God’s Three Deadlines.
The Unpardonable Sin - Sinning Away Your Day of Grace – Sin Unto Death
1. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the Unpardonable Sin.
2. It is committed only by unbelievers:
3. List multiple crimes that seem unforgivable.
John Wayne Gacey – Homosexual who enticed young men into his home – where he would joke around with trick handcuffs & show them how to escape from the trick handcuffs. He then, would give them “real” handcuffs from which they could not escape. He would then brutally abuse them & kill them. Police dug out some 32 bodies from under his house. That seems to most people – unforgiveable! But,…if John Wayne Gacey prayed…he would be forgiven.
Recently, there was a young 20 year old father whose little infant boy began to cry. The young father could not console the boy – so he smashed the little boy’s skull – the little, helpless, beautiful infant son - - died. That seems to most people – unforgiveable! But,…if….prayed to Jesus Christ…he would be forgiven.
List others examples.
Yet, if anyone of these wretched people would repent of their sin – they would find that there is still Room at the Cross…Christ’s blood is yet able to atone for their sins. Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacey, Child Abusers, Murderers - - Yet – any of these criminals would give their heart to Jesus – their sins would be forgiven.
I. The Unpardonable Sin.
There are 66 Books of the Bible – and the most horrific words found in this Book is this: “Shall never be forgiven!” Whoever ascribes to Satan what is done of God “…shall never be forgiven.” The Sin against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven.
To ascribe the things of God as being the work of the devil is “Blaspheme.”
Blaspheme = To speak hurtfully.
The 4 most horrible words in the Bible: “Shall never be forgiven”.
The only Person who can forgive sins says, “…shall never be forgiven.”
TRAN: What part of the body commits this sin? Is it the arm, the leg, the hand?
A. Tongue.
“The tongue is a fire…[it] is placed among the parts of our bodies; it pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell” (James 3:6).
Ivory bars of your teeth; your cheeks to hide your tongue. J. Harold Smith never knew of a woman who committed this sin. But, of the 21 men he knew – they all died within 24 hours!
Nowhere in the Bible did anyone ever live another 24 hours after committing the Unpardonable Sin, the sin of Blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.
B. Sons of Korah.
Read, Numbers 16:29-34.
There were “…250 prominent Israelite men…” in the group that came against Moses.
They were saying that Moses was not speaking for God. On the sidelines – there were 14,000 people cheering on the detractors of Moses. Because they encountered hard times in the Wilderness – they said it was all the fault of Moses.
They were saying – “God is not on his side – who is he to speak for God? He is a fraud!”
It would be better for you to take a hold of rattle snake & let his fangs invade your body with poison – than to continue the disrespect of God by dishonoring those who speak for the Lord. To speak against God’s servants is to be in danger of crossing God’s Deadline.
Jesus Christ walked this earth – the God-man – full of the Holy Spirit – the One who takes away the sin of the world. If you come to church & ascribe Jesus as a fraud – or the message his preachers who proclaim God’s Word in the power of the Holy Spirit to be not of God - - it will never be forgiven.
TRAN: If one commits a sin against the Holy Spirit – such sin “shall never be forgiven.” If you have committed this sin – you will be dead within 24 hours. Those who fear such a sin – have not committed it. I cannot recall anyone who has ever crossed over this Deadline. But – the next deadline…I have met many who have crossed it.
II. Sinning away your day of grace.
Read, Proverbs 29:1. “…without a remedy.” This sin can be committed by a preacher – or the preacher’s best friend. This sin can be committed by the best of church members, a tither…a good person. I am convinced that we have some very friendly people here – who are without Christ. There are people who are good church members – without Christ. You can be a member of the Canaan Family – but, you are not following Christ. The vast majority of our members have no appetite for spiritual things.
The majority of our members do not attend regularly; they are not interested in spiritual things. They are nice people; they are pleasant people; but, they are unconcerned about the things of God. The majority of our membership makes no effort to come & worship on any regular basis. It is likely – that the majority of church members are in the process of sinning away their day of grace. They will come for funerals, business meetings, musicals – but not for prayer. Those who are unconcerned about spiritual things – may be sinning away their day of grace.
APP: We rationalize: “Well, what I’m doing is not against the law!”
Whose law are you referencing? God’s Law requires Christ’s blood to cover your sin! Many church people quickly jump to the argument that we are not under the Law! Yes, those “in Christ” are redeemed from being under the Law.
But, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice & I know them & they follow Me.” You Too many are following the Crowd – not Christ! Are trusting in your church membership – or, you are trusting in some words you said – but your life proves you never meant it?
Read, Matthew 7:21-23. “…I never knew you…”
Are you following Jesus? Is your life one that is on the path of Jesus Christ?
If not – you are sinning away your day of grace.
TRAN: God says, “My Spirit will not always strive with the spirit of man.”
There is a day – when God will give up on you. Jesus intercedes for those who are His – “believers.” But – those who do not follow Him – will spend eternity in hell.
ILL: In Florida – an older man told me that when he was younger – he felt that he should surrender to Christ. But, he refused. I urged him to come to Christ, but – he could not. He said, “I know I should give my life to Jesus – but – I simply have lost all my desire or care to do it.”
In Hosea 4:17, God said “Ephriam is joined to his idols – let him alone.”
There comes a place in one’s life – when God will just leave you alone.
Jesus spoke of the people in Nazareth, “They could not believe.” Not “would not” – but “could not…believe.”
God says of those who have sinned away there day of grace: “Then shall they call - & I will not answer.”
Poem: There is a time – we know not when – a place we know not where
That marks the destiny of men – from glory to despair.
There is a line – by us unseen – which crosses every path
A hidden boundary between – God’s mercy - & His wrath.
ILL: I preached a funeral up in the city of Lemay where some rough men were in attendance. As soon as I said, “…the Lord Jesus Christ…” one man stood up & heckled me. He said, “I don’t believe in Jesus or Hell.” I looked right at that big, tough man & said, “Some day – you will.” I don’t know what happened to that man; but, I know what will happen to him. I believe he had already sinned away his day of grace. I felt no impulse to reach out to him. That is entirely against my nature. But – I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me, “Leave him alone.”
APP: Are you saved? Perhaps you will answer by saying…
“I go to church; I married a good church-person; my grandfather was a preacher; my mom taught Sunday School; I grew up in church; I’m better than most Christians…”
III. Sin unto death.
Read, 1st John 5:16.
Amos 4:6 –
If we harbor unconfessed sin – God will not always tolerate us! If you have given your life to Christ & then live a life a sin – born again believer: God will let your earthly life be given over to Satan!
Read, 1 Cor. 5:5, “…turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.” What is the sin in your life that you are harboring? Tithing? Resentment? Internet Porn or sexual addiction? Substance abuse? Temper? Spirit of Judgment?
APP: It is a miserable commentary of our Christian culture that approximately 2/3’s of our churches memberships don’t even come to church.
When you step over God’s deadline there are some holy & horrible things that are set into motion. God signs you over to the devil. You can call me to pray – but those prayers will be too late! God says, “I’m signing his death warrant – I AM – is giving his earthly body to Satan to harm & kill him as he pleases.”
I am sure that there are people here who are planning to hang onto their sin. And – if you leave here today – unrepentant – you just may be steeping over God’s deadline in your life.
Maybe you are planning to lie about your income tax return; maybe you are planning to divorce your spouse as soon as your children are grown; maybe there is that secret sin that you plan to continue in; maybe you have decided that you are going to attend those godless parties on Fridays or Saturdays & praise God with an unclean vessel on Sundays.
If you have sin in your heart – God knows about it! God may be signing that death warrant this very morning. Does God have His pen in hand – ready to sign your death warrant?
You say, “Preacher, I’m saved! I’ll go to heaven.” Yes…if you have accepted Christ as your Savior – you will go to heaven; but, without reward. Scripture calls it “saved…as by fire.”
• Blaspheming of the Holy Spirit: That sin of the tongue. Ascribing the work of the Holy Spirit to be of the devil. And you are damned forever.
• Sinning away your day of grace: You don’t have to speak a word, just harden your heart - stiffen your neck. Just like cement hardening – and the Spirit of God takes His flight – never to knock on your heart’s door again. And you are damned forever.
• Sin unto death: Committed only by a born-again believer. When a person commits a sin and refuses to repent – God reserves the right to put our bodies to death. God may send people to warn or encourage that person to repent – to return to the will of God – but they refuse to repent of their sin. God will chasten you & discipline you – until you repent. And if you do not come back to God – the number of your days on this earth will be taken from you. Christian, there is a “sin unto death.”
To the Lost:
1. Some will say, “I’ve been living in sin – nothing has happened to me; I’m a church member & nothing has ever happened to me!”
2. That is because you do not belong to the Family of God in the 1st place; you belong to the kingdom of darkness & have a reservation for eternal hell.
3. You are under deadline # 2.
4. You are sinning away your day of grace.
5. Scripture is clear – if you are “none of His.”
6. You are on your way to hell.
7. The Lord disciplines His children who sin.
8. If you sin & then are left alone by God – you “…are none of His.”
9. You are headed to hell.
10. And unless you forsake your sin & give your heart to Jesus Christ, you will, forever, be in an eternal hell.
CONCLUSION:
1. Are you ready to do business with God?
2. If you are a child of God – are you ready to become honest to God?
3. Has your conduct, your character, your conversation been what it should be?
4. Are you about to step over - one of God’s Three Deadlines?
5. Why don’t you take a different step – a step down this aisle & come to a God who warns us of these deadlines so that we will not cross them!
6. Telling a child not to play in traffic sounds negative: but it is live saving!
7. Preaching like this sounds negative: but it is life saving for eternity!
God’s Three Deadlines:
1. The Unpardonable Sin: ascribing to Satan what is done of God.
2. Sinning Away Your Day of Grace: God will leave you alone…
3. Sin Unto Death: The sin of a believer who will die prematurely.
