The God Files

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Query: What is the Unpardonable Sin?

Bible references: Mark 3:22-30, Matthew 12:22-32

I have read a lot of articles and a lot of debates regarding this topic; most of them contradict each other. However, based on my study on the subject, I have found out that most Christians think that the unpardonable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and that this specific sin cannot be duplicated today because Jesus Christ is not here on earth in the flesh.

My take on this is different. In my opinion, the pharisees have committed two sins. One is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit AND the unpardonable sin. The problem of most Bible scholars is that the word "blasphemy" has two meanings. One is "the act of claiming the attributes of deity" and the other is "defiant reverence". Nevertheless, both meanings apply to the pharisees as you’ll see in the following paragraphs.

Firstly, The pharisees said that Jesus exorcises demons through Beelzebub. Therefore, they have blasphemed because they have attributed the obvious work of God to the enemy, Satan. The blasphemy here is that they claim the obvious work God to Satan. In this case, they are guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Some people think that this sin can not be duplicated because Jesus Christ is not here in the flesh. WRONG! Jesus Christ doesn’t have to be here in order for us to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Remember that sinning can be done in thought and in deed, and most of the time, just by thought alone. Example: Jesus said that if you are looking at a woman with lust in your heart, you have already committed adultery. Sinning is spiritual, not just physical. Going back, If a person witnesses an obvious work of the Holy Spirit (For example: the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior by rank sinners) and that person claims that this was the work of Satan; even if he knows it is from God, then that person has committed the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit but not the unpardonable sin. At least, not yet.

As for the unpardonable sin itself, this is where the meaning "defiant reverence" comes into play. During the ministry of Jesus Christ, the pharisees followed Him (most of the time) wherever He went. However, they followed Him physically, but they were not following His words. They were there to find fault in His teachings. They were witnesses to Jesus Christ many miracles including the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the mute speaking, the lame walking and all manner of healing of the sick. These works are attributed to exclusively for the Messiah, they knew it but constantly denied it. This attitude IS the unpardonable sin. The continual rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is the unpardonable sin. If a person rejects Jesus Christ, he rejects the ONLY way for his sins to be forgiven/pardoned. As it is written, Jesus said "I am THE way, THE truth and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He did not say " I am A way, A truth and a life. Whichever path you take would lead you to the Father." Thus, if there is no way for this sin to be forgiven or the ONLY provision for forgiveness is shut off.

To God be the Glory.

Photo taken from:http://www.minot.k12.nd.us/votech/voced/image/explore/robot.jpg

The desktop computer I use in the office is quite old. It sits on the table while the loose cover plate vibrates and make a semi-shrill drilling like sound. The noise is a bit distracting at times and so I’m forced to think of ways to somehow dampen the sound. I fold post-it notes and stick it in the crevices of the loose plate, experimenting where the notes would make a difference in dampening the sound. Sometimes it softens the sound but it doesn’t really eliminate it. Sometimes I use other bits of paper, but also to no avail. In desperation, I tried leaning my Bible (I always have a Bible handy wherever I go) against it. The sound was gone. After experimenting with it a bit; I realized that as long as my Bible leans on the computer, the sound would not be too distracting.

With this experiment I realized something. Our lives is much like that old, noisy computer. Without the Bible/God’s word in our lives, we can’t expect peace. With the Bible supporting the computer, the noise is still there but it is controlled. Much like in our life. Trials and troubles will come our way even if we have God’s word to fall back on but this time, We realize Someone is always there for us.

The only difference I can see is that I have to lean the Bible on my computer, but in our lives, we should lean on God’s word for peace, joy and a sound life.

The amount of joy & peace in your life is inversely proportional to the amount of dust on your Bible.

The first prophecy by pattern (Midrashic) can be seen in the book of beginnings, Genesis. Most likely, people would glance over it without noticing that it is prophecy.

Turn with me to Genesis, chapter 3 verse 21. In the New King James version it says: "Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them." Plainly, it just says that God made them clothings of skin. But there is more to it than that.

In the book of Genesis, even if the law is not yet written; it is already practiced. One example of this is that the dietary law is practiced in Noah’s time; notice that God did not order Noah to gather provisions but instead God told Noah to gather 7 pairs of clean animals. The law was already in existence, it was only ratified during Moses’ time. Surely, the first pair is used to maintain the species and the other six pairs to sustain Noah and his family.

Going back to the significance of the garment of skins, God made the garments after Adam & Eve sinned. Now, the wages of sin is death; Sin can never be dealt with unless blood is shed. It was God’s right to kill Adam and Eve but God did not kill them, instead, God killed an animal (most ikely a lamb) and made them garments.

Genesis 3:21 is the record of the first subsitutionary sacrifice.

According to the law; when a person sins, he has to find a lamb without blemish and with no broken bones and offer it as a sacrifice to God so that the blood of the lamb would be a covering for his sin. However, when he sins again, he has broken his fellowship with God and is required to offer another sheep. The blood of lambs is only a temporary covering for sin. However, God has another plan. God will provide Himself a sacrifice, An ultimate sacrifice wherein the blood of lambs would come to naught. And thus the law was fulfilled, when the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world was offered up as a sacrifice two thousand years ago. Jesus Christ paid for YOUR sins. You don’t have to die for your sins because Jesus Christ was YOUR substitute. He took upon Himself all the sins of the world and in one stroke made a way for ALL people to have fellowship with God. The only thing you have to do is accept His provision and make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior.

<–Sistine chapel ceiling

Query: What is the very first prophecy? To answer this question we have to go back to the beginning; particularly, Genesis, the book of the beginnings. In Chapter 3 verse 15, God is speaking to the serpent after Adam & Eve sinned. the Bible says:

"And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

He shall bruise your head,

And you shall bruise His heel."

Now, the serpent, of course is the enemy, the devil. As it is written in Revelation chapter 12 & 20. When the Bible mentions "seed" it is another word for "sperm" as in the Male’s reproductive cell. At first glance, it may seem like God made a mistake because God was referring to the woman’s seed. Women have egg cells which are like fertile soil; in order for the man’s seed (the sperm) to grow into a plant (or in this case, a child). Well, God did not make a mistake. God was declaring that the savior who will destroy the work of the enemy will be born of the woman — virgin birth.

In effect, the verse says: The woman’s offspring/seed  called "He" is Christ, who will defeat the serpent. Satan can only "bruise his heel" that is to cause Him to suffer but Christ will bruise Satan’s head, meaning; destroy him with a fatal blow.

However, In a passage reminiscent of Gen 3:15, in Romans 16:20, Paul, encouraging the believers in Rome wrote "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly." We believers should recognize that we too are participants in he bruising of Satan’s head because, along with our Savior and because of His finished work on the cross, We too are of the woman’s seed.

May God bless you.