Most people do not want to hear that they are sinful and need forgiveness, which requires humility. And because of pride, most people, if they do realize they have a sinful nature, will want to do things their own way to try to deal with it...
(John 7:7) “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil."
(John 15:18-19) “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you."
The unpardonable sin is not becoming a believer. Within that parameter, one would hate Jesus, and one could believe that Jesus was possessed and was aligning Himself with Satan!
Of course, if a person repents after saying and believing such things and turns to Jesus as their Savior, then God is able and will forgive that person...
(Mark 3:28-30) “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Here Jesus explained it another way. Because we are born in sin, we cannot go to heaven - until we believe in Jesus. And within that parameter, one would believe that He is the Son of God.
As He started this message, none of the people there were believers. But notice in verse 30, that while Jesus was speaking, many people started to believe...
(Luke 11:21-30) Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” 25 So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
This one sentence that Jesus spoke - says it all...
(Luke 11:23) “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters."
From this we see:
- the world hates Jesus, so they will hate believers (John 7:7, 15:18-19)
- people were accusing Jesus of being possessed (Mark 3:30)
- everyone is born with a sinful nature, therefore all belong to hell, UNTIL they choose to believe in Jesus the Son of God (Luke 11:23-24)
- whoever is not on God's side, belongs on Satan's side (Matt.12:30, Luke 11:23)
Personal experience: even after choosing to be on God's side and becoming a Christian (for all eternity, because we cannot lose our salvation), we still have choices to make every day, every hour, every second...
Our choice is quite "simple": do things God's way, which is in God's will - - - or do things your own way, which is the world's way, which aligns with Satan's will.
In God's will, we will be "gathering", pulling together, building! In Satan's will, we will be "scattering", dividing, destroying!
This struggle can be found within groups as well as within an individual.
I knew someone who had become a Christian as a child, but had decided to live a life that was contrary to God's will. Finally the inner struggle was enough for him to realize that he needed to start living as he should in order to experience an inner peace again.
And I've certainly experienced that inner struggle. Sometimes these can be on a smaller scale, as I'm doing "little" things my own way. The turmoil may not be all that significant right away as one eases into something, and then that one "little" thing will grow or lead to another thing... Or with one really bad and rash decision, the war within your soul can hit you like a truck, causing you to wish for death! And - - - there will not be any inner peace until you reconcile all of these sins, big or "small".
I've also experienced struggles within various Christian circles. It's so easy for any one of us to do something that becomes self-serving. And there you'll have it - - - conflict! The answer will always be that everyone involved needs to search their hearts and seek out God's will. Fortunately, I have seen conflicts resolved. I've seen HUGE conflicts resolved!!! So we have to know to hang in there and not run away!!!
Today's takeaway: I think if we realize that when we are doing something that is NOT encouraging, edifying or building up - then we are aligning ourselves with Satan's will. When we see it from that angle, we can understand the gravity of our decisions!
Oh how thankful I am that God is so patient and we have God's grace!!!...
(Romans 6:12-23) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. 22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 15:1-13) Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,
“Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, And I will sing to Your name.”
10 Again he says,
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”
11 And again,
“Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, And let all the peoples praise Him.”
12 Again Isaiah says,
“There shall come the root of Jesse, And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, In Him shall the Gentiles hope.”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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