The Unpardonable Sin, part 1 of 3

First the Question: There is NO unpardonable sin in this Dispensation of Grace. True or False?

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The Unpardonable Sin, part 1 of 3

Many sermons have been preached on “the unpardonable sin,” using as the text Matthew 12:31-32. Before quoting these verses, let us note three other messages to Jews or Hebrews.

Note Stephen’s words to the Jews in Jerusalem, some months after the death of Jesus Christ, “YE STIFFNECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS, YE DO ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT: AS YOUR FATHERS DID, SO DO YE. WHICH OF THE PROPHETS HAVE NOT YOUR FATHERS PERSECUTED? AND THEY HAVE SLAIN THEM WHICH SHEWED BEFORE OF THE COMING OF THE JUST ONE; OF WHOM YE HAVE BEEN NOW THE BETRAYERS AND MURDERERS.” “THEN THEY CRIED OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE, AND STOPPED THEIR EARS, AND RAN UPON HIM WITH ONE ACCORD.” Acts 7:51-52 and Acts 7:57.

Now, note the Apostle Paul’s words to the Jews, in Acts 18:5-6, “PAUL WAS PRESSED IN THE SPIRIT, AND TESTIFIED TO THE JEWS THAT JESUS WAS CHRIST. AND WHEN THEY OPPOSED THEMSELVES, AND BLASPHEMED, HE SHOOK HIS RAIMENT, AND SAID UNTO THEM, YOUR BLOOD BE UPON YOUR OWN HEADS; I AM CLEAN: FROM HENCEFORTH I WILL GO UNTO THE GENTILES.”

Note Hebrews 10:26 and Hebrews 10:29-31, “FOR IF WE SIN WILFULLY AFTER THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, THERE REMAINETH NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR SINS.” “OF HOW MUCH SORER PUNISHMENT, SUPPOSE YE, SHALL HE BE THOUGHT WORTHY, WHO HATH TRODDEN UNDER FOOT THE SON OF GOD, AND HATH COUNTED THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED, AN UNHOLY THING, AND HATH DONE DESPITE UNTO THE SPIRIT OF GRACE? FOR WE KNOW HIM THAT HATH SAID, VENGEANCE BELONGETH UNTO ME, I WILL RECOMPENSE, SAITH THE LORD. AND AGAIN, THE LORD SHALL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE. IT IS A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD.”

If any man so despises the Grace of God that he refuses to trust Jesus Christ and accept His once-for-all sacrifice for sins, the vengeance of God will be his portion. But note the salvation condition, “BELIEVE on the LORD Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

Now let’s tackle this: “THERE REMAINETH NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR SINS.”

Do NOT misinterpret Hebrews 10:26 and teach, as some Christians have believed and taught, that the Holy Spirit said, “if a Christian sins willfully after he or she has been saved, “there remaineth no more FORGIVENESS of sins.” No such statement is made in the Bible. On the contrary, God’s message to Christians is, “If we confess our sins, He is Faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.” 1 John 1:9-10. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And IF any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1.

The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to HEBREW Christians and to unsaved religious Hebrews, (and will also be used extensively by those Jewish assemblies that will be on earth after the Body of Christ is called home at the Rapture). Some of them wanted to supplement, or add to, the redemptive work of Christ with a religious program, adding something of Judaism to the finished work of Christ. The priests and religious Jewish leaders were still carrying on in the temple, at Jerusalem, teaching the religious Jews to continue their Faith in the blood of animals, offered on their altar, according to the Law of Moses. It was to these Jews that the writer of Hebrews wrote, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin.”

As we study the message of Stephen to the Jews, in Acts 7:46-56, and the Apostle Paul’s message to the Jews, in Acts 18:5-6, we see that the Jews were very definitely committing the unpardonable sin mentioned in Matthew 12:31-32. To this we shall presently refer. But first let us note, in Romans 11:8, Romans 11:11, Romans 11:30 and Romans 11:15, that when and because Israel committed the unpardonable sin, God sent the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles with the Ministry of Reconciliation and the Gospel of Grace.

THE GENTILES AND THE GRACE OF GOD

Just a few words about the Gentiles and the Gospel of the Grace of God, “And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His Grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by Grace are ye saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:6-10.

In the above portion of Scripture we learn that Gentiles who had been aliens from Israel were saved. How? By Grace! What does this mean? Read Ephesians 2:4, “But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us.” God’s work...God’s workmanship. What was man’s part? Not of yourselves. Not of works. What was man’s condition? DEAD in trespasses and sins. In the world without God and without hope. Ephesians 2:12. Alienated from the life of God. Ephesians 4:18. What could such a dead man do for himself? NOTHING! What did such a dead man have to do to be saved? Some say, “repent.” Yes, “repent” means “change your mind.” But God had to work on them. God, Who is rich in mercy, for the great love wherewith He loved us when we were dead hath made us alive!!

Think of all the sins charged to those ungodly wicked Gentiles. They learned the truth of Romans 5:20, “where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound” How many of their sins were forgiven? Read the answer in Colossians 2:13 and Acts 13:39

“AND YOU, BEING DEAD IN YOUR SINS, AND THE UNCIRCUMCISION OF YOUR FLESH, HATH HE QUICKENED TOGETHER WITH HIM, HAVING FORGIVEN YOU ALL TRESPASSES.” “And by Him all that believe are justified from ALL things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses.”

Yes, every sin, thought, word, and deed, including the sin of unbelief was forgiven when those ungodly Gentiles believed the Gospel of Grace and received Christ. Note what happened, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13. Their sins were forever put Away; ALL of their sins. Moreover, they stood in the presence of God as though they had never committed one sin.

All of their sins were pardoned. So then, which one of their sins was unpardonable? Some say, the sin of unbelief. Well, they were all guilty of that sin, but when all of their sins were pardoned, that sin was included. When they believed, then there was no sin of unbelief. Keep in mind, all of their sins were UN-pardoned UNTIL they were saved by Grace. Then ALL of their sins were pardoned. If they had resisted the Holy Spirit, blasphemed against Him, and not believed on the LORD Jesus Christ, all of their sins would have remained unpardoned; but none of them would have been unpardonable.

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In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.

In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry

Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)