Vineyard Labourer Bible College

Study 29

THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

Now is the time to confess Christ before the world; by a consistent life and conversation to be a witness for Jesus Christ. By so doing you will exercise an influence over others, and will aid others to confess that Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The more light you have, and the more Christ works through the Holy Spirit to win you from a course of guilt, the more responsible you will be for resisting his mercy and refusing his invitation. The Jewish nation rejected Christ, and the darkness that came upon them corresponded to the great light that had been given them. So it will be with you. The greater the light you have, the greater will be the darkness that will enshroud you. You will press closer to the enemy of Christ, and make it more manifest than before that it is your choice to be Satan's slave rather than Christ's free man. Not enlisting in the service of the Captain of our salvation, you show to the world that you have chosen another leader.

The kingdom of heaven has come near unto you, and you have seen the Father and the Son. You think that the time will never come when you will mock and deride Jesus. You think that if you had lived upon earth when Christ was here, your voice would not have been raised with that of the multitude who cried, "Away with him! Crucify him!" But if you persist in rejecting Christ, you will be at the mercy of the enemy, and will do his bidding at last. I beseech of you to take your stand without delay on the side of Christ. Jesus has bought you with an infinite price because he loves you. Why not reveal to the world that you do not hate and reject Jesus? Why do you not manifest that you love the attributes and the service of Christ more than you love the attributes and the service of Satan? Why do you ventilate what you call scepticism, when you know that Jesus Christ came into the world to save just such foolish sinners as yourselves? Why do you look upon religion as a restraint, when the practise of godliness will keep you from ruining your happiness in this life, and will give you a title to the future, immortal life? O let it not be said of you, "Ye have seen and hated both me and my Father."

Jesus has done much for you, and he is willing to do much more. Every blessing, every talent, every capability you possess has come to you through Jesus Christ. Those who reject Christ, reject their only hope of happiness in this life, and cut themselves off from the hope of eternal life. Every step of rejection of Christ is a step toward the rejection of the goodness of salvation, and toward the sin against the Holy Spirit. It is evident that not one who stands under the banner of Jesus Christ, who serves him as a faithful soldier, has committed this sin. The sin against the Holy Ghost is not confined to any one period of time, or limited to any one generation. The Jewish nation who rejected Christ committed the unpardonable sin, but by taking the same course that they took in refusing the invitation of mercy, we may commit the same error. You offer insult to the Prince of life, and put him to an open shame before the synagogue of Satan. "We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men." You should not delay one day. The peril is too great. You may lose your life. Satan is watching every opportunity in order that he may destroy both soul and body; but Jesus is ready to pardon all your sins, and to make you a child of God, an heir of heaven.

WHAT SAITH THE LORD

1. How many of the commandments of God must we break before we become sinners? James 2:10, 11.

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." James 2:10, 11.

2. How many of our confessed sins will God forgive? 1 John 1:9.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.

3. Upon what two conditions will God have mercy on the sinner? Proverbs 28:13.

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:13.

4. What sin did David consider a great transgression? Psalms 19:13.

"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." Psalms 19:13.

5. What is the only sin that cannot be forgiven in this world or in the world to come? Matthew 12:31, 32.

"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." Matthew 12:31, 32.

6. How are believers sealed? Ephesians 1:13.

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," Ephesians 1:13.

7. What reason does Paul give for not grieving the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 4:30.

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30.

8. For what purpose did Jesus Christ promise to send the Holy Spirit? John 14:26.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26.

9. Why cannot the world receive Him? John 14:17.

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:17.

10. What was the Comforter to do when He came? John 16:8.

"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:" John 16:8.

11. What did Jesus say the Spirit of truth or Holy Spirit would do? John 16:13.

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." John 16:13.

12. When we refuse to hear God's messages, what are we doing to the Holy Spirit? Acts 7:51.

"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Acts 7:51.

13. Is there a limit to the striving of God's Spirit? Genesis 6:3.

"And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." Genesis 6:3.

14. For what did David pray? Psalms 51:11.

"Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me." Psalms 51:11.

15. What will happen if we wilfully sin? Hebrews 10:26-29.

"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 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?" Hebrews 10:26-29.

16. When should a person yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit and receive salvation? 2 Corinthians 6:2.

"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" 2 Corinthians 6:2.