The Unforgiven

The Unforgiven

CCCAG February 5th, 2017

Scripture: Mark 3:22-30 (Matt 12 31-32, Luke 12:10)

This is a teaching sermon- at the end of the message, I’ll take questions about this topic as it can be a fairly complex thing to cover in 20-30 min.

Saying that, I will ask this of you- please listen to the whole message before you hear one part of it and close off the rest of what I have to teach you today- again, this is a fairly complex biblical truth and it will take some time to completely unpack it. I will also be speaking about some sensitive issues regarding it that may envoke some bad memories or experiences that you have had. Again, please listen to the end and be open to sharing your questions with everyone.

Intro- Rational Response Squad

In 2006, an organization called the Rational Response Squad issued an offer to give away a free DVD about atheism or a Free book called the God Delusion by Christopher Hitchens to the first 1001 people that would record and post a YouTube video in which they adamantly denied the Holy Spirit’s existence, or profaned His name. They took the idea from what is commonly held Christian doctrine- that Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an automatic one way ticket to hell, and they would forever put themselves outside of the forgiveness that God offers through Jesus Christ.

Originally I was going to post a few for you, but most of them have pretty strong profanity in them, or the clothes they are wearing are fairly profane so I decided you’ll just have to take my word for it. In fact, there is so much hatred and vitriol in those videos I’d be surprised if they changed anyone’s mind about God. From how the presented themselves, it was not at all pleasant nor very winsome. Most of the videos I watched weren’t something you’d watch if you were on the fence about God and think, “Gee, let me join that them!”

What these people didn’t understand is that if your heart is so hard that you could publicly and gleefully post a video like that, you are already on your way to hell. It’s not like that video is sending you to hell, version 2. In fact, the biblical truth is this- humanities default destination is hell. From the time you reach an age to where you understand right from wrong, and can grasp that there are consequences of your actions, you become morally responsible for those actions, and sooner or later will violate God’s laws found in the bibles moral teachings and be on your way to hell.

That’s Christianity 101, and in the core of what we believe and what the bible teaches.

So, the people on the Rational Response Squad wasted a lot of money to give people what they already had- a one way ticket to eternal torment.

Dummies

This idea of the unforgivable sin, is what the bible calls “Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit”. The idea of it is found in all three synoptic Gospels (Matt, Mark, Luke), but we will focus on the situation where Jesus taught us this idea from Mark’s perspective-

The background of this account-

Jesus is in the first of 3 ½ years of public ministry. About 27-28 AD

His Miracles, about 8-10 as recorded in the Gospels have caught the attention of all of Israel, and large crowds are now following Him.

This catches the attention of the Sanhedrin- the Jewish ruling council which is made up of the Pharisee’s, (teachers of the law), and the Sadducees- the two major divisions within the Jewish faith. They send out representatives to follow Jesus around, confront HIM, and report back to the Sanhedrin.

This is one of those encounters-

Mark 3:22 And the teachers of the law (members of the Pharisee’s) who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”