“Is there an “unpardonable sin”? and “Could I have committed it?” Many people have wondered about and struggled with those questions. Maybe you have heard someone say, “I just don’t think God could forgive me for what I have done.” Maybe you’ve said it yourself. Jesus did address a sin that would not be forgiven. What was it?
Besides talking about the unpardonable sin, we’ll look at what it means when Jesus said that a house is swept and empty and why that is so dangerous. And we’ll look at one important requirement if we’re to trust God when life is hard. So, be sure to keep reading.
Welcome, to “God’s Word Day by Day” where I blog through the Bible in a Year. I hope you’ll join me every day. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here. This year I’ve added a couple of new features. First, check out the “Free Resources” tab at the top. You’ll find a downloadable, printable PDF with “Going Deeper Study Questions” for each day’s post. And … this year you’ll find the daily “Bible in a Year” posts on YouTube. The daily emails now have a link to both the Soul Survival posts here and the YouTube videos. I hope you’ll sign up. (If you already receive them, no need to sign up again.)
Today’s Readings:
Genesis 35 & 36
Psalm 9.6-10
Proverbs 3.27-30
Matthew 12.22-50
What is the Unpardonable Sin?
Matthew 12.22-50:
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit & the Unpardonable Sin?
There is often a great deal of concern about Matthew 12.31-32 talking about the unforgivable or unpardonable sin. But we should understand that Jesus was talking to a group of Pharisees who knew the prophecies about the Messiah and witnessed His miracles firsthand. They watched the work of the Holy Spirit and then attributed those works to Satan for their own evil purposes.
Jesus described what they did as “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”
Charles Ryrie in his book Basic Theology says, “… theirs was a sin committed to His face. To commit this particular sin required the personal and visible presence of Christ on earth; to commit it today, therefore, would be impossible.”
The only sin that will keep us out of heaven today is the sin of not accepting Christ if we were to die in that state. But as long as we have breath, we can repent (admit we’re sinners and turn from our sin), accept the Lord and His forgiveness, and be saved.
That is the essence of the gospel message. If you’re not really sure what all that means or how to explain it to someone else, you might want to watch the 2-minute message by Pastor Mark Dever at the bottom of this post.
Now let’s look at a couple of other passages from Matthew 12.
Swept & Clean
In Matthew 12.43-45, Jesus talked about a house that was swept and clean but still empty. This is a picture of a person who tries to live a good life, to somehow clean up his or her act without the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. The house is “empty”—the Holy Spirit is not there. This person is not saved, not regenerated, and eventually, something unsavory will come back in.
Jesus’ Half-Brothers & Sisters
And finally, in Matthew 12.46-47, we read about Jesus’ half-brothers. They are mentioned in all of the Gospels. Four of them are named. Sisters also are mentioned in other passages. Mary did not remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus. She was just a woman, though a very godly woman. But she was a woman who needed a Savior just like us. She isn’t interceding for anyone. She is busy worshiping her Savior!
Today’s Other Readings:
Genesis 35 & 36:
Trusting God
In chapter 35 Jacob’s father, Isaac, was dying and Jacob was about to become the patriarch of this family that had been chosen by God. God began to prepare him, in part, by showing him he needed to get his household in order (Gen. 35.1-4). Then God reminded him of the covenant promises.
His twelve sons would be the heads of twelve families who would become the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. And through one of them, Judah, the Messiah would one day come (Gen. 35.9-15).
In the midst of all this, Rachel had her second son and died in childbirth. What a temptation it must have been for Jacob to get discouraged—to lose his beloved Rachel in the midst of preparing for God’s purpose in his life (Gen. 35.16-20)!
Have you ever been tempted to question God’s timing in your life? Jacob had to make a decision—was he going to continue trusting God or was he going to follow what must have been some pretty intense feelings?
We are sometimes faced with that same challenge. Maybe we have prayed and we don’t see the answer we expected. Or maybe we have suffered a setback or a devastating loss as Jacob did. At times like that, it is vitally important to know God, to know His character, and to understand His sovereignty.
In fact, our reading in Psalms says much the same thing. Let’s look at a portion of it.
Psalm 9.6-10:
Those Who Know His Name
Verse 10 begins:
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You …
God’s name represents His character. The more intimately we know God, the more able we are to put our faith and trust in Him.
So if you are struggling to trust Him, get to know Him better. You might read a book like A.W. Pink’s The Attributes of God or Wayne Mack’s It’s Not Fair! Or use a concordance to look up verses about God’s goodness, His faithfulness, and His sovereignty. (For a good online concordance check out Bible Gateway or BlueLetterBible. They’re free and easy to use.)
Like Jacob who had met God, wrestled with Him, and was learning to trust and obey His commands, we can continue to trust, follow, and obey Him in the midst of difficult circumstances and despite feelings to the contrary!
Proverbs 3.27-30:
Financial Responsibility
Proverbs 3.27-28 reminds us to take care of our debts and responsibilities without procrastination.
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due.
“It is due”—it is expected.
We are not only to pay our debts, but God has called us to a lifestyle of giving. We should not be stingy, hating to let go of our money, but eager to help others and support kingdom work!
Closing Thoughts:
What is God saying to you personally this morning? Do you need to get to know Him better so you can trust Him more? Is He clarifying something? Asking you to change something? To rethink something you’ve always believed? If He’s asking you to change or do something different, sit down and make a plan. How will you do it? What will the change look like?
Genuine repentance and change require more than just an “I should.” It requires “doing” (Jas. 1.22-25; Matt. 7.24-27).
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about whether God can redeem the past, how to respond to private temptations, whether God tests us, and how that might look.
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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