Spoke at SGBC
7-20-97
Luke #99
12:10
The One, The Only Unforgivable Sin
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
(Luke 12:1-10 NASB) Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, "BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES, WHICH IS HYPOCRISY. {2} "BUT THERE IS NOTHING COVERED UP THAT WILL NOT BE REVEALED, and hidden that will not be known. {3} "Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. {4} "And I say to you, My friends, DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THOSE WHO KILL THE BODY, and after that have no more that they can do. {5} "But I will warn you whom to fear: FEAR THE ONE WHO AFTER HE HAS KILLED HAS AUTHORITY TO CAST INTO HELL; YES, I TELL YOU, FEAR HIM! {6} "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. {7} "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. {8} "And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man shall confess him also before the angels of God; {9} but HE WHO DENIES ME BEFORE MEN SHALL BE DENIED BEFORE THE ANGELS OF GOD. {10} "And everyone who will speak a word against the Son of Man, (Jesus) it shall be forgiven him; BUT HE WHO BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT, IT SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN HIM."
In our last lesson we dealt with the first four warnings contained in this passage. First Jesus warns the disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees. That leaven is Hypocrisy. The word describes those who pretend to be something they are not in the world of religion. Hypocrisy is like a yeast. Put just a spoon full in a large loaf of bread and soon the whole loaf is infected. Hypocrisy will not only cause great misery in this life, it will bring one to eternal ruin. For when you have lived and "actors" life you must still stand before the God who knows who you really are. The God whose eyes are in every place watching the wicked and the righteous. Hypocrisy is a waste of time because it does not fool God. Beware. says Jesus, of hypocrisy.
Then He warns his disciples against the fear of man. "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body rather fear God who, after He has killed the body, has the power to cast the soul into Hell!" Fear God, believing in Jesus for salvation, and you will be saved from the wrath to come.
Next Jesus counsels His disciples us to confess Him openly. For if we say we know Christ as Savior but are ashamed to confess and live for Him in the presence of His enemies we have deceived ourselves. He is not in us and we are not in Him. Jesus will not identify Himself with one who refuses to own His name by the way they live and the words they speak. Such a person is not a Christian.
In today's text we come to the Grand Daddy of all warnings. (Luke 12:10 NASB) "And everyone who will speak a word against the Son of Man, (Jesus), it shall be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes, (That is slanders, speaks lightly of, dishonors, hurls abuse at, maligns, reviles or speaks evil . . . ), against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him." Blaspheme Christ and be forgiven. Blaspheme the Holy Spirit and go to Hell.
Being connected to the Internet, as I have been for about a year now, has brought to my attention the enormous spiritual wasteland so many live in. There are literally hundreds and thousands of people identifying themselves as Christians who do not believe large portions of the Bible. One of the most amazing things I have discovered are those who do not believe in Hell and eternal punishment. Though the Bible is filled with these teachings they choose to ignore or explain them away. Those who deny the reality of eternal punishment in Hell, with the Devil and his angels, almost always teach the salvation of all humans in the end of the age. No one, they say, will be finally lost for God is love and could not do such a thing. The bad and unbelieving will be punished a bit but taken to heaven at last. Though my flesh would like this to be so God has a different plan. He has determined to glorify Himself by taking a people of His own choosing to heaven and by punishing unbelieving sinners in Hell forever. The saved will glorify God by revealing His mercy, love and grace. The lost will Glorify God by revealing His justice and the integrity of His promise to damn the wicked. In the judgement all will recognize our Lord as Lord. Every man, Christian and Unbeliever, will bow before the King. The Christian will bow before his Savior and God. The Unbeliever before his Creator and Judge. That day will not be a day of salvation for the unbeliever. It is in this life that one is saved or lost. As to the reality of Hell and eternal punishment hear the word of the Lord.
(Matthew 25:41 NASB) "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the ETERNAL FIRE which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; . . 46 "And these will go away into ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, but the righteous into ETERNAL LIFE." (2 Thessalonians 1:9 NASB) And these will pay the penalty of ETERNAL DESTRUCTION, AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD and from the glory of His power . ."
Finally I site Mark 3:29 which brings us back to the subject of the day. "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit NEVER has forgiveness, but is guilty of an ETERNAL SIN." Such a person will not be saved! He will be among those to whom Jesus says depart from me I never knew you.
Blaspheme against the Holy Spirt, the Spirit of God, and you have signed your own spiritual death warrant. Blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and you cross into the land of eternal destruction from which there is no return. No second chances, no opportunity for repentance. This is a very serious matter, therefore, Jesus warns all who hear to avoid this sin at all costs. As was indicated earlier the word means to slander, speak lightly of, dishonor, hurl abuse at, malign, revile or speak evil of the different members of he God head. Some blasphemy is forgivable and some is not.
In the Old Testament all forms of blasphemy were, in the physical sense, unforgivable. For the crime carried with it the penalty of physical death by stoning. Consider the words of Leviticus 24:15-16 NASB. "And you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'If anyone curses his God, then he shall bear his sin. {16} 'Moreover, the ONE WHO BLASPHEMES THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, WHEN HE BLASPHEMES THE NAME, SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH." Such a general statement encompasses all instances of the crime but does not speak of the spiritual consequences. Rather, this regulation dealt with outward action and physical consequences which, like all religion in the Old Testament, was a shadow of a spiritual reality. The spiritual reality is what we are dealing with this morning. Blaspheme against God the Holy Spirit and suffer the second death. The second death consists of separation from God to live in Hell with the Devil and his angels forever.
So, what does Blasphemy look like? First it looks like Idolatry. Israel was very familiar with this ugly sin. Hear the words of (Nehemiah 9:18-19 NASB) "Even when they MADE FOR THEMSELVES A CALF OF MOLTEN METAL And said, 'This is your God Who brought you up from Egypt,' And COMMITTED GREAT BLASPHEMIES, {19} Thou, in Thy great compassion, Didst not forsake them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, To guide them on their way, Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go. . . . " Murdering the ministers of God is also blasphemy. (Nehemiah 9:26) "But they became disobedient and rebelled against Thee, And CAST THY LAW BEHIND THEIR BACKS AND KILLED THY PROPHETS WHO HAD ADMONISHED THEM So that they might return to Thee, And THEY COMMITTED GREAT BLASPHEMIES. {27} "Therefore THOU DIDST DELIVER THEM INTO THE HAND OF THEIR OPPRESSORS who oppressed them, But when they cried to Thee in the time of their distress, Thou didst hear from heaven, and according to Thy great compassion Thou didst give them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors."
We learn a couple of things from this text. Idolatry is a form of blasphemy but is forgivable when one repents of that sin. Second, killing the Prophets was blasphemy and resulted in grave earthly consequences but was forgiven when Israel cried out for mercy. Elsewhere, in the Old Testament, we find that mocking God was a blasphemous act. Further, living a sinful life to the extent the unbelievers around you thought and spoke disrespectfully of God was and remains an act of blasphemy. For our behavior reflects on our Father. In another place we see that the enemies of God blaspheme Him when they attack and do harm to Israel. I us the term "Israel" to describe true believers in any and every age. Mess with God's people and you mess with God. (See the following references; II Kings 19:6+22+35-37; Isaiah 37:6+23; Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 35:12-15; Acts 9:4-5).
In the New Testament Jesus was accused of blasphemy because He claimed to be the Son of God. Such a claim, according to the Jewish Court, called for a sentence of death. Go with me to Mark 14:61-64 NASB. "But He kept silent, and made no answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" {62} And Jesus said, "I AM; (Jesus took for His own the name of God, "I Am.") and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." {63} And tearing his clothes, the high priest said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? {64} "You have heard the BLASPHEMY; how does it seem to you?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death." As far as the Jews were concerned here was a mere man claiming to be God. It was a clear case of blasphemy. The sentence of death was eventually carried out.
Look with me at 1 Timothy 1:12-16. Paul is speaking of God's grace to him in Salvation and he says, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; {13} even though I was FORMERLY A BLASPHEMER and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. (Against the Church of Jesus Christ.) And yet I WAS SHOWN MERCY, BECAUSE I ACTED IGNORANTLY IN UNBELIEF; {14} and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. {15} It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, among whom I am foremost of all. {16} And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate HIS PERFECT PATIENCE, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life."
Paul was a blasphemer of God and His people, yet he was forgiven. It is at this point we begin to define "Unforgivable Blasphemy." Paul declares that though he was a blasphemer he was forgiven BECAUSE his sin was done in IGNORANCE AND UNBELIEF. Therefore, we conclude that had Paul known who Jesus was and who God and the Holy Spirit were things would have been different. Had he known the truth about the blessed Trinity and went on with his sin in spite of that truth he would not have been forgiven. In other words, had Paul committed his murders, beatings and sundry persecutions of the People of God knowing that He was actually standing against God and His truth he would to this day remains in the bondage of his iniquities.
I hope you can see that the unforgivable sin is not, murder, lying, stealing, suicide, adultery, divorce, or taking the Lord's name in vain. THE PERSON WHO CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN THEIR SIN IS ONE WHO HAS COME TO A STATE OF HARDNESS IN WHICH HE CONSCIOUSLY OPPOSES, SPEAKS AGAINST, AND SLANDERS GOD EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS AND BELIEVES THE TRUTH. This person believes that God is who He says He is. That Jesus is the Son of God as the Bible declares Him to be. But he doesn't care. He has no respect for the truth. He has heard the Gospel call. He knows the Bible describes him as a lost sinner but that knowledge does not move him. He is insensitive to the truth he knows. He rails against, mocks, and opposes God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He does so not in ignorance but while in possession of much truth.
John Calvin has a helpful paragraph on this subject in his Institutes. I give you not a quote, but the essence of his comments. "There are many in the present day who have the greatest disrespect and even hatred for the Gospel. Yet, if they knew it to be the doctrine of the Gospel they would honor and love it with all their hearts. Which is to say, if these were caused to know that the Gospel is God's truth they would gladly embrace it as such. These are not blasphemers in the unforgivable sense. On the other hand, there are those who are convinced in conscience that what they hate and rail against IS the word of God and yet they do not cease to hate and speak against it. These blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. They blaspheme against Him because He is the source of all Biblical truth. To know and oppose truth is to oppose the Holy Spirit. This is what some of the Jews did when they COULD NOT RESIST THE SPIRIT speaking through Stephen. That is, they could not deny the truth he spoke. Yet they persevered in resisting the truth and murdered Stephen. There can be no doubt that many present at Stephen's stoning were carried away by zeal for the law and much ignorance. Paul, for instance. However, it appears that there were others who maliciously raged against God Himself, that is, against the doctrine which they knew to be of God. Such, too, were the Pharisees, on whom our Lord pronounced His woes. In order to depreciate the power of the Holy Spirit, and defame Jesus before the people they accused Him of joining forces with the Devil, (Matthew 9:3-4, 12:24). Therefore the spirit of blasphemy is when a man, UNDERSTANDING WHAT HE IS DOING, rushes forth to insult God's divine name. This is implied by Paul when he says, "but I obtained mercy, BECAUSE I DID IT IGNORANTLY IN UNBELIEF." Calvin concludes, "If ignorance joined with unbelief made Paul obtain pardon, it follows that there is no room for pardon when knowledge is added to unbelief." (This paragraph was modified from its original form for ease of understanding.)
Until one ceases to breath it is impossible to tell who and who has not committed this sin. However we may say with certainty that one has committed this sin when he has died in unbelief. I say this because in ones life time they are confronted with God's truth in a thousand different ways. The Spirit of God reveals Himself and His truth to all from without and within. True the revelation comes in torrents to some and trickles to others, but the point is, it comes to all. Therefore, all who die in unbelief have suppressed, put down, and resisted truth and the reveler of truth, God the Holy Spirit. That is why men are without excuse when they die in unbelief. These have committed the eternal sin.
Another gentleman's comments might help our understanding. He writes, " The possibility of committing this sin has worried many sincere Christians, but it does not need to. For the sin consists of a DELIBERATE AND UNENDING rejection of the Holy Spirit's work and therefore of God Himself. This rejection continues to death. A person who has committed this sin has shut himself or herself off from God so thoroughly that he or she has no sense of or shame for sin. Their conscience has been seared or scared over. They have no sensitivity to spiritual things at all. A person who FEARS having committed this unpardonable sin shows, by his very concern, that he has not sinned in this way. The blessed Gospel promises are held out to all. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. The blasphemer will not believe. Look to Christ with eyes of faith and be saved. The blasphemer will not look. Come to Christ and be saved. The blasphemer will not come. But every convicted, trembling sinner who goes by faith to Jesus for salvation will have it in that moment."
The answer to all concerned about having committed this sin is found in (Hebrews 3:8-19 NASB) do not harden your hearts as when they (Israel) Provoked Me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, {9} where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, and SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. (These people were not ignorant of God. Fact is they had heard the Gospel. God had revealed Himself to them for many years and in many ways.) . . . {11} as I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'" (The generation He speaks of would not be allowed to enter the promised land, i.e., heaven, i.e., Christ, the sinners resting place. God would make them wander in the wilderness until they all suffered physical death. This is of course a picture of the spiritual death which separates one from God forever.) {12} TAKE CARE, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an EVIL, UNBELIEVING HEART, in falling away from the living God. . . {15} while it is said, "today if you hear His voice, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY (Israel) PROVOKED ME.". . . {18} And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but TO THOSE WHO WERE DISOBEDIENT? {19} And so we see that THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ENTER (That is into Christ, the believer's rest, see Hebrews 4.) BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF." (Hebrews 4:1-2 NASB) Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, (Christ invites the weary and heavy laden to come to Him and rest.) any one of you should seem to have come short of it. {2} For indeed WE HAVE HAD GOOD NEWS PREACHED TO US, JUST AS THEY ALSO; BUT THE WORD THEY HEARD DID NOT PROFIT THEM, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNITED BY FAITH IN THOSE WHO HEARD."
Here is the answer to all who fear they have committed or might commit the unforgivable sin. Today, right now, if your hear His voice. That is, if you understand the Gospel. That Jesus came into the world to save sinners from their sin. That you are the sinner He came to save. If you understand this to be true do not harden your heart! Do not fail to respond to the command, "Believe on Jesus for salvation." Refuse to continue in your rebellion, bow in faith before Jesus. You have heard the Gospel many times but it has not profited you because of unbelief. Remember the words of Paul, {15} It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am Chief. {16} And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, (Sinner) Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life." In other words, God's salvation of Paul was a demonstration of the power and scope of salvation. The vilest of sinners, murderous, blasphemous Paul was not beyond God's grace. Therefore, no one who comes to Him for life need fear rejection. It is a trust worthy statement, believe it, accept it, act upon it, run to Christ! The person who comes to Christ and follows Him daily need never be concerned with the unforgivable sin.