardonable sin. We will look at some Biblical portraits of unbelievers who did commit this sin. However, Christians can commit a sin unto death. Turn to I John 5:16-17 There are sins leading to death. There are at least four Biblical examples of each of these sins God warns about. First, lets look at those only an unbeliever can commit; Unforgivable, eternal sins. First is in Genesis 4:1-7 – Cain • Cain was the first one who tried to get to Heaven his own way – by good works. He was selfrighteous. • *Cain wanted to be in God’s family without coming in God’s way. • He had false, self-righteous faith. Look at Jude v.11, I John 3:12 Second is in Numbers 22-24, Balaam • Balaam wanted to be God’s man with out obedience to God’s Word. • Numbers 23:10 wanted to die the death of righteous without living life!
Third Matthew 12:32 The Leaders of Christ’s Day • They saw but wouldn’t admit Fourth Heb 2:3-4, 6:4-5 1st century Jews • So, God is a God of forgiveness but there is a sin he won’t forgive: Hard-hearted, Unbelieving • Hebrews 3:12-19.
Next week, SINS UNTO DEATH!