From Unpardonable To Pardonable

From Unpardonable to Pardonable


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Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But whoever shall blaspheme in regard to [or, against] the Holy Spirit does not have forgiveness into the age [fig., forever], but is in danger of eternal judgment [or, punishment]"- because they were saying, "He has an unclean [or, defiling] spirit." (Mar 3:28-30)


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There are times that people "show up in our lives in order to discuss things about which they are deeply distressed. As believers we are called upon to help one another. (Gal. 6:1-2)" Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." I do hope your pastors and elders are equipping you to be spiritual in giving you instruction so that you may be able to help others even in some of the most challenging problems that come into peoples lives. In order to help support what you are learning at your on particular churches it is my goal to place helpful information on this blog in order to help you in your personal growth as well as to help equip you so that you be able to disciple others and help fulfill the law of Christ.
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(Note: See blog on "One Anothering" as well as section "D" of the blog “From Uselessness To Usefulness)
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Perhaps you, or someone you know, or someone you have had contact and communication with has committed sin that has really bothered the conscience. It could be that the person has found themselves in a situation where they are or were stealing, or maybe they committed adultery, or did the disturbing unnatural act of committing homosexuality, or maybe even committed incest. Because of this, they come to you or the pastor or another Christian for help. They have spent much time and thought about what they are, or have been doing. And while sitting talking to you with their face to the ground, wringing the hands, and with labored, heavy breathing they let you know that they "have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, committing the unpardonable sin" and therefore they can never be forgiven. Their fate is sealed, they are going to hell.
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So what can be done? Did they really commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? What do you say to them? Is there anything? How can you deal with such a person?
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The first thing to do is to let the person know that you will use a book to help them understand what is and has happened. That book is the Bible! You will help them come to understand the Bible's teaching the unpardonable sin. You will help them access from there if they truly committed that sin. Then if that sin has not been committed you will help restore them as you work together to identify their sin, the idols of their heart and the biblical directives which lead to a life forgiven and changed to be more like Christ.
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You will need to know and answer the question, "What is the unpardonable sin?" So then where do you find the passages that give the historical biblical account of the need for Jesus to give instruction concerning the unpardonable sin is found in twp of the four gospels - Matthew 12:24-30 and Mark 3:20-30.
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After reading the biblical narratives you can identify specifically what the sin is - It is attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil. Here are the plain facts:
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a. It is a sin against the Holy Spirit
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b. It is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
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c. It is calling the Holy Spirit an unclean spirit
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d. It attributes the work of the Holy Spirit to Beelzebub
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Now you can explain the nature of the unpardonable sin and show them that they are not hardened as were the hardened religious leaders of the day - namely the Pharisees. You can make comparisons and contrasts of the the sin of the person you are talking with to the hardened sin of the Pharisees. It is easy to show then that they have not committed an unpardonable sin and that they can be forgiven and restored to usefulness in the kingdom of God. If, however it is determined they are not believers then it is the perfect and proper time to give them the gospel of Christ. You can use a simple outline to give the gospel such as Evangelism Explosions outline: 1. God, 2. Man, 3. Grace, 4. Christ and 5. Faith. Also for further help concerning evangelism and salvation I point you to a couple blogs: "The New Birth and Conversion: The True Salvation"; "Listening For Gospel Opportunities" ; and " Called To Confess Christ In Word And As A Living Letter".
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This person has come to you with extreme guilt due to the heinous character of the sin (s) they have committed. Your focus will now change from focusing upon the unpardonable sin to the particular sin or sins actually committed. These cannot be minimized by you nor by the person. You will need to list them and point to their devastating affects of them. Sin is devastating and can cause people to believe they have committed the unpardonable sin. The hope of the person overtaken in sin now is this: they can be pardoned!
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God's goodness it must be explained to the person is this - that the Holy Spirit brings conviction which they have (John 16:8). They can and must repent of the sin they have committed. And also that "every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven"(Matt 12:24) all that is nbit but that of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. So repentance is in order so that you be abundantly pardoned. Repent and be pardoned!
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There is so much more that can be said regarding falling into sin and thinking of this magnitude. However the purpose of this blog was to show how to help Christians understand what the unpardonable sin is and how you are to apply the scriptures if you ever get to thinking in this faulty manner. Also how to help others when they indicate they may have committed such a sin as this. Also the purpose was to show how to move from one focus to another. From a focus on the unpardonable sin to giving a living hope in the reality that there is pardon for sins. If I have done this and given us a renewed and fresh taste of our responsibility to one another and of the grace and mercy of God then I feel I have succeeded.
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Our Concluding Prayer:
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ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Appendix A

Gospel Narratives

Matthew 12: 24-32
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But the Pharisees having heard, said, "This One does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebulb [i.e. a Philistine deity, used as a name for the devil], ruler of the demons." So Jesus knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom having been divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or house having been divided against itself will not stand. "And if Satan casts out Satan, he was divided against himself. Therefore, how will his kingdom stand? "And if _I_ cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your* sons [fig., followers] cast [them] out? For this reason, _they_ will be your* judges. "But if by the Spirit of God _I_ cast out the demons, in that case, the kingdom of God already came upon you*. "Or how is one able to enter into the house of the strong man and to plunder his property, unless first he binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. "The [one] not being with Me is against Me, and the [one] not gathering with Me, is scattering. "For this reason I say to you*, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to the people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven to the people. "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Humanity it will be forgiven to him, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven to him, neither in the present age nor in the coming [one].
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.B. Mark 3:20-30
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Then a crowd gathers again, with the result that they are not even able to eat bread. And the [ones] from His side [fig., His relatives] having heard, they went out to take hold of Him, for they said that He was out of His mind. And the scribes, the [ones] from Jerusalem, having come down, said "He has Beelzebul [i.e. a Philistine deity used as a name for the devil]!" And, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out the demons." Then having summoned them, He began saying to them in allegories [or, parables, and throughout book], "How is Satan able to be casting out Satan? "And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom is not able to stand. "And if a house is divided against itself, that house is not able to stand. "And if Satan rose up against himself and has been divided, he is not able to stand, _but_ has an end [or, is finished]. "No one, having entered into his house is able to plunder the property of the strong man, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he shall plunder his house. "Positively, I say to you*, that all the sins will be forgiven to the sons [and daughters] of people, also blasphemies, as many as they shall blaspheme. But whoever shall blaspheme in regard to [or, against] the Holy Spirit does not have forgiveness into the age [fig., forever], _but_ is in danger of eternal judgment [or, punishment]"- because they were saying, "He has an unclean [or, defiling] spirit."

Appendix B

Definitions
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Blasphemy - (βλασφημία, blasphēmía): In classical Greek meant primarily “defamation” or “evil-speaking” in general; “a word of evil omen,” hence, “impious, and irreverent speech against God.”

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In the Old Testament as substantive and vb.: (a) (בּרך, bārakh) “Naboth did blaspheme God and the king” (1Ki_21:10, 1Ki_21:13 the King James Version); (b) (גּדף, gādhaph) of Senna-cherib defying Yahweh (2Ki_19:6, 2Ki_19:22 = Isa_37:6, Isa_37:23; also Psa_44:16; Eze_20:27; compare Num_15:30), “But the soul that doeth aught with a high hand (i.e. knowingly and defiantly),... the same blasphemeth (so the Revised Version (British and American), but the King James Version “reproacheth”) Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.” Blasphemy is always in word or deed, injury, dishonor and defiance offered to God, and its penalty is death by stoning; (c) (חרף, ḥāraph) of idolatry as blasphemy against Yahweh (Isa_65:7); (d) (נקב, nāḳabh) “And he that blasphemeth the name of Yahweh, he shall surely be put to death” (Lev_24:11, Lev_24:16); (e) (נאץ, nā'ac) David's sin is an occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme (2Sa_12:14; also Psa_74:10, Psa_74:18; Isa_52:5; compare Eze_35:12; 2Ki_19:3 the King James Version; Isa_37:3).


Beelzebub - (in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) is an error (after the Vulgate) for Beelzebul (Revised Version margin) Βεελζεβούλ, Beelzeboúl; Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek, Βεεζεβούλ, Beezeboúl): In the time of Christ this was the current name for the chief or prince of demons, and was identified with SATAN (which see) and the DEVIL (which see). The Jews committed the unpardonable sin of ascribing Christ's work of casting out demons to Beelzebul, Thus ascribing to the worst source the supreme manifestation of goodness (Mat_10:25; Mat_12:24, Mat_12:27; Mar_3:22; Luk_11:15, Luk_11:18, Luk_11:19). There can be little doubt that it is the same name as BAALZEBUB (which see). It is a well-known phenomenon in the history of religions that the gods of one nation become the devils of its neighbors and enemies. When the Aryans divided into Indians and Iranians, the Devas remained gods for the Indians, but became devils (daevas) for the Iranians, while the Ahuras remained gods for the Iranians and became devils (asuras) for the Indians. Why Baalzebub became Beelzebul, why the b changed into l, is a matter of conjecture. It may have been an accident of popular pronunciation, or a conscious perversion (Beelzebul in Syriac = “lord of dung”), or Old Testament zebhūbh may have been a perversion, accidental or intentional of zebhūl (= “house”), so that Baalzebul meant “lord of the house.” These are the chief theories offered (Cheyne in EB; Barton in Hastings, ERE).