From my research in Scripture, there is a sin among the plethora of sins that people, not God, declare as The Unpardonable sin - suicide. Taking one's life is an act of rebellion or disobedience against God. The Lord did not suggest, He commanded that we not murder in Exodus 20:13. Not murdering includes one's self. Suicide is murder of one's self in place of trusting in God's plan and providence for your life.
Therefore, since suicide is a type of murder, it is one of many sins and not documented as an unpardonable sin that our culture has for whatever reason labeled it. This means suicide falls under God's grace through the cross of Christ. This does not by any stretch of the imagination give the green light or justification to suicide. Just because suicide is a forgivable sin does not mean we submit to the temptation to take our lives in our own hands.
If you are considering suicide, first call out to Jesus in prayer then immediately seek human help. Call 1-800-273-8255, the national hotline, get yourself to a hospital if you can, call 911, go alert someone in your home, apartment, or workplace, or wherever you are and do whatever it takes to get help.
So, according to Scripture, what is unpardonable by God? The two Biblical unpardonable sins by God are -
- Rejection of Christ Jesus as personal and cosmic Messiah and
- Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Concerning the rejection of Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ -
"God has provided for our salvation in His Son as documented in John 3:16. Forgiveness is found exclusively in Jesus as cited in John 14:6. To reject the only Savior is to be left with no means of salvation; to reject the only pardon is, obviously, unpardonable."
(Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/unpardonable-sin.html)
The other unforgivable offense against God is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy is thought, word or action that attacks the character of God and has by design the desire to usurp God. Concerning someone who has rejected God by using blasphemy against the Holy Spirit -
"According to Jesus, the unpardonable or unforgivable sin is unique. It is the one iniquity that will never be forgiven (“never” is the meaning of “either in this age or in the age to come” in Matthew 12:32. The unforgivable sin is blasphemy (“defiant irreverence”) of the Holy Spirit in the context of the Spirit’s work in the world through Christ. In other words, the particular case of blasphemy seen in Matthew 12 and Mark 3 is unique. The guilty party, a group of Pharisees, had witnessed irrefutable evidence that Jesus was working miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit, yet they claimed that He was possessed by the prince of demons, Beelzebul (Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:30).
The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day committed the unpardonable sin by accusing Jesus Christ (in person, on earth) of being demon-possessed. They had no excuse for such an action. They were not speaking out of ignorance or misunderstanding. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to save Israel. They knew the prophecies were being fulfilled. They saw Jesus’ wonderful works, and they heard His clear presentation of truth. Yet they deliberately chose to deny the truth and slander the Holy Spirit. Standing before the Light of the World, bathed in His glory, they defiantly closed their eyes and became willfully blind. Jesus pronounced that sin to be unforgivable."
(Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/unpardonable-sin.html)
Notice that these religious leaders and teachers of Judaism in the days of Jesus were the particular people needing to recognize the Holy Spirit's work and move in the life of Jesus. Christ even called them "hypocrites" (Matt. 23:27) and "a brood of vipers" (Matt. 22:33). These people of so called faith were certainly religious but Jesus and His grace were about relationship. These people were definitely not kindred Spirit with Jesus.
Therefore, the unforgivable sins, those who reject Christ Jesus as The Way and those that blaspheme the Holy Spirit, are a part of the lives of unbelievers.
Those that accept Christ Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord of their lives automatically cancel out this unpardonable sin by executing Romans 10:9 -
"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
In addition, a true believer will never blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Once you become a true Christ follower, the Holy Spirit becomes activated in one's life. To say a believer has blasphemed the Holy Spirit is to say their initial conversion and faith-walk was and is a sham.
Between you and God, a prayer that aligns itself with Romans 10:9 is awesome. However, I do not believe that is the only step that must be taken. The authenticity of your decision that Jesus is Master of your life, that you believe in His plan of Salvation and that your eternity is secured in Him must be displayed in your lifestyle.
A new creature or creation has been born mentally and spiritually when you accept Christ as Lord and Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares this newness -
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
Now with this new beginning - new thoughts must form, new words must flow and new actions must occur in accordance with God's will, His Spirit and His Word. Your body, mind and soul is remodeled from the inside-out by the Great Designer - God. If we seek His counsel first in everything and desire to produce outcomes that further God's plans then there will not be a need to worry about The Unpardonable.
Comments
Post a Comment