The Unpardonable Sin

Sometimes Jesus said things that are difficult to understand like the idea of a sin cannot be forgiven. There is a sin that is unforgivable and he also is unambiguous by identifying that unforgivable sin with the term blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and the sayings of Jesus. This will may be the foremost source of fear for Christians. What is the unpardonable sin and how do I know if I've committed today on Renewing Your Mind. We continue Dr. Seuss groceries, hard sayings of Jesus, our Savior said many things that seem harsh to us like today's topic things are hard to understand in a teaching series RC's desire was to clear up the confusion difficult passages in the New Testament, a passage that certainly qualifies for the category of a hard thing. Those passages recorded in the Gospels where Jesus speaks about an on forgivable sin which unforgivable sin is identified as being blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.

Let's take a look at one of the versions of that record. Looking at Matthew's account of it where we read in Matthew chapter 12, this statement from Jesus. Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven men.

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

While it's obvious why this passage has become such a problem to so many people it describes and discusses a sin that is on forgivable and of course many people asked the question have I committed that sin and there those who labor painfully under the fear that they have in fact committed such a sin which has excluded them from any possibility of forgiveness, either here or at the judgment seat of Christ, and there are Christians who live in mortal fear that they might at some point commit that sin which would cause them to lose their salvation and to lose the hope of heaven. Obviously, our Lord is teaching something here that his heart and it is equally obvious that he is saying unambiguously that there is a sin that is unforgivable and he also is unambiguous by identifying that unforgivable sin with the term blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. So far so good, that is so far we don't have to wrestle with ambiguities, but as soon as we asked the next question we plunge into a sea of ambiguity and of great difficulty and that question is what is this unforgivable sin that Jesus identifies as blasphemy against the Holy Ghost were blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. There been many attempts in church history to answer this question specifically identifying exactly what this unforgivable sin is and some have identified it with murder because murderers are to be put to death. Others have identified it with adultery because the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, and to commit adultery. Paul tells us is to sin against the Holy Spirit and so that's been advanced as the thesis but we have immediate problem with either one of those options. Don't we obviously David was guilty of murder, and he was able to receive forgiveness. He was also guilty of adultery and likewise was able to receive forgiveness that we would rule those two out, but even more importantly, Jesus is talking about blasphemy and we have to understand that blasphemy is something that is done verbally either in writing, but more often in the spoken word. Even someone as brilliant as Augustine argued that the unforgivable sin of which Jesus speaks is total and final unbelief that is that if a person persists to the end of their lives. In rejecting Christ in remaining in a state of unbelief. They will not receive a second chance in heaven that unbelief is ultimately and permanently on forgivable.

Why don't quarrel with Augustine's judgment about the results of permanent unbelief. It's true there is no reason to hope for a second chance after the grave.

If you persist in this world and in this life and the rejection of Jesus Christ, you will not be forgiven for that rejection. In the final day of judgment.

But if you have rejected him up to this point in your life, you still might be forgiven because two of us didn't reject Christ for a portion of our lives in many cases, a large portion of our lives before we submitted to his Lordship, but not only that, we see that Jesus in this passage makes a distinction between a sin committed against him and a sin committed against the Holy Spirit and that's I think what makes the problem all the more difficult let's look at it again where he says in verse 32. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him.

But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come, which suggest that it's okay to blaspheme Christ or to blaspheme the father but as long as you don't blaspheme the Holy Spirit you are okay and you still have an opportunity to be forgiven. You can feel the weight of that difficulty me much, my goodness. We asked ourselves the question what differences make whether we blaspheme the father the son or the Holy Spirit is just as heinous to blaspheme against the father or against the sun as it is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will again that's focus our attention and remember that what Jesus is talking about here is blasphemy. And as I said, blasphemy is something we do principally with our Ma said something that we say that denigrates the character of God.

Now if every form of blasphemy against God, were unforgivable.

Dear friends, none of us would literally have a prayer because we have all blasphemed and if every sin against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. We would not have a prayer because all of us at some point in our lives have grieved the Holy Spirit in one way or another.

So you see how that just makes this all the more excruciatingly difficult because we do see that the Bible seems to give us provision for forgiveness of all kinds of blasphemies. Terry's mind particular kind of blasphemy and Jesus particularly applies it to the Holy Spirit when he says that a word against the Son of Man, obviously when he speaks about the word against the Son of Man is referring to himself, but that is forgivable and not only does Jesus preach that it is forgivable, but he practices what he preaches swings on the cross as the Son of Man is the Lord of glory in the midst of his own crucifixion. When people are mocking him and ridiculing him and blaspheming him. He utters a prayer for those people by saying to the father. Father forgive them what is he at their support for a suburban understand this text. He says forgive them for what they know not what they do designated as they were ignorant just because they were ignorant of what they were doing does not automatically excuse them. It's important to realize that in the Old Testament sacrificial system when God ordained and commanded certain sin offerings to be brought in the whole system of atonement of the Old Testament. There were special provisions given for sins done in ignorance that may cause you a further difficulty of understanding. This is a reason.

Incidentally, why the Roman Catholic Church historically has made an important distinction in their moral theology between two kinds of ignorance. Ignorance that they call invincible ignorance or ignorance that is called invincible ignorance now something that is invincible is unbeatable. You can't conquer it.

You can't defeat it something that is visible is something that can be conquered. Something that can be overcome something that can be beaten.

What does Ron mean when he gives us this distinction between invincible and invincible leg. Well, let me illustrate.

If my favorite way I live in the state of Florida. Suppose I drive my car into the state of Georgia and I enter into a little village there and I come to the intersection and there's a traffic light there in the traffic light is red but I don't want to stop for the light die just go right on through the red light and the next thing I see is another red light.

Only this time it's on the top of the roof of the car behind me and it's flashing in here come the police and they pull me over and the man said that you see that red light back there and I say yes I did. Why didn't you stop as well. I didn't know you were supposed to stop. I plead ignorance said no idea that I'm supposed to stop slims your drivers license and I show my drivers license of Florida drivers license. The civil don't you have read like traffic lights and florescent.

Yes what you have to do their pricing on Florida.

I know I'm supposed to stop at a red light at an intersection I stop at red lights in Florida but I'm not in Florida and I'm driving here in Georgia. How was I supposed to know that the law in Georgia requires me to stop at a red light know how far you think that argument would go before the magistrate if I tried to dodge that ticket by pleading ignorance. It's tacitly understood that if I resumed the drive my car in any state of this union that I assume responsibility to know what the traffic laws in the motor vehicle regulations are in that state and I am held accountable. Why, because those laws are published, the public, they are easily accessible and I am responsible to know what the rules are before I presume the drive my automobile in that state. We all understand that. So there even if I didn't know that the traffic light meant to stop.

I had the opportunity to know it. And my ignorance would've been easily overcome.

And I can't plead ignorance as an excuse now beloved, think about this in the multitude of ways. There are lots of things that we do out of ignorance. There are lots of ways that we disobey God out of ignorance and were going to plead ignorance on the final day like the old time songs I didn't know the gun was loaded and very very sorry my friend and these arguments are not going to wash because we should know what the word of God is the word of God is been given to us and some the times we sin in ignorance. We sent in ignorance because we have neglected a sober diligent study of the things of God which God has made perfectly clear and readily accessible to us so we have to be very careful of trying to behind the cloak of the excuse of ignorance, but there is such a thing.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches has invincible ignorance, knowledge, change the scenario supposed the city fathers of Orlando here are facing a budget, squeaks, and they need to raise money in a hurry so the city Council gets together this evening and they say well we have an idea tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock. Were gonna have a new law on the city that everybody that drives in the city has to stop on green and go on red. And if you drive through a green light is going to be $100 phone and will post police at every traffic intersection and will make a fortune because were not going to tell anybody that we change and change the rules so the next morning we drive happily into the city we see a green light.

We go through the green light.

The next thing you know were pulled over and were arrested for driving through this green light now if we plead ignorance before the magistrate do we have a just defense yes of course we do because that ignorance was invincible.

There was no possible way we could have known that they had changed the rules in the middle of the game so obviously the ignorance that the people had when they brought Jesus to the cross and crucified him did not excuse them.

They were guilty of crucifying Christ and they should have known better. Had they search the Scriptures they would've seen that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures and was not this villain that they declared him to be at his execution. But even though there ignorance was invincible ignorance and not invincible ignorance. Jesus interceded for them on the cross saying father forgive them. I don't know what they're doing.

See the same kind of thing in the book of acts when the apostles or are rehearsing to the Jewish community.

The travesty of the crucifixion of Christ and where we read in acts had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, and so there is a certain forbearance that is given here in the Scriptures to those who were responsible for the death of Christ and acknowledgment of a certain level of ignorance now for us to understand this passage I think it's critical that we look at what precedes this morning that Jesus gets if we go back to Matthew 12 and look at verse 22 we read this account. Then, one was brought to him who was demon possessed blind and mute and he healed him, so that the blind and Newt man both spoke and saw and all the multitudes were amazed and said, could this be the son of David when the Pharisees heard they said this fellow does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons to hear what's going on.

People recognized in the miracles of Christ. The manifestation of the Messiah, the son of David, but the arch enemies of Jesus wouldn't even acknowledge his identity thing and they accused Jesus of performing his works, by the power of Satan. Now, beloved, that's blasphemy. It is blasphemy to accuse Jesus Christ of being satanic of being in the leg with the devil and it's on this occasion that Jesus knowing their thoughts, according to the gospel takes this opportunity to give this very severe warning to the Pharisees.

It's as if Jesus is saying, look, you guys you been plotting you haven't listened to me you have rejected me. You've done all these things and have patiently taken it that you are coming now to a line in the sand that if you cross that line, you're finished. It's as if he saying to these men watch it watch yourself. Be careful you're coming so close to committing the alternate sin the unforgivable sin to be careful. You're going to forfeit any possibility of forgiveness, either now or in the future, but he captures that by this distinction between speaking against him and speaking gives the Holy Spirit of time doesn't permit a fuller exposition this, but if you look carefully after the resurrection of Christ we go in the book of Hebrews in chapter 6 in chapter 10 there is now a falling away at the distinction between blasphemy against Christ and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Once a person has been illuminated and they have received from this Holy Spirit. The clear revelation that Jesus is the Christ. If the Holy Spirit would open your eyes and get you to see the Jesus is the Christ, and then after you know, by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the son of God, and then you accused Jesus of being satanic now you have committed the unforgivable sin. Melanie say two things in closing that I hope will give you some comfort on the one hand, the only kind of person that could theoretically commit the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be a Christian because they're the only people who have received this revelation and have a clear understanding by virtue of the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the son of God, they're the only ones who know full well that Jesus is not satanic. That's the bad news that only Christians could do it. The good news is theoretically I think all of us are capable of that kind of sin and that kind of evil but I don't believe many of us ever have or ever will commit that sin is the very thing that Jesus intercedes for us at the throne of grace, that we would be preserved from falling and from losing our salvation that he has purchased for us.

And so, though the warning is a real warning to the Pharisees to be very careful. I don't think that this is something that need concern us in terms of having to worry that we are going to lose our salvation, not that we should be concerned about our miles and about our decorum and so on. But I have no worries that any of you who are in Christ may live by the Holy Spirit alone the illumination of his knowledge other than Christ. You would ever say. So far as to accuse Jesus of being sick is comforting is in its many believers live in fear of committing this unpardonable sin today on Renewing Your Mind, Dr. RC Sproul is helped us think through this difficult passage. Glad you joined us for the Saturday edition of our program and we web each week where airing a message from RC series the hard sayings of Jesus.

So far we've learned how it could be that Jesus being truly God and truly man didn't know the day of his own return. We've also study why Jesus called the crowd to repent after a national tragedy would like to send you the full series as a digital download for your donation of any amount to look at her ministries. There are couple of ways you can reach us to make a request.

One is by phone at 800-435-4343. You can also go online to Renewing Your Mind.Ward. Perhaps you best.

Some of these questions yourself or they've come up in conversation with friends or family doctor scroll carefully searches Scripture to bring clarity to each of these hard sayings. So again request the digital download of the series are web address is Renewing Your Mind.org or phone number 800-435-4343 and on behalf of all by colleagues you're looking her ministries.

Thank you for your donation. Let me also recommend legionnaire connect to you. That's an online discipleship community that allows you to join with friends so that you can study online together for nine dollars a month. You have the opportunity to access more than 70 interactive courses from doctor scroll along with Sinclair Ferguson, Stephen Lawson and other trusted pastors and teachers to find out more and enroll in legionnaire connect go to connect.Ligonier.org did God intend to save everyone if that's the case why is everyone saved. Is it possible for people to somehow frustrate God's redemptive plans. I hope you'll join us again next Saturday is doctor scroll addresses another hard saying of Jesus as we close peers doctor scroll with our quorum Dale thought of the day. I want to remind you again of what quorum Dale means it means to live before the face of God under the authority of God into the glory of God. I tried to comfort you. If you are Christian being at rest in peace that you're not going to ever commit the unforgivable sin because you're not capable of it and of yourself because your Lord is gracious enough to hold your tongue from it and preserve you from this ghastly crime, but that ought not to give us a sense of being at ease in Zion with respect to the very serious nature blasphemy. Remember that one of the 10 Commandments safeguards the sanctity of the very name of God and Christians need to be exceedingly careful with their tongues about how they speak of Christ, how they speak of God, how they speak of the Holy Spirit.

It is extremely offensive to God to have his name used in vain and I doubt if there's anything more offensive to the father than to hear the name of his beloved son be used as a common ordinary curse word and for those of you who are not believers. I realize that you use the name of Christ frequently without even thinking.

As part of your expletives. I plead with you to think about what you're doing that you are keeping abuse upon the one whom God has appointed to be your judge and