Title: Afraid I Committed The Unpardonable Sin
Meta: Do you fear that you have committed the unpardonable sin? You may have, but nevertheless run to Christ. You say, "Isn't that a contradiction?" If you press the issue, yes. But I don't know, and you don't know, if they have committed it. So even if you think you've committed it, run to Christ. Don't just stand still because that will certainly lead to death.
Tags: unpardonable sin,Matthew 12,Hebrews 6,Hebrews 10,Esau,John 6:37

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Ok. Well, tonight, now that we've started

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these APT sessions again,

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rather than simply going in and looking

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at many of the emails that James has sent me,

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I wanted to take tonight

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and deal with two subject matters

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that in my estimation -

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I could be wrong about this,

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James might know better,

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but in my estimation,

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probably two of the most

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trafficked videos that we ever get

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have to do with two types of sin:

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one is the unpardonable sin

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and one is sexual sin.

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Do a video on either one of those things,

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throw it on YouTube,

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and it is likely going to get

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tens of thousands of hits.

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And as emails come in,

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inevitably, people have questions.

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James just sent me one I think

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today or yesterday

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that has to do with sexual sin.

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Probably not long before that

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it seems like I've got a couple

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that have something to do

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with the unpardonable sin

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in one way or another.

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So, because it does get so much traffic,

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I think it's worth revisiting.

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Obviously, people have questions.

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Obviously, people have concerns.

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Obviously, there are spiritual battles

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being waged in both of these departments,

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both of these categories.

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So, I want to talk about this tonight.

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The unpardonable sin.

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Let's go to our Bibles.

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Matthew 12

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Let's just come up to speed.

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Undoubtedly, Matthew has

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the most extensive treatment of this.

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Luke just kind of says something in passing.

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Mark deals with it a little bit more than Luke.

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Maybe considerably more than Luke.

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Mark has some details

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that Matthew does not have.

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So we're going to read just a little bit

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from Mark as well,

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but let's get a feel for this.

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The unpardonable sin.

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Matthew 12:22 Let's pick up right there.

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"Then a demon-oppressed man

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who was blind and mute

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was brought to Christ,

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and He healed him,

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so that the man spoke and saw."

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Now, what's interesting right there,

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just for the sake of comment.

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The demons were obviously -

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demon singular or plural,

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however many there were -

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the demon caused physical blindness

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and deafness.

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Blind and mute.

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It's interesting.

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The man wasn't just incapacitated physically.

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He wasn't just sick

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or born defective somehow.

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Broken.

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Specifically, we're told,

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there's demons here.

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This is not the only place

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where demons bring on something

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of a physical illness

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or a physical abberation of some kind.

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And so, brought to Christ.

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"He healed him,

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so that the man spoke and saw.

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And all the people were amazed,

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and said, 'Can this be the Son of David?'"

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Son of David is an accepted title

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2,000 years ago for the Messiah.

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That's what they're asking.

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Is this the Messiah?

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Well, the Pharisees heard the people.

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Now you have to remember,

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the Pharisees are driven by

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the congratulations of men;

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the glory of man.

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They like applause.

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They like attention.

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They like to be seen as the great

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praying people;

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the great giving people,

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and they would draw attention to that.

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They don't like it -

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you remember what Pilate said.

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He knew it was for envy

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that they wanted to put Christ to death.

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They were envious.

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They did not like when Jesus got

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the attention that they felt like

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they alone should have and deserved.

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And that was one of the things,

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Jesus came along and He wasn't

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congratulating them

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and patting them on the back

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and telling them how good they did.

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They really figured that when the Messiah came,

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He would know them for who they were,

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and they thought very highly of themselves.

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So they said, "it's only by Beelzebul..."

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Now, you might have heard me recently -

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Baal. "Baal is lord."

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I know it's a little bit different here,

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but that's basically what it is.

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It's Beelzebul.

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Or Beelzebub.

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And it seems like it refers to

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the "lord of the flies."

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The prince of demons.

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So it's a title that had been given

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to the devil himself.

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(incomplete thought)

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They're not denying that [Jesus] cast out demons.

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It seems that they recognize

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that the blindness, the muteness

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of this guy was related to demons.

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They're not questioning whether or not He did it.

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They're just saying He did it

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by the devil - the prince of demons,

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"that this man casts out demons.

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Knowing their thoughts,

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He said to them..."

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Here He's just going to explain

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why their theory can't be true.

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"Every kingdom divided against itself

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is laid waste.

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No city or house divided against itself will stand."

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Obviously, what He is saying is

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that if Satan casts out Satan,

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his house is divided.

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It will never stand.

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You never fight against yourself

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in a battle, in other words.

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"If Satan casts out Satan,

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he is divided against himself.

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How then will this kingdom stand?"

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We're in Matthew 12.

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So, Matthew 12:27,

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"and if I cast out demons by Beelzebul,

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by whom do your sons cast them out?

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Therefore, they will be your judges.

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But if it is by the Spirit of God..."

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And of course, that's Who it was by.

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"...that I cast out demons,

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then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

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Or how can someone

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enter a strongman's house

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and plunder his goods

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unless he first binds the strongman?

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Then, indeed, he may plunder his house."

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Basically, what He's saying is

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there must be a power greater than Satan's

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at work here.

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For Satan to actually be giving up his goods

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means that the strongman is being bound.

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"Whoever is not with Me is against Me."

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He basically lays down this spiritual warfare.

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You're either for Him or you're against Him.

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"Whoever does not gather with Me scatters.

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Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy..."

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Now He shifts here.

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He's moving towards this unpardonable sin.

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He says, "every sin and blasphemy

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will be forgiven people,

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but the blasphemy against the Spirit

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will not be forgiven."

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There it is.

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It's an unpardonable sin.

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It will not be forgiven.

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"Whoever speaks a word

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against the Son of Man will be forgiven.

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But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit

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will not be forgiven, either in this age

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or in the age to come."

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Now, just for a bit of clarification

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let's run over to Mark 3.

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Mark gives us just a few details

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that Matthew does not include,

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which are assumed in Matthew,

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but they're very pointedly stated

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here in Mark.

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Mark 3:28

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Same account.

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Mark just gives us his viewpoint of it.

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"Truly, I say to you,

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all sins will be forgiven the children of man,

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and whatever blasphemies they utter."

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Same truth that Matthew said.

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"But, whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit,

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never has forgiveness."

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Now here's where we get the extra detail here.

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"...but is guilty of an eternal sin."

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Here, Mark specifically states

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what the sin is.

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It's assumed over in Matthew,

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but here he says it.

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"For, they were saying,

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'he has an unclean spirit.'"

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So, there you see it.

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You have a sin that is an eternal sin.

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He's saying, look, there's all manner of sins.

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They'll be forgiven.

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It's interesting.

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We can really, I guess, get stretched

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when we start to think, what?

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"Whoever speaks a word

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against the Son of Man..."

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In other words, against Jesus Christ.

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"He'll be forgiven.

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Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit

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will not be forgiven."

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I mean, what's going on here?

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Why this?

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Well, that's probably too much

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to deal with tonight.

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But I will say this,

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that when we look at some other places,

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namely Hebrews,

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you will find that the actual sins

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that outrage the Spirit

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are connected with Christ.

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They are connected with His covenant,

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His blood,

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His sacrifice.

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They are connected with that.

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So, I don't want to spend a bunch of time here.

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But what I do want to focus on is this.

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There is a sin that is an eternal sin

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that Jesus plainly says

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you cannot be forgiven for.

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And He specifically says - Mark says,

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that He is specifically says

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it's an eternal sin.

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What sin was it?

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They were saying He has an unclean spirit.

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And what kind of spirit did He actually have?

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A very clean Spirit - He had the Holy Spirit.

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That's His argument here.

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He's doing this by the Spirit of God.

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He's not doing this by Beelzebul.

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He's not doing this by the prince of the demons.

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He's doing this by the Spirit.

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They blasphemed the Spirit.

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It doesn't say whether they had crossed the line.

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It doesn't say whether they were unpardonable.

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(incomplete thought)

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We know this.

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They were doing the very thing

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that He's telling them cannot be forgiven.

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Had they crossed the line?

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Perhaps.

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Probably.

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I mean they were doing the very thing

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that He said that there's

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never forgiveness for.

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Is it likely they had crossed the line?

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Very likely.

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I mean, He's warning them.

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Is it possible that He's warning them

274
00:12:43,122 --> 00:12:45,489
because they're getting real close, but haven't yet?

275
00:12:45,489 --> 00:12:46,634
Perhaps some of them.

276
00:12:46,634 --> 00:12:48,464
There's more than one person.

277
00:12:48,464 --> 00:12:50,639
They're obviously at different places.

278
00:12:50,639 --> 00:12:55,397
But, anyway, the issue is

279
00:12:55,397 --> 00:12:57,204
there is a sin that if you commit,

280
00:12:57,204 --> 00:12:58,635
you can't be forgiven.

281
00:12:58,635 --> 00:12:59,367
In other words,

282
00:12:59,367 --> 00:13:02,513
there is a sin you can commit in this life

283
00:13:02,513 --> 00:13:06,710
that you now cannot be saved.

284
00:13:06,710 --> 00:13:09,091
It is possible for you to do something

285
00:13:09,091 --> 00:13:12,814
in this life that that's it.

286
00:13:12,814 --> 00:13:14,408
It's all over.

287
00:13:14,408 --> 00:13:15,484
There's no hope.

288
00:13:15,484 --> 00:13:18,118
There's no chance of ever being saved now.

289
00:13:18,118 --> 00:13:19,215
You've crossed the line

290
00:13:19,215 --> 00:13:21,102
of the point of no return.

291
00:13:21,102 --> 00:13:22,362
That's what He's saying.

292
00:13:22,362 --> 00:13:23,095
Clearly.

293
00:13:23,095 --> 00:13:28,290
I don't think anybody has a problem here.

294
00:13:28,290 --> 00:13:31,144
Now, I went on YouTube,

295
00:13:31,144 --> 00:13:38,477
and real close - you just do a search

296
00:13:38,477 --> 00:13:41,400
on the unpardonable sin

297
00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,933
on YouTube and within

298
00:13:43,933 --> 00:13:48,199
like the top ten videos that come up,

299
00:13:48,199 --> 00:13:50,995
you will find this one.

300
00:13:50,995 --> 00:13:53,896
"You have not committed the unpardonable sin.

301
00:13:53,896 --> 00:13:57,621
Come to Jesus and be saved."

302
00:13:57,621 --> 00:14:00,186
Well, ok.

303
00:14:00,186 --> 00:14:03,917
Now, let's just think here.

304
00:14:03,917 --> 00:14:07,661
I come across that.

305
00:14:07,661 --> 00:14:10,442
What would you all do

306
00:14:10,442 --> 00:14:13,290
if you met somebody?

307
00:14:13,290 --> 00:14:14,617
Let's say we decide,

308
00:14:14,617 --> 00:14:16,289
ok, next Tuesday,

309
00:14:16,289 --> 00:14:17,874
we're not going to meet here

310
00:14:17,874 --> 00:14:19,108
and have the Bible study.

311
00:14:19,108 --> 00:14:20,784
Next Tuesday, we're all going

312
00:14:20,784 --> 00:14:27,269
to gather together at 4:00 in the afternoon

313
00:14:27,269 --> 00:14:31,008
and we're going to go door-to-door.

314
00:14:31,008 --> 00:14:33,166
We're going to knock on doors

315
00:14:33,166 --> 00:14:36,772
and we're going to talk to people

316
00:14:36,772 --> 00:14:40,011
about the Gospel.

317
00:14:40,011 --> 00:14:41,190
And let's say,

318
00:14:41,190 --> 00:14:43,082
we're going up and down the streets

319
00:14:43,082 --> 00:14:44,540
next Tuesday,

320
00:14:44,540 --> 00:14:46,663
and you come across somebody

321
00:14:46,663 --> 00:14:47,950
and they tell you

322
00:14:47,950 --> 00:14:49,708
that they believe they've commited

323
00:14:49,708 --> 00:14:53,290
the unpardonable sin.

324
00:14:53,290 --> 00:14:56,804
How many of you would tell them,

325
00:14:56,804 --> 00:14:59,689
no, you haven't?

326
00:14:59,689 --> 00:15:01,723
Is there anybody that would be inclined

327
00:15:01,723 --> 00:15:04,497
to say that to them?

328
00:15:04,497 --> 00:15:07,074
Come on, you can be honest.

329
00:15:07,074 --> 00:15:08,626
James: I would talk to them.

330
00:15:08,626 --> 00:15:09,665
Gather data.

331
00:15:09,665 --> 00:15:11,277
Tim: You'd want more information.

332
00:15:11,277 --> 00:15:13,407
James: Then, I wouldn't dogmatically say

333
00:15:13,407 --> 00:15:14,668
well, no you haven't,

334
00:15:14,668 --> 00:15:16,824
but there's a place that if I discern

335
00:15:16,824 --> 00:15:18,806
they're in total despair

336
00:15:18,806 --> 00:15:23,078
and the devil is slandering God's character to them,

337
00:15:23,078 --> 00:15:25,184
I may, if the case fits,

338
00:15:25,184 --> 00:15:27,196
encourage them that it doesn't appear

339
00:15:27,196 --> 00:15:27,957
that you have.

340
00:15:27,957 --> 00:15:29,628
It appears that your real issue is

341
00:15:29,628 --> 00:15:30,532
fill in the blank.

342
00:15:30,532 --> 00:15:33,026
Tim: But you notice what James said. He's looking for more information.

343
00:15:33,026 --> 00:15:35,075
The first thing that comes out of his mouth

344
00:15:35,075 --> 00:15:36,585
is not, "No, you haven't."

345
00:15:36,585 --> 00:15:38,459
He wants to know more information.

346
00:15:38,459 --> 00:15:42,932
Why? Because it is within the realm of possibility

347
00:15:42,932 --> 00:15:44,275
in James' mind,

348
00:15:44,275 --> 00:15:48,735
that they could have.

349
00:15:48,735 --> 00:15:51,759
There are many who would say,

350
00:15:51,759 --> 00:15:54,576
you can't even commit the unpardonable sin today.

351
00:15:54,576 --> 00:15:57,809
Anybody heard that?

352
00:15:57,809 --> 00:15:59,264
You're nodding yes.

353
00:15:59,264 --> 00:16:03,232
Anybody else heard that?

354
00:16:03,232 --> 00:16:06,276
On what basis?

355
00:16:06,276 --> 00:16:08,700
Do you ever hear the basis

356
00:16:08,700 --> 00:16:13,196
upon which that statement is made?

357
00:16:13,196 --> 00:16:17,176
(unintelligible)

358
00:16:17,176 --> 00:16:19,392
The grace of God.

359
00:16:19,392 --> 00:16:20,605
(from the room)

360
00:16:20,605 --> 00:16:22,412
I think my understanding was

361
00:16:22,412 --> 00:16:25,403
that because the Holy Spirit isn't here physically,

362
00:16:25,403 --> 00:16:28,555
we can't sin against Him.

363
00:16:28,555 --> 00:16:29,926
Tim: That who isn't?

364
00:16:29,926 --> 00:16:30,747
(from the room)

365
00:16:30,747 --> 00:16:33,241
The Holy Spirit isn't here on this earth physically,

366
00:16:33,241 --> 00:16:35,760
and so you can't blaspheme Him

367
00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:37,899
is my understanding.

368
00:16:37,899 --> 00:16:40,501
Tim: If the Holy Spirit isn't here physically,

369
00:16:40,501 --> 00:16:45,025
you can't blaspheme Him?

370
00:16:45,025 --> 00:16:46,643
But don't you get the feeling

371
00:16:46,643 --> 00:16:48,715
that Jesus is saying that the possibility

372
00:16:48,715 --> 00:16:50,641
of committing it is very real,

373
00:16:50,641 --> 00:16:53,116
even though the Spirit wasn't there physically

374
00:16:53,116 --> 00:16:55,743
back then either?

375
00:16:55,743 --> 00:17:00,698
In fact, a physical manifestation of a spirit -

376
00:17:00,698 --> 00:17:07,213
we're probably dealing with apples and oranges there.

377
00:17:07,213 --> 00:17:10,689
The Spirit is just as real

378
00:17:10,689 --> 00:17:14,443
in the world today as He was back then.

379
00:17:14,443 --> 00:17:19,687
The Spirit of God by which Jesus did what He did -

380
00:17:19,687 --> 00:17:22,208
if anybody casts out demons today,

381
00:17:22,208 --> 00:17:26,542
it's by the same Spirit.

382
00:17:26,542 --> 00:17:27,897
Certainly the Spirit of God

383
00:17:27,897 --> 00:17:30,271
was poured out upon the church.

384
00:17:30,271 --> 00:17:34,103
We see repeated manifestation

385
00:17:34,103 --> 00:17:37,484
and repeated Scripture that indicates

386
00:17:37,484 --> 00:17:39,283
that the Spirit of God is very much

387
00:17:39,283 --> 00:17:41,402
active in the world today.

388
00:17:41,402 --> 00:17:43,885
The Spirit of God is convicting men

389
00:17:43,885 --> 00:17:46,840
of sin and righteousness and judgment.

390
00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:50,754
The Spirit of God is very much active

391
00:17:50,754 --> 00:17:52,198
in the world.

392
00:17:52,198 --> 00:17:54,110
The Spirit of God is very much active

393
00:17:54,110 --> 00:17:55,527
in regenerating men.

394
00:17:55,527 --> 00:17:58,414
The same truth that was spoken to Nicodemus

395
00:17:58,414 --> 00:18:01,190
is very alive and real today.

396
00:18:01,190 --> 00:18:02,906
The Spirit of God causes men

397
00:18:02,906 --> 00:18:10,507
to be born again.

398
00:18:10,507 --> 00:18:13,591
Actually, the argument that I've heard

399
00:18:13,591 --> 00:18:17,949
is that it's impossible to commit that sin today

400
00:18:17,949 --> 00:18:22,689
because Jesus isn't here any longer

401
00:18:22,689 --> 00:18:24,904
in bodily fashion.

402
00:18:24,904 --> 00:18:27,417
But see, I don't know what that has to do

403
00:18:27,417 --> 00:18:28,765
with the argument,

404
00:18:28,765 --> 00:18:35,256
because here's the thing -

405
00:18:35,256 --> 00:18:36,912
we have this account

406
00:18:36,912 --> 00:18:39,626
recorded for us in Scripture.

407
00:18:39,626 --> 00:18:41,941
What if somebody sees

408
00:18:41,941 --> 00:18:44,391
what Jesus was doing back then

409
00:18:44,391 --> 00:18:46,133
and comes to the same conclusion

410
00:18:46,133 --> 00:18:48,526
that the Pharisees did?

411
00:18:48,526 --> 00:18:50,967
Does it somehow negate the offense

412
00:18:50,967 --> 00:18:52,776
simply because Jesus isn't here?

413
00:18:52,776 --> 00:18:54,718
They're basically saying the same thing

414
00:18:54,718 --> 00:19:02,300
about the Spirit of God.

415
00:19:02,300 --> 00:19:06,603
Here's probably the bigger,

416
00:19:06,603 --> 00:19:10,089
I think just the bigger picture,

417
00:19:10,089 --> 00:19:13,625
is that when you move out of the Gospels,

418
00:19:13,625 --> 00:19:16,821
and you move into the epistles,

419
00:19:16,821 --> 00:19:20,175
you actually have

420
00:19:20,175 --> 00:19:24,011
a sin which is unto death.

421
00:19:24,011 --> 00:19:27,936
Anybody know where that is?

422
00:19:27,936 --> 00:19:31,754
1 John 5

423
00:19:31,754 --> 00:19:35,207
We also have the reality

424
00:19:35,207 --> 00:19:37,780
that there is a point of no return.

425
00:19:37,780 --> 00:19:41,823
If somebody has once

426
00:19:41,823 --> 00:19:46,611
been exposed to the truth;

427
00:19:46,611 --> 00:19:50,872
if they have once been enlightened;

428
00:19:50,872 --> 00:19:53,826
they have once tasted

429
00:19:53,826 --> 00:19:56,181
of a heavenly gift;

430
00:19:56,181 --> 00:19:57,353
they've been partakers

431
00:19:57,353 --> 00:19:59,960
of the Spirit of God.

432
00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:01,602
They've tasted of the goodness

433
00:20:01,602 --> 00:20:03,382
of the good word

434
00:20:03,382 --> 00:20:07,477
and of the power of the age to come.

435
00:20:07,477 --> 00:20:12,466
If that happens,

436
00:20:12,466 --> 00:20:17,717
and people turn from that,

437
00:20:17,717 --> 00:20:19,716
it's impossible for them to ever

438
00:20:19,716 --> 00:20:23,766
be renewed unto repentance.

439
00:20:23,766 --> 00:20:30,327
Or, you go over to Hebrews 10:26-29,

440
00:20:30,327 --> 00:20:32,579
what do you have there?

441
00:20:32,579 --> 00:20:35,015
If we go on sinning willfully

442
00:20:35,015 --> 00:20:37,706
after coming to a knowledge of the truth,

443
00:20:37,706 --> 00:20:39,582
what is there?

444
00:20:39,582 --> 00:20:42,482
Nothing but an expectation of judgment.

445
00:20:42,482 --> 00:20:44,453
A fury of fire, Scripture says.

446
00:20:44,453 --> 00:20:46,113
You know what it is?

447
00:20:46,113 --> 00:20:49,164
Back under Moses,

448
00:20:49,164 --> 00:20:50,847
if you willfully sinned then;

449
00:20:50,847 --> 00:20:53,723
you willfully broke those things

450
00:20:53,723 --> 00:20:57,961
under the witness of two or three,

451
00:20:57,961 --> 00:21:00,254
you were put to death.

452
00:21:00,254 --> 00:21:04,090
And then it says how much sorer punishment...

453
00:21:04,090 --> 00:21:07,713
What do you think is going to happen now

454
00:21:07,727 --> 00:21:10,318
if you trample under foot

455
00:21:10,318 --> 00:21:11,690
the blood of Christ?

456
00:21:11,690 --> 00:21:15,427
You put Him to open shame

457
00:21:15,427 --> 00:21:18,517
and outrage the Spirit.

458
00:21:18,517 --> 00:21:21,087
You see, the Spirit is outraged.

459
00:21:21,087 --> 00:21:23,688
The Spirit is involved in these two.

460
00:21:23,688 --> 00:21:26,529
You think of Hebrews 6.

461
00:21:26,529 --> 00:21:29,200
It is partaking of the Spirit.

462
00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:31,465
That has happened.

463
00:21:31,465 --> 00:21:33,133
And there's a rejection.

464
00:21:33,133 --> 00:21:36,560
You think of chapter 10,

465
00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:38,154
and you have the Spirit

466
00:21:38,154 --> 00:21:40,093
which is being outraged

467
00:21:40,093 --> 00:21:42,095
because there is this trampling.

468
00:21:42,095 --> 00:21:45,022
Listen, in both cases,

469
00:21:45,022 --> 00:21:48,261
there's no hope.

470
00:21:48,261 --> 00:21:50,301
If you take up the text,

471
00:21:50,301 --> 00:21:53,927
there's a sin unto death.

472
00:21:53,927 --> 00:21:57,285
And John is saying to us,

473
00:21:57,285 --> 00:21:59,400
I'm not saying you should pray about that.

474
00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,278
In other words, he was really believing

475
00:22:01,278 --> 00:22:02,920
that the people he was writing to

476
00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:04,512
would have some idea

477
00:22:04,512 --> 00:22:07,184
about: there is a sin.

478
00:22:07,184 --> 00:22:12,052
Listen, aren't the wages of all sin death?

479
00:22:12,052 --> 00:22:13,863
Why in the world would he talk about

480
00:22:13,863 --> 00:22:14,814
a sin unto death?

481
00:22:14,814 --> 00:22:16,309
Doesn't all sin lead to death?

482
00:22:16,309 --> 00:22:20,680
Well, what he's obviously talking about

483
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,955
is there is sin we can commit

484
00:22:22,955 --> 00:22:24,487
and yes, it's a death sentence,

485
00:22:24,487 --> 00:22:26,661
but we can be saved.

486
00:22:26,661 --> 00:22:29,260
Christ took the penalty in our place

487
00:22:29,260 --> 00:22:30,483
and suffered our death

488
00:22:30,483 --> 00:22:32,377
in our behalf.

489
00:22:32,377 --> 00:22:36,938
What's he talking about a sin unto death?

490
00:22:36,938 --> 00:22:38,729
In other words,

491
00:22:38,729 --> 00:22:41,068
there's a sin that once you commit it,

492
00:22:41,068 --> 00:22:42,946
it's the death sentence.

493
00:22:42,946 --> 00:22:45,386
There's other sins that are not unto death,

494
00:22:45,386 --> 00:22:46,786
which means there are sins

495
00:22:46,786 --> 00:22:48,987
that a person can commit

496
00:22:48,987 --> 00:22:50,159
and be forgiven of,

497
00:22:50,159 --> 00:22:52,680
and there is a sin or sins

498
00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:53,772
that you can commit,

499
00:22:53,772 --> 00:22:56,058
and you will never be forgiven of.

500
00:22:56,058 --> 00:22:58,855
That is a sin unto death.

501
00:22:58,855 --> 00:23:03,447
So, my whole point is this:

502
00:23:03,447 --> 00:23:06,251
To simply explain away

503
00:23:06,251 --> 00:23:07,674
or try to explain away

504
00:23:07,674 --> 00:23:09,971
the unpardonable sin

505
00:23:09,971 --> 00:23:12,403
because Jesus Christ isn't here any longer,

506
00:23:12,403 --> 00:23:15,145
I don't think works for several reasons.

507
00:23:15,145 --> 00:23:17,388
One being that the very thing

508
00:23:17,388 --> 00:23:18,708
that they did back then,

509
00:23:18,708 --> 00:23:20,067
we can do today.

510
00:23:20,067 --> 00:23:21,577
We could look at Jesus healing

511
00:23:21,577 --> 00:23:23,652
this very man and say,

512
00:23:23,652 --> 00:23:26,553
I don't think He did it by the Holy Spirit;

513
00:23:26,553 --> 00:23:29,815
I think He did it by fill in the blank.

514
00:23:29,815 --> 00:23:31,429
You could do the very same thing

515
00:23:31,429 --> 00:23:32,499
they did back then.

516
00:23:32,499 --> 00:23:34,823
So how would it change any

517
00:23:34,823 --> 00:23:38,818
just because Jesus isn't here any longer?

518
00:23:38,818 --> 00:23:42,111
You see, the thing is,

519
00:23:42,111 --> 00:23:47,697
what's true in all of these it seems

520
00:23:47,697 --> 00:23:50,043
is that people are exposed

521
00:23:50,043 --> 00:23:51,991
with a tremendous amount of light,

522
00:23:51,991 --> 00:23:54,476
and they turn their back on it.

523
00:23:54,476 --> 00:23:59,553
Very, very dangerous.

524
00:23:59,553 --> 00:24:01,543
(incomplete thought)

525
00:24:01,543 --> 00:24:03,662
And one of the other things, I think,

526
00:24:03,662 --> 00:24:10,432
is there's no indication from the text

527
00:24:10,432 --> 00:24:12,365
that we should be led to believe

528
00:24:12,365 --> 00:24:19,115
that somehow it's going to come to an end.

529
00:24:19,115 --> 00:24:21,680
Somehow it won't be possible in the future.

530
00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:27,253
Here's a thought that I had.

531
00:24:27,253 --> 00:24:31,544
Why would Jesus tell us about this sin

532
00:24:31,544 --> 00:24:35,975
if it wasn't for today?

533
00:24:35,975 --> 00:24:38,641
There's a lot of things Jesus said

534
00:24:38,641 --> 00:24:41,689
that weren't recorded for us.

535
00:24:41,689 --> 00:24:43,146
John tells us that.

536
00:24:43,146 --> 00:24:45,112
John tells us if everything was written

537
00:24:45,112 --> 00:24:47,211
concerning Him, it would fill

538
00:24:47,211 --> 00:24:52,212
more books than the world can contain.

539
00:24:52,212 --> 00:24:55,816
We didn't get everything recorded for us.

540
00:24:55,816 --> 00:24:57,364
If this was only for them,

541
00:24:57,364 --> 00:25:00,173
why would it be recorded for us?

542
00:25:00,173 --> 00:25:02,841
Because it's a snare to a lot of people.

543
00:25:02,841 --> 00:25:05,744
Why would God uselessly

544
00:25:05,744 --> 00:25:08,402
throw a snare at us?

545
00:25:08,402 --> 00:25:10,687
I believe that the reason He gave it to us

546
00:25:10,687 --> 00:25:15,874
is because we need to take due warning.

547
00:25:15,874 --> 00:25:18,331
Because we can commit it.

548
00:25:18,331 --> 00:25:19,904
Now, it's true, a lot of people

549
00:25:19,904 --> 00:25:21,212
get snared by it.

550
00:25:21,212 --> 00:25:23,151
But I believe that the reason

551
00:25:23,151 --> 00:25:28,453
that God would throw this out there

552
00:25:28,453 --> 00:25:30,354
even though many people are going to be

553
00:25:30,354 --> 00:25:36,798
ensnared by it is because it's a legitimate risk.

554
00:25:36,798 --> 00:25:38,109
It's a legitimate sin.

555
00:25:38,109 --> 00:25:42,541
It's a legitimate danger to us today.

556
00:25:42,541 --> 00:25:45,609
I have a feeling people pass this line

557
00:25:45,609 --> 00:25:49,615
far more than we know.

558
00:25:49,615 --> 00:25:52,140
I have a feeling people do things

559
00:25:52,140 --> 00:25:56,376
and say things that outrage the Spirit.

560
00:25:56,376 --> 00:26:00,671
And most people probably

561
00:26:00,671 --> 00:26:06,252
are blind to what the fruit of the Spirit

562
00:26:06,252 --> 00:26:09,103
being outraged really is.

563
00:26:09,103 --> 00:26:11,796
There's not a bolt of lightning and thunder.

564
00:26:11,796 --> 00:26:13,362
It's something else.

565
00:26:13,362 --> 00:26:15,922
It's actually something

566
00:26:15,922 --> 00:26:18,140
that to the person it happens to,

567
00:26:18,140 --> 00:26:21,752
it's probably imperceptible.

568
00:26:21,752 --> 00:26:24,255
It's probably a hardening.

569
00:26:24,255 --> 00:26:26,999
It's probably the Spirit taking His hand back

570
00:26:26,999 --> 00:26:29,209
and just not even allowing a person

571
00:26:29,209 --> 00:26:31,633
to come under conviction anymore

572
00:26:31,633 --> 00:26:33,594
or be sensitive to their sin.

573
00:26:33,594 --> 00:26:35,640
It's probably a deadening.

574
00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,388
It would be kind of like

575
00:26:39,388 --> 00:26:42,487
having the nerves in your fingers

576
00:26:42,487 --> 00:26:44,780
become calloused.

577
00:26:44,780 --> 00:26:47,768
You know, you work and you work and you work,

578
00:26:47,768 --> 00:26:50,091
and your hands become more and more calloused,

579
00:26:50,091 --> 00:26:52,284
and you feel less and less.

580
00:26:52,284 --> 00:26:54,317
It's probably like that.

581
00:26:54,317 --> 00:26:56,508
It's almost imperceptible to the person

582
00:26:56,508 --> 00:27:03,732
it's happening to.

583
00:27:03,732 --> 00:27:05,859
Here's the thing about it.

584
00:27:05,859 --> 00:27:10,663
It opens people up to Satanic deception.

585
00:27:10,663 --> 00:27:13,307
Why? As soon as your brain

586
00:27:13,307 --> 00:27:17,178
cognitively grasps:

587
00:27:17,178 --> 00:27:21,300
Oh, there's a sin I can commit

588
00:27:21,300 --> 00:27:23,338
that's unto death.

589
00:27:23,338 --> 00:27:25,890
There's a sin I can commit

590
00:27:25,890 --> 00:27:28,560
that it's impossible for me to be renewed,

591
00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:30,316
restored unto repentance.

592
00:27:30,316 --> 00:27:31,637
There's a sin I can commit,

593
00:27:31,637 --> 00:27:33,717
there's nothing but fiery fury,

594
00:27:33,717 --> 00:27:37,463
wrath, judgment to look forward to.

595
00:27:37,463 --> 00:27:38,902
There's a sin I can commit,

596
00:27:38,902 --> 00:27:40,976
and it's an eternal sin.

597
00:27:40,976 --> 00:27:42,679
You see, your mind grabs hold

598
00:27:42,679 --> 00:27:44,467
on that truth.

599
00:27:44,467 --> 00:27:47,180
The devil can come in and say,

600
00:27:47,180 --> 00:27:49,331
you did it.

601
00:27:49,331 --> 00:27:51,523
You committed it.

602
00:27:51,523 --> 00:27:54,634
And if you look historically,

603
00:27:54,634 --> 00:27:59,898
you will find all manner of people

604
00:27:59,898 --> 00:28:01,591
who have had that happen.

605
00:28:01,591 --> 00:28:03,166
It happened to me.

606
00:28:03,166 --> 00:28:05,313
It happened to Bunyan.

607
00:28:05,313 --> 00:28:07,568
You read historically about different people

608
00:28:07,568 --> 00:28:09,833
as they're coming under conviction,

609
00:28:09,833 --> 00:28:12,328
or when they're first saved,

610
00:28:12,328 --> 00:28:17,427
or people who

611
00:28:17,427 --> 00:28:21,152
they have some major fall into sin.

612
00:28:21,152 --> 00:28:23,351
And the devil's right there to say, that's it.

613
00:28:23,351 --> 00:28:24,341
You did it.

614
00:28:24,341 --> 00:28:25,851
There's no hope now.

615
00:28:25,851 --> 00:28:27,009
You're all done.

616
00:28:27,009 --> 00:28:31,383
You've passed over the line.

617
00:28:31,383 --> 00:28:32,553
Let's ask this.

618
00:28:32,553 --> 00:28:35,507
James said that if he went to somebody's door

619
00:28:35,507 --> 00:28:37,008
and they thought that they had

620
00:28:37,008 --> 00:28:38,868
committed the unpardonable sin,

621
00:28:38,868 --> 00:28:40,697
he would question them.

622
00:28:40,697 --> 00:28:44,520
And he's looking for something

623
00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:46,374
that would be a giveaway

624
00:28:46,374 --> 00:28:50,297
as to whether they had actually committed it,

625
00:28:50,297 --> 00:28:52,233
or whether he felt like

626
00:28:52,233 --> 00:28:56,157
maybe they were being attacked

627
00:28:56,157 --> 00:28:57,749
by Satan and they were under

628
00:28:57,749 --> 00:29:02,289
some kind of barrage, spiritual assault,

629
00:29:02,289 --> 00:29:05,538
that they actually need to be delivered from.

630
00:29:05,538 --> 00:29:08,450
How are we going to tell the difference?

631
00:29:08,450 --> 00:29:25,839
Or is it even necessary that we tell the difference?

632
00:29:25,839 --> 00:29:28,094
James: It's definitely not always necessary

633
00:29:28,094 --> 00:29:31,293
because where in the Bible

634
00:29:31,293 --> 00:29:33,401
does it command you to look inwardly

635
00:29:33,401 --> 00:29:35,054
and determine if you've committed

636
00:29:35,054 --> 00:29:36,670
the unpardonable sin or not?

637
00:29:36,670 --> 00:29:38,497
But we do know there's clear commands

638
00:29:38,497 --> 00:29:40,242
in the Bible that call men to repent

639
00:29:40,242 --> 00:29:41,614
and come to Christ.

640
00:29:41,614 --> 00:29:44,424
Tim: That's the issue right there.

641
00:29:44,424 --> 00:29:46,620
(incomplete thought)

642
00:29:46,620 --> 00:29:50,016
See, this is critical.

643
00:29:50,016 --> 00:29:51,704
Because undoubtedly, some of you

644
00:29:51,704 --> 00:29:58,083
are going to deal with folks like this.

645
00:29:58,083 --> 00:29:59,937
Or you may be under the attack yourself

646
00:29:59,937 --> 00:30:03,991
at some point.

647
00:30:03,991 --> 00:30:12,436
You see, the issue is this:

648
00:30:12,436 --> 00:30:17,372
I think one of the foundational texts

649
00:30:17,372 --> 00:30:20,631
that you would want to confront this situation with -

650
00:30:20,631 --> 00:30:27,129
who can quote John 6:37?

651
00:30:27,129 --> 00:30:29,875
All that the Father gives to Me -

652
00:30:29,875 --> 00:30:31,894
anybody know it?

653
00:30:31,894 --> 00:30:32,887
...shall come to Me.

654
00:30:32,887 --> 00:30:36,228
And him that comes to Me,

655
00:30:36,228 --> 00:30:42,985
I will in no wise (that's KJV)...

656
00:30:42,985 --> 00:30:46,379
no way cast out.

657
00:30:46,379 --> 00:30:47,981
Now, we don't want to get hung up

658
00:30:47,981 --> 00:30:49,725
with the first part of that.

659
00:30:49,725 --> 00:30:51,801
I mean, look, Jesus is basically

660
00:30:51,801 --> 00:30:54,423
giving us both sides of this reality.

661
00:30:54,423 --> 00:30:56,870
All that the Father gives to Christ,

662
00:30:56,870 --> 00:30:58,248
will come.

663
00:30:58,248 --> 00:30:59,591
Guaranteed.

664
00:30:59,591 --> 00:31:03,863
Whoever comes, He won't cast out.

665
00:31:03,863 --> 00:31:05,887
What a beautiful truth.

666
00:31:05,887 --> 00:31:09,046
What a beautiful fullness of the picture.

667
00:31:09,046 --> 00:31:11,120
But you see, what we want to emphasize

668
00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:15,089
with people who are in this situation

669
00:31:15,089 --> 00:31:16,632
is this very truth.

670
00:31:16,632 --> 00:31:21,200
This truth can help you in all manner of situations.

671
00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,952
It can help you in your own walk.

672
00:31:24,952 --> 00:31:28,723
It can help you when Satan barrages you

673
00:31:28,723 --> 00:31:32,890
with all manner of temptation.

674
00:31:32,890 --> 00:31:35,788
Listen, Jesus says this:

675
00:31:35,788 --> 00:31:38,996
Whoever comes to Me,

676
00:31:38,996 --> 00:31:45,487
I will not in any way turn them away.

677
00:31:45,487 --> 00:31:47,945
You see, that's the truth.

678
00:31:47,945 --> 00:31:51,252
Now, let me ask you something.

679
00:31:51,252 --> 00:31:54,245
When you take that truth -

680
00:31:54,245 --> 00:31:55,353
let's take that truth.

681
00:31:55,353 --> 00:31:57,007
Think about that truth.

682
00:31:57,007 --> 00:32:00,618
Jesus is saying this.

683
00:32:00,618 --> 00:32:05,546
Whoever comes to Me,

684
00:32:05,546 --> 00:32:08,668
I'm not going to cast them out.

685
00:32:08,668 --> 00:32:17,650
I will receive whoever comes to Me.

686
00:32:17,650 --> 00:32:21,359
So, let me ask this.

687
00:32:21,359 --> 00:32:25,145
(incomplete thought)

688
00:32:25,145 --> 00:32:26,561
Let's take both truths.

689
00:32:26,561 --> 00:32:28,388
There is an unpardonable sin.

690
00:32:28,388 --> 00:32:33,073
Jesus says anybody that comes to Me,

691
00:32:33,073 --> 00:32:36,269
I will in no wise cast out.

692
00:32:36,269 --> 00:32:38,059
Let's take both those truths.

693
00:32:38,059 --> 00:32:40,934
Put them together.

694
00:32:40,934 --> 00:32:44,571
Give me some obvious conclusions

695
00:32:44,571 --> 00:32:46,616
with both those truths.

696
00:32:46,616 --> 00:32:49,255
There is an unpardonable sin.

697
00:32:49,255 --> 00:32:51,162
There is a sin unto death.

698
00:32:51,162 --> 00:32:53,229
There is a point of no return.

699
00:32:53,229 --> 00:32:55,588
There is a place where a person

700
00:32:55,588 --> 00:32:57,414
who has once been enlightened;

701
00:32:57,414 --> 00:32:59,036
a person who has once tasted

702
00:32:59,036 --> 00:33:01,172
and partaken of all this stuff,

703
00:33:01,172 --> 00:33:03,246
cannot be renewed unto repentance.

704
00:33:03,246 --> 00:33:04,794
There is a place where a person

705
00:33:04,794 --> 00:33:06,317
presses on in sin.

706
00:33:06,317 --> 00:33:12,413
They trample underneath this blood

707
00:33:12,413 --> 00:33:14,304
of the new covenant by which

708
00:33:14,304 --> 00:33:18,517
they've been sanctified.

709
00:33:18,517 --> 00:33:20,312
There's nothing but a fearful

710
00:33:20,312 --> 00:33:22,492
looking forward of judgment.

711
00:33:22,492 --> 00:33:25,845
Whoever comes to Christ will never be cast out.

712
00:33:25,845 --> 00:33:30,376
Take those two truths.

713
00:33:30,376 --> 00:33:45,039
What are some absolutely necessary conclusions?

714
00:33:45,039 --> 00:33:52,261
How about this?

715
00:33:52,261 --> 00:33:54,154
What if somebody who has committed

716
00:33:54,154 --> 00:34:00,986
the unpardonable sin goes to Christ?

717
00:34:00,986 --> 00:34:03,693
(from the room) They wouldn't though.

718
00:34:03,693 --> 00:34:08,565
That is the obvious conclusion, right?

719
00:34:08,565 --> 00:34:11,198
I mean, you take both truths.

720
00:34:11,198 --> 00:34:16,009
There is a point of no return.

721
00:34:16,009 --> 00:34:20,592
Yet, if a person goes to Christ,

722
00:34:20,592 --> 00:34:23,208
He'll not turn them away.

723
00:34:23,208 --> 00:34:26,834
You see the obvious conclusion is this:

724
00:34:26,834 --> 00:34:29,989
That if somebody will go,

725
00:34:29,989 --> 00:34:31,855
they haven't committed it.

726
00:34:31,855 --> 00:34:34,381
The obvious conclusion is this:

727
00:34:34,381 --> 00:34:38,555
there is nobody who goes to Christ

728
00:34:38,555 --> 00:34:40,448
who has committed it.

729
00:34:40,448 --> 00:34:41,951
Right?

730
00:34:41,951 --> 00:34:43,871
Is that not safe to say?

731
00:34:43,871 --> 00:34:47,217
Can we not all say that?

732
00:34:47,217 --> 00:34:48,937
Can we?

733
00:34:48,937 --> 00:34:53,173
Yes, absolutely! Of course!

734
00:34:53,173 --> 00:34:58,139
There can be nobody going to Christ

735
00:34:58,139 --> 00:35:00,692
who has committed the unpardonable sin.

736
00:35:00,692 --> 00:35:03,148
Because He says if you come to me,

737
00:35:03,148 --> 00:35:04,464
I will not cast you out.

738
00:35:04,464 --> 00:35:06,928
And so if they've committed the unpardonable sin,

739
00:35:06,928 --> 00:35:08,569
and they came to Him,

740
00:35:08,569 --> 00:35:10,424
we've got a contradiction in Scripture.

741
00:35:10,424 --> 00:35:13,032
Because one of the two has to give way.

742
00:35:13,032 --> 00:35:13,737
Right?

743
00:35:13,737 --> 00:35:14,701
And they can't.

744
00:35:14,701 --> 00:35:16,210
Both are true.

745
00:35:16,210 --> 00:35:17,778
This is an unpardonable sin.

746
00:35:17,778 --> 00:35:19,656
And all that go to Christ,

747
00:35:19,656 --> 00:35:22,701
He will receive.

748
00:35:22,701 --> 00:35:24,752
Which tells you this:

749
00:35:24,752 --> 00:35:30,258
The very nature of the unpardonable sin

750
00:35:30,258 --> 00:35:39,505
is that the Spirit is outraged.

751
00:35:39,505 --> 00:35:43,860
The Spirit so operates after that

752
00:35:43,860 --> 00:35:49,054
as to never draw that individual to Christ.

753
00:35:49,054 --> 00:35:51,949
You see, it's not a flash of lightning

754
00:35:51,949 --> 00:35:54,852
and a blast of thunder.

755
00:35:54,852 --> 00:35:58,739
It's almost imperceptible.

756
00:35:58,739 --> 00:36:02,102
You cross the line and the Spirit just says,

757
00:36:02,102 --> 00:36:04,174
I'm done with him.

758
00:36:04,174 --> 00:36:06,090
I will never call him to repentance.

759
00:36:06,090 --> 00:36:07,755
I will never convict him of sin.

760
00:36:07,755 --> 00:36:09,449
I will never give him hope

761
00:36:09,449 --> 00:36:13,148
in the promises of God.

762
00:36:13,148 --> 00:36:15,965
So, here's the thing.

763
00:36:15,965 --> 00:36:17,881
Let me ask you this.

764
00:36:17,881 --> 00:36:19,066
The guy who says to you

765
00:36:19,066 --> 00:36:22,573
they've committed the unpardonable sin -

766
00:36:22,573 --> 00:36:24,195
just like the Pharisees there,

767
00:36:24,195 --> 00:36:26,210
even though they're doing the very thing

768
00:36:26,210 --> 00:36:27,922
that He's warning them about,

769
00:36:27,922 --> 00:36:29,186
is He warning them because

770
00:36:29,186 --> 00:36:30,777
they've already crossed the line?

771
00:36:30,777 --> 00:36:33,711
Or is He warning them so that they don't cross the line?

772
00:36:33,711 --> 00:36:35,268
Or have some of them crossed it

773
00:36:35,268 --> 00:36:36,730
and He's giving the warning

774
00:36:36,730 --> 00:36:38,862
so that others who might be tempted

775
00:36:38,862 --> 00:36:42,164
or be close, don't cross it?

776
00:36:42,164 --> 00:36:43,543
You know, the reality is

777
00:36:43,543 --> 00:36:45,538
when somebody tells you they've committed

778
00:36:45,538 --> 00:36:48,236
the unpardonable sin,

779
00:36:48,236 --> 00:36:50,904
you don't know.

780
00:36:50,904 --> 00:36:53,617
They don't know.

781
00:36:53,617 --> 00:36:56,551
God knows.

782
00:36:56,551 --> 00:36:59,262
But you don't know.

783
00:36:59,262 --> 00:37:01,523
But you know what you do know?

784
00:37:01,523 --> 00:37:05,611
What do you know?

785
00:37:05,611 --> 00:37:10,021
If they go to Christ, He'll never cast them out.

786
00:37:10,021 --> 00:37:18,174
And see, that's what we have to lock in on.

787
00:37:18,174 --> 00:37:23,371
Satan uses this to torment people.

788
00:37:23,371 --> 00:37:27,572
And it's almost like people

789
00:37:27,572 --> 00:37:29,820
can't even hear you

790
00:37:29,820 --> 00:37:33,430
when you talk this way.

791
00:37:33,430 --> 00:37:34,819
And you know what?

792
00:37:34,819 --> 00:37:36,683
Sometimes maybe the reason they can't

793
00:37:36,683 --> 00:37:38,490
is because the Spirit won't give them

794
00:37:38,490 --> 00:37:39,941
ears to hear.

795
00:37:39,941 --> 00:37:41,110
And I'll tell you this,

796
00:37:41,110 --> 00:37:43,723
somebody who believes they've committed the unpardonable sin,

797
00:37:43,723 --> 00:37:45,234
whether they have or have not,

798
00:37:45,234 --> 00:37:47,946
but if they keep on in that vein of thought,

799
00:37:47,946 --> 00:37:49,608
feeling everything is hopeless

800
00:37:49,608 --> 00:37:51,157
and they will not go to Christ,

801
00:37:51,157 --> 00:37:52,954
whether they've committed it or not,

802
00:37:52,954 --> 00:37:56,126
they're dead men.

803
00:37:56,126 --> 00:37:58,760
Because bottom line, they have to go to Christ.

804
00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:01,238
They have no other hope but to go to Christ.

805
00:38:01,238 --> 00:38:03,071
That is the only hope.

806
00:38:03,071 --> 00:38:05,589
That's where we've got to direct them.

807
00:38:05,589 --> 00:38:07,486
That's where we've got to point them.

808
00:38:07,486 --> 00:38:08,799
We've got to press them,

809
00:38:08,799 --> 00:38:10,092
call upon Him.

810
00:38:10,092 --> 00:38:13,397
Call upon Him.

811
00:38:13,397 --> 00:38:14,540
Because they don't know.

812
00:38:14,540 --> 00:38:16,143
They fear they've committed it.

813
00:38:16,143 --> 00:38:18,260
See, the thing is, when Satan -

814
00:38:18,260 --> 00:38:21,670
Satan can so scream in our ears

815
00:38:21,670 --> 00:38:23,471
that it's like all that noise,

816
00:38:23,471 --> 00:38:24,539
all that racket,

817
00:38:24,539 --> 00:38:25,595
that's all we hear:

818
00:38:25,595 --> 00:38:27,532
You've committed the unpardonable sin.

819
00:38:27,532 --> 00:38:29,435
You've committed the unpardonable sin.

820
00:38:29,435 --> 00:38:31,207
You know what?

821
00:38:31,207 --> 00:38:33,027
When I was first saved,

822
00:38:33,027 --> 00:38:34,469
I had this idea:

823
00:38:34,469 --> 00:38:35,998
I'm blaspheming the Spirit

824
00:38:35,998 --> 00:38:39,071
if I allowed a blasphemous thought

825
00:38:39,071 --> 00:38:41,279
concerning the Spirit into my head.

826
00:38:41,279 --> 00:38:44,612
If I even thought the thought.

827
00:38:44,612 --> 00:38:46,730
And I can remember as a young Christian,

828
00:38:46,730 --> 00:38:48,355
I was literally on the floor,

829
00:38:48,355 --> 00:38:49,547
on my knees,

830
00:38:49,547 --> 00:38:51,066
with my head against the wall,

831
00:38:51,066 --> 00:38:56,571
trying not to think this thought.

832
00:38:56,571 --> 00:38:59,493
And then, I thought it.

833
00:38:59,493 --> 00:39:00,785
And it's like I'm all done.

834
00:39:00,785 --> 00:39:02,225
And the devil was right there.

835
00:39:02,225 --> 00:39:03,533
See, you've committed it.

836
00:39:03,533 --> 00:39:07,825
There's no hope.

837
00:39:07,825 --> 00:39:10,546
But I ran back to Christ.

838
00:39:10,546 --> 00:39:12,733
And it went away.

839
00:39:12,733 --> 00:39:14,025
You read Bunyan.

840
00:39:14,025 --> 00:39:15,416
Anybody know anybody else?

841
00:39:15,416 --> 00:39:17,202
Have any of you experienced

842
00:39:17,202 --> 00:39:19,303
having thought you committed

843
00:39:19,303 --> 00:39:21,839
the unpardonable sin?

844
00:39:21,839 --> 00:39:23,557
James: David Brainard

845
00:39:23,557 --> 00:39:26,832
Tim: Brainard did? Anybody else?

846
00:39:26,832 --> 00:39:30,487
None of you have?

847
00:39:30,487 --> 00:39:31,637
(from the room)

848
00:39:31,637 --> 00:39:33,802
I thought that it was ...

849
00:39:33,802 --> 00:39:37,708
if I were to think that -

850
00:39:37,708 --> 00:39:40,714
if I were to say something

851
00:39:40,714 --> 00:39:43,804
blasphemous against the Spirit,

852
00:39:43,804 --> 00:39:56,867
(unintelligible)

853
00:39:56,867 --> 00:39:59,737
...but you probably didn't,

854
00:39:59,737 --> 00:40:05,047
because you've come to repentance.

855
00:40:05,047 --> 00:40:09,157
Tim: Here's what we know.

856
00:40:09,157 --> 00:40:12,217
Jesus was healing people

857
00:40:12,217 --> 00:40:15,431
right in front of the eyeballs

858
00:40:15,431 --> 00:40:18,040
of these spiritual leaders -

859
00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,365
these Jewish leaders.

860
00:40:20,365 --> 00:40:25,044
And they said,

861
00:40:25,044 --> 00:40:28,517
it's the devil.

862
00:40:28,517 --> 00:40:32,366
They had such light set right before them.

863
00:40:32,366 --> 00:40:35,347
And they rejected that light.

864
00:40:35,347 --> 00:40:37,071
Now, whether you want to accept

865
00:40:37,071 --> 00:40:39,120
that it's the same exact sin -

866
00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:40,261
the sin unto death.

867
00:40:40,261 --> 00:40:41,641
Or the same exact sin

868
00:40:41,641 --> 00:40:43,701
with no longer being the possibility

869
00:40:43,701 --> 00:40:46,991
of being renewed to repentance (Hebrews 6)

870
00:40:46,991 --> 00:40:51,525
or the only thing left now

871
00:40:51,525 --> 00:40:56,876
is this expectation of judgment (Hebrews 10).

872
00:40:56,876 --> 00:40:58,280
Whether you want to say

873
00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:00,512
that that's the exact same thing or not,

874
00:41:00,512 --> 00:41:03,757
what we do know is this.

875
00:41:03,757 --> 00:41:05,609
In all of them,

876
00:41:05,609 --> 00:41:07,085
you think of Hebrews 10 -

877
00:41:07,085 --> 00:41:08,834
you've come to a knowledge of truth.

878
00:41:08,834 --> 00:41:10,712
And what do you do? You turn your back.

879
00:41:10,712 --> 00:41:13,802
You go on willfully sinning.

880
00:41:13,802 --> 00:41:16,319
This is the issue over in Hebrews 6.

881
00:41:16,319 --> 00:41:18,411
You've had all this enlightenment;

882
00:41:18,411 --> 00:41:19,421
all this partaking;

883
00:41:19,421 --> 00:41:22,574
all this tasting...

884
00:41:22,574 --> 00:41:27,062
and you turn and you walk away.

885
00:41:27,062 --> 00:41:28,411
See, that's the issue.

886
00:41:28,411 --> 00:41:30,414
And by the way,

887
00:41:30,414 --> 00:41:33,117
you have to take all of 1 John together.

888
00:41:33,117 --> 00:41:35,115
The sin unto death?

889
00:41:35,115 --> 00:41:38,910
He's already been talking for five chapters.

890
00:41:38,910 --> 00:41:41,183
If you look at the context there,

891
00:41:41,183 --> 00:41:43,848
and who the people are in the church

892
00:41:43,848 --> 00:41:46,089
who are rejecting the light -

893
00:41:46,089 --> 00:41:49,568
they're those who went out from among us.

894
00:41:49,568 --> 00:41:51,809
They proved they were not of us.

895
00:41:51,809 --> 00:41:53,554
They basically were confronted by

896
00:41:53,554 --> 00:41:55,581
the truth of Jesus Christ,

897
00:41:55,581 --> 00:41:57,225
and they turned their back

898
00:41:57,225 --> 00:41:58,692
and they walked away.

899
00:41:58,692 --> 00:42:01,214
That's what he's talking about there.

900
00:42:01,214 --> 00:42:03,039
He's saying, look, I want you

901
00:42:03,039 --> 00:42:04,471
praying for one another

902
00:42:04,471 --> 00:42:05,793
if you fall into sin -

903
00:42:05,793 --> 00:42:07,195
sin that's not unto death.

904
00:42:07,195 --> 00:42:08,938
But you guys know about the sin

905
00:42:08,938 --> 00:42:10,014
which is unto death.

906
00:42:10,014 --> 00:42:11,758
You say, give me some context.

907
00:42:11,758 --> 00:42:14,002
Well, let's look at the whole book of 1 John.

908
00:42:14,002 --> 00:42:15,630
It's those who went out from us.

909
00:42:15,630 --> 00:42:17,663
It's the antichrists basically.

910
00:42:17,663 --> 00:42:19,274
It's those individuals

911
00:42:19,274 --> 00:42:20,994
who are opposed to Christ.

912
00:42:20,994 --> 00:42:22,314
And what were they doing?

913
00:42:22,314 --> 00:42:24,140
They were denying certain

914
00:42:24,140 --> 00:42:26,884
fundamental realities about Christ.

915
00:42:26,884 --> 00:42:30,184
They're being confronted by these truths

916
00:42:30,184 --> 00:42:32,561
and they reject them.

917
00:42:32,561 --> 00:42:35,034
They reject the light

918
00:42:35,034 --> 00:42:36,490
that they have of Christ.

919
00:42:36,490 --> 00:42:39,664
That is what is significant

920
00:42:39,664 --> 00:42:42,279
about all of these realities.

921
00:42:42,279 --> 00:42:44,897
There's a coming face-to-face

922
00:42:44,897 --> 00:42:47,562
with great amounts of light.

923
00:42:47,562 --> 00:42:51,151
And let me tell you something,

924
00:42:51,151 --> 00:42:54,240
People like the people who attend our church

925
00:42:54,240 --> 00:42:57,959
are in the greatest danger of this.

926
00:42:57,959 --> 00:43:00,368
The more light you're exposed to,

927
00:43:00,368 --> 00:43:03,149
the greater the danger is.

928
00:43:03,149 --> 00:43:06,511
People can reach points of no return.

929
00:43:06,511 --> 00:43:08,050
It's a very serious matter.

930
00:43:08,050 --> 00:43:09,419
We don't want to undermine -

931
00:43:09,419 --> 00:43:11,278
I would never want to do a video:

932
00:43:11,278 --> 00:43:15,698
"You have not committed the unpardonable sin."

933
00:43:15,698 --> 00:43:18,055
That would be rejecting Scripture.

934
00:43:18,055 --> 00:43:19,803
But you see where they went with it.

935
00:43:19,803 --> 00:43:21,051
You have not.

936
00:43:21,051 --> 00:43:22,644
Come to Christ and be saved.

937
00:43:22,644 --> 00:43:26,648
Well, I didn't go and watch it,

938
00:43:26,648 --> 00:43:29,043
but they're probably on the right track.

939
00:43:29,043 --> 00:43:31,238
That's basically what we're talking about.

940
00:43:31,238 --> 00:43:32,416
Come unto Christ.

941
00:43:32,416 --> 00:43:34,138
He'll never reject you.

942
00:43:34,138 --> 00:43:35,402
He'll never turn you away.

943
00:43:35,402 --> 00:43:37,475
He'll in no wise cast you out.

944
00:43:37,475 --> 00:43:39,673
I would say this,

945
00:43:39,673 --> 00:43:41,293
you may have.

946
00:43:41,293 --> 00:43:44,205
Run to Christ anyways.

947
00:43:44,205 --> 00:43:46,148
You say, isn't that a contradiction?

948
00:43:46,148 --> 00:43:48,099
Well, of course, if you want to press it.

949
00:43:48,099 --> 00:43:50,678
But they don't know and you don't know.

950
00:43:50,678 --> 00:43:52,588
It's like even if you've committed it,

951
00:43:52,588 --> 00:43:54,102
run to Christ!

952
00:43:54,102 --> 00:43:56,138
Because they think they've committed it.

953
00:43:56,138 --> 00:43:57,853
It's like, what are you going to do?

954
00:43:57,853 --> 00:43:59,308
Are you going to stand there

955
00:43:59,308 --> 00:44:00,745
thinking you've committed it

956
00:44:00,745 --> 00:44:02,093
when you really don't know

957
00:44:02,093 --> 00:44:04,406
and you're just going to stand still and not run to Christ?

958
00:44:04,406 --> 00:44:07,197
That's certain death!

959
00:44:07,197 --> 00:44:12,460
Run to Christ! Go to Christ.

960
00:44:12,460 --> 00:44:13,861
Many of you know this.

961
00:44:13,861 --> 00:44:16,736
I'll just say this before we go on

962
00:44:16,736 --> 00:44:22,325
to the next sin

963
00:44:22,325 --> 00:44:24,489
that I want to talk about.

964
00:44:24,489 --> 00:44:26,113
But, this is the account

965
00:44:26,113 --> 00:44:28,973
from Pilgrim's Progress.

966
00:44:28,973 --> 00:44:31,833
Bunyan was tempted to believe

967
00:44:31,833 --> 00:44:33,806
he committed it.

968
00:44:33,806 --> 00:44:35,145
You'll see that Bunyan

969
00:44:35,145 --> 00:44:41,268
obviously believed that it was a sin

970
00:44:41,268 --> 00:44:47,153
that people can still fall into.

971
00:44:47,153 --> 00:44:50,261
This is from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

972
00:44:50,261 --> 00:44:52,271
"The man in the iron cage."

973
00:44:52,271 --> 00:44:54,087
Just listen.

974
00:44:54,087 --> 00:45:00,023
"He (this is the character Interpeter)...

975
00:45:00,023 --> 00:45:02,373
Interpreter took Christian

976
00:45:02,373 --> 00:45:03,805
by the hand again,

977
00:45:03,805 --> 00:45:07,129
and led him into a very dark room

978
00:45:07,129 --> 00:45:11,353
where sat a man in an iron cage.

979
00:45:11,353 --> 00:45:12,848
Now the man to look on

980
00:45:12,848 --> 00:45:14,716
seemed very sad.

981
00:45:14,716 --> 00:45:17,345
He sat with his eyes looking down

982
00:45:17,345 --> 00:45:18,479
to the ground.

983
00:45:18,479 --> 00:45:19,802
His hands folded together,

984
00:45:19,802 --> 00:45:21,134
and he sighed as if he would

985
00:45:21,134 --> 00:45:22,627
break his heart.

986
00:45:22,627 --> 00:45:25,366
Then said Christian, 'what means this?'

987
00:45:25,366 --> 00:45:27,362
At which the Interpeter bid him

988
00:45:27,362 --> 00:45:28,708
talk with the man.

989
00:45:28,708 --> 00:45:31,015
Then said Christian to the man,

990
00:45:31,015 --> 00:45:32,429
'What are you?'

991
00:45:32,429 --> 00:45:33,927
The man answered,

992
00:45:33,927 --> 00:45:38,843
'I am what I was not once.'

993
00:45:38,843 --> 00:45:40,708
Christian, 'what were you once?'

994
00:45:40,708 --> 00:45:42,835
The man said,

995
00:45:42,835 --> 00:45:47,807
'I was once a fair and flourishing professor,

996
00:45:47,807 --> 00:45:49,538
both in mine own eyes

997
00:45:49,538 --> 00:45:52,424
and also in the eyes of others I once was,

998
00:45:52,424 --> 00:45:55,486
as I thought fair for the celestial city,

999
00:45:55,486 --> 00:45:57,574
and had then every joy at the thoughts

1000
00:45:57,574 --> 00:45:59,599
that I should get there.'

1001
00:45:59,599 --> 00:46:03,499
Christian, 'Well, but what are you now?'

1002
00:46:03,499 --> 00:46:05,356
The man said,

1003
00:46:05,356 --> 00:46:09,265
'I am now a man of despair

1004
00:46:09,265 --> 00:46:11,709
and am shut up in this iron cage.

1005
00:46:11,709 --> 00:46:13,570
I cannot get out.

1006
00:46:13,570 --> 00:46:17,011
Oh, now I cannot.'

1007
00:46:17,011 --> 00:46:20,535
Christian, "but how did you come into this condition?'

1008
00:46:20,535 --> 00:46:25,328
Man, 'I left off to watch and be sober.

1009
00:46:25,328 --> 00:46:29,298
I laid the reins upon the neck of my lusts.

1010
00:46:29,298 --> 00:46:31,698
I sinned against the light of the Word

1011
00:46:31,698 --> 00:46:33,053
and the goodness of God,

1012
00:46:33,053 --> 00:46:36,188
and I have grieved the Spirit,

1013
00:46:36,188 --> 00:46:38,260
and He is gone.

1014
00:46:38,260 --> 00:46:40,882
I tempted the devil and he has come to me.

1015
00:46:40,882 --> 00:46:42,819
I have provoked God to anger,

1016
00:46:42,819 --> 00:46:44,638
and He has left me.

1017
00:46:44,638 --> 00:46:46,385
I've so hardened my own heart

1018
00:46:46,385 --> 00:46:49,073
that I cannot repent.'

1019
00:46:49,073 --> 00:46:52,046
Then said Christian to the Interpreter,

1020
00:46:52,046 --> 00:46:55,518
'But is there no hope for such a man as this?'

1021
00:46:55,518 --> 00:46:58,813
'Ask him,' said Interpreter.

1022
00:46:58,813 --> 00:47:00,401
Then said Christian,

1023
00:47:00,401 --> 00:47:03,060
'Is there no hope but you must be kept

1024
00:47:03,060 --> 00:47:06,373
in the iron cage of despair?'

1025
00:47:06,373 --> 00:47:10,972
The man, 'No, none at all.'

1026
00:47:10,972 --> 00:47:13,869
Christian, 'why?

1027
00:47:13,869 --> 00:47:17,752
The Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.'

1028
00:47:17,752 --> 00:47:21,165
The man, 'I have crucified Him

1029
00:47:21,165 --> 00:47:23,239
to myself afresh.

1030
00:47:23,239 --> 00:47:25,032
I've despised His person.

1031
00:47:25,032 --> 00:47:26,762
I've despised His righteousness.

1032
00:47:26,762 --> 00:47:30,306
I've counted His blood an unholy thing.

1033
00:47:30,306 --> 00:47:34,052
I have done despite to the Spirit of grace.

1034
00:47:34,052 --> 00:47:36,561
Therefore, I have shut myself out

1035
00:47:36,561 --> 00:47:38,917
of all the promises,

1036
00:47:38,917 --> 00:47:40,786
and there now remains to me

1037
00:47:40,786 --> 00:47:42,479
nothing but threatenings;

1038
00:47:42,479 --> 00:47:43,875
dreadful threatenings;

1039
00:47:43,875 --> 00:47:46,760
fearful threatenings of certain judgment

1040
00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:48,906
and fiery indignation

1041
00:47:48,906 --> 00:47:52,351
which shall devour me as an adversary.'

1042
00:47:52,351 --> 00:47:54,470
Christian, 'For what did you bring yourself

1043
00:47:54,470 --> 00:47:56,453
into this condition?'

1044
00:47:56,453 --> 00:47:59,609
Man, 'for the lusts, the pleasures,

1045
00:47:59,609 --> 00:48:01,424
the profits of this world,

1046
00:48:01,424 --> 00:48:03,408
and the enjoyment of which I did

1047
00:48:03,408 --> 00:48:07,433
then promise myself much delight,

1048
00:48:07,433 --> 00:48:09,223
but now every one of those things

1049
00:48:09,223 --> 00:48:10,784
also bite me and gnaw me

1050
00:48:10,784 --> 00:48:12,501
like a burning worm.'

1051
00:48:12,501 --> 00:48:15,347
Christian, 'but can you not now

1052
00:48:15,347 --> 00:48:17,590
repent and turn?'

1053
00:48:17,590 --> 00:48:21,556
Man, 'God has denied me repentance.'

1054
00:48:21,556 --> 00:48:23,214
(Listen to this)

1055
00:48:23,214 --> 00:48:25,435
'His Word gives me no encouragement

1056
00:48:25,435 --> 00:48:27,021
to believe.

1057
00:48:27,021 --> 00:48:30,594
Yea, Himself has shut me up

1058
00:48:30,594 --> 00:48:32,202
in this iron cage,

1059
00:48:32,202 --> 00:48:33,938
nor can all the men in the world

1060
00:48:33,938 --> 00:48:35,185
let me out.

1061
00:48:35,185 --> 00:48:37,197
Oh, eternity, eternity...

1062
00:48:37,197 --> 00:48:39,108
how shall I grapple with the misery

1063
00:48:39,108 --> 00:48:42,002
that I must meet with in eternity.'

1064
00:48:42,002 --> 00:48:44,255
Then said the Interpreter to Christian,

1065
00:48:44,255 --> 00:48:47,019
'let this man's misery be remembered by you

1066
00:48:47,019 --> 00:48:50,130
and be an everlasting caution to you.'

1067
00:48:50,130 --> 00:48:53,080
'Well,' said Christian, 'this is fearful.

1068
00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:55,303
God help me to watch and be sober

1069
00:48:55,303 --> 00:48:56,814
and to pray that I may shun

1070
00:48:56,814 --> 00:48:59,635
the cause of this man's misery.'"

1071
00:48:59,635 --> 00:49:03,595
But you see,

1072
00:49:03,595 --> 00:49:05,624
the one line above all

1073
00:49:05,624 --> 00:49:08,713
that I really want you to hear:

1074
00:49:08,713 --> 00:49:12,121
His Word gives me no encouragement to believe.

1075
00:49:12,121 --> 00:49:15,810
We cannot think that we can repent

1076
00:49:15,810 --> 00:49:18,369
whenever we want.

1077
00:49:18,369 --> 00:49:20,907
We cannot think that we'll find

1078
00:49:20,907 --> 00:49:23,825
the Word convicting or encouraging;

1079
00:49:23,825 --> 00:49:26,935
that we'll find the promises

1080
00:49:26,935 --> 00:49:30,396
something that our faith lays hold on.

1081
00:49:30,396 --> 00:49:32,875
We can't just assume that happens.

1082
00:49:32,875 --> 00:49:34,085
That doesn't happen

1083
00:49:34,085 --> 00:49:36,082
unless the Spirit of God

1084
00:49:36,082 --> 00:49:38,381
causes that to happen.

1085
00:49:38,381 --> 00:49:41,026
And when the Spirit is outraged,

1086
00:49:41,026 --> 00:49:44,197
and the Spirit is so grieved,

1087
00:49:44,197 --> 00:49:47,971
that He withdraws,

1088
00:49:47,971 --> 00:49:49,981
it's all over.

1089
00:49:49,981 --> 00:49:51,577
That's the picture.

1090
00:49:51,577 --> 00:49:55,311
Bunyan painted a picture.

1091
00:49:55,311 --> 00:49:58,009
How many there are

1092
00:49:58,009 --> 00:50:01,488
who come face-to-face with the truth

1093
00:50:01,488 --> 00:50:03,681
and then say,

1094
00:50:03,681 --> 00:50:06,731
I want to enjoy my sin

1095
00:50:06,731 --> 00:50:08,067
just for a season

1096
00:50:08,067 --> 00:50:12,811
and then I'll come back.

1097
00:50:12,811 --> 00:50:16,722
I'll give myself up to my lusts.

1098
00:50:16,722 --> 00:50:20,189
Nobody plans to go to hell.

1099
00:50:20,189 --> 00:50:22,743
People who gives themselves up to their lust,

1100
00:50:22,743 --> 00:50:25,424
people who will turn their back on the truth,

1101
00:50:25,424 --> 00:50:29,844
people will willfully go on in their sin,

1102
00:50:29,844 --> 00:50:35,939
people who have once been enlightened,

1103
00:50:35,939 --> 00:50:38,749
they just turn and walk away.

1104
00:50:38,749 --> 00:50:40,893
They don't think to go to hell.

1105
00:50:40,893 --> 00:50:45,239
They don't think to end up in this iron cage.

1106
00:50:45,239 --> 00:50:46,490
But you see, the day comes

1107
00:50:46,490 --> 00:50:51,928
when all of a sudden you recognize,

1108
00:50:51,928 --> 00:50:53,605
it's too late.

1109
00:50:53,605 --> 00:50:55,127
Maybe death.

1110
00:50:55,127 --> 00:50:56,381
Probably it's death.

1111
00:50:56,381 --> 00:50:58,837
Probably most people that go through this,

1112
00:50:58,837 --> 00:51:05,936
unlike the man actually who's depicted here;

1113
00:51:05,936 --> 00:51:15,285
the man who gets there probably doesn't care.

1114
00:51:15,285 --> 00:51:16,225
James: Question.

1115
00:51:16,225 --> 00:51:18,017
Earlier you were talking about John 6

1116
00:51:18,017 --> 00:51:20,346
and how all that come to Me,

1117
00:51:20,346 --> 00:51:22,098
I will in no wise cast out.

1118
00:51:22,098 --> 00:51:24,051
Sometimes, I've seen this happen a lot

1119
00:51:24,051 --> 00:51:26,254
when people hear that

1120
00:51:26,254 --> 00:51:29,747
and then they go to Hebrews 12:17

1121
00:51:29,747 --> 00:51:31,701
where it talks about Esau and says,

1122
00:51:31,701 --> 00:51:33,980
"He desired to inherit the blessing,"

1123
00:51:33,980 --> 00:51:34,930
and they say, well,

1124
00:51:34,930 --> 00:51:36,389
that's pointing to salvation,

1125
00:51:36,389 --> 00:51:37,900
and yet he was rejected,

1126
00:51:37,900 --> 00:51:39,606
for he found no chance to repent

1127
00:51:39,606 --> 00:51:41,108
though he sought it with tears.

1128
00:51:41,108 --> 00:51:42,851
And they'll say, well, Jesus says,

1129
00:51:42,851 --> 00:51:45,095
Come to Me. I won't cast you out.

1130
00:51:45,095 --> 00:51:46,258
Yet, Esau sought to come

1131
00:51:46,258 --> 00:51:48,106
and was cast out.

1132
00:51:48,106 --> 00:51:50,542
What would you say to someone?

1133
00:51:50,542 --> 00:51:52,819
Because that seems to be a common theme.

1134
00:51:52,819 --> 00:51:53,917
Tim: I would say

1135
00:51:53,917 --> 00:51:55,797
that obviously the account of Esau

1136
00:51:55,797 --> 00:51:59,494
is not Esau coming to Christ.

1137
00:51:59,494 --> 00:52:01,277
It's not that.

1138
00:52:01,277 --> 00:52:06,430
Because clearly, we have a promise

1139
00:52:06,430 --> 00:52:08,146
that if we go to Christ,

1140
00:52:08,146 --> 00:52:10,310
we will not be cast out.

1141
00:52:10,310 --> 00:52:12,294
Look, there are promises,

1142
00:52:12,294 --> 00:52:15,612
even in the Old Testament,

1143
00:52:15,612 --> 00:52:20,383
concerning the needy,

1144
00:52:20,383 --> 00:52:22,426
concerning the helpless

1145
00:52:22,426 --> 00:52:25,330
who come to the Lord,

1146
00:52:25,330 --> 00:52:31,436
and that He will not despise them.

1147
00:52:31,436 --> 00:52:33,589
What we have to ask is,

1148
00:52:33,589 --> 00:52:37,689
let's consider the account of Esau.

1149
00:52:37,689 --> 00:52:44,297
What was it that he wanted?

1150
00:52:44,297 --> 00:52:47,297
(incomplete thought)

1151
00:52:47,297 --> 00:52:48,929
What we want to be careful about

1152
00:52:48,929 --> 00:52:52,671
is that we take repentance

1153
00:52:52,671 --> 00:52:54,989
to always mean the same thing

1154
00:52:54,989 --> 00:52:56,027
in Scripture.

1155
00:52:56,027 --> 00:52:58,030
Because clearly it doesn't.

1156
00:52:58,030 --> 00:52:59,949
There are times when the word is used

1157
00:52:59,949 --> 00:53:05,139
with regards to God.

1158
00:53:05,139 --> 00:53:06,141
What we want to do is

1159
00:53:06,141 --> 00:53:10,003
ask this question:

1160
00:53:10,003 --> 00:53:12,458
The basic meaning of the word

1161
00:53:12,458 --> 00:53:16,660
is a change of mind.

1162
00:53:16,660 --> 00:53:19,222
Now, there is a change of mind

1163
00:53:19,222 --> 00:53:21,678
that specifically we think of often

1164
00:53:21,678 --> 00:53:24,086
as biblical repentance.

1165
00:53:24,086 --> 00:53:27,070
Yes. There is a saving repentance.

1166
00:53:27,070 --> 00:53:31,418
But it doesn't necessarily mean,

1167
00:53:31,418 --> 00:53:35,209
if you just take the Greek verb there,

1168
00:53:35,209 --> 00:53:40,689
that it means that this was salvific

1169
00:53:40,689 --> 00:53:43,643
kind of repentance that took place.

1170
00:53:43,643 --> 00:53:45,906
He changed his mind.

1171
00:53:45,906 --> 00:53:48,787
Well, let's go back to the Old Testament and think.

1172
00:53:48,787 --> 00:53:51,737
At what point did he change his mind?

1173
00:53:51,737 --> 00:53:54,914
In other words, was there any place

1174
00:53:54,914 --> 00:53:58,841
where he had regret?

1175
00:53:58,841 --> 00:54:00,871
Or can we even go to the Old Testament

1176
00:54:00,871 --> 00:54:03,177
and find out what's being alluded to there?

1177
00:54:03,177 --> 00:54:05,070
Is that just some kind of New Testament

1178
00:54:05,070 --> 00:54:07,149
revelation about Esau?

1179
00:54:07,149 --> 00:54:22,638
Let's go to Hebrews and find the actual account.

1180
00:54:22,638 --> 00:54:26,132
Which is interesting because

1181
00:54:26,132 --> 00:54:37,889
Esau is actually being talked about here

1182
00:54:37,889 --> 00:54:42,399
in the book of Hebrews.

1183
00:54:42,399 --> 00:54:45,916
What's the text on that?

1184
00:54:45,916 --> 00:54:50,275
Hebrews 12:16-17

1185
00:54:50,275 --> 00:54:51,807
"that no one is sexually immoral

1186
00:54:51,807 --> 00:54:53,869
or unholy like Esau

1187
00:54:53,869 --> 00:54:57,214
who sold his birthright for a single meal.

1188
00:54:57,214 --> 00:54:59,122
For you know that afterward,

1189
00:54:59,122 --> 00:55:01,937
when he desired to inherit the blessing,

1190
00:55:01,937 --> 00:55:04,284
he was rejected, for he found

1191
00:55:04,284 --> 00:55:05,959
no chance to repent

1192
00:55:05,959 --> 00:55:12,014
though he sought it with tears."

1193
00:55:12,014 --> 00:55:15,969
Now, there are several things going on here

1194
00:55:15,969 --> 00:55:19,147
that you want to give consideration to.

1195
00:55:19,147 --> 00:55:25,200
One is that this same author

1196
00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:27,316
is the very same author that

1197
00:55:27,316 --> 00:55:31,173
back in Hebrews 6,

1198
00:55:31,173 --> 00:55:33,128
and you can look at it for yourself.

1199
00:55:33,128 --> 00:55:49,375
Go back to Hebrews 6:4.

1200
00:55:49,375 --> 00:55:51,172
"It's impossible in the case of those

1201
00:55:51,172 --> 00:55:53,233
who have once been enlightened,

1202
00:55:53,233 --> 00:55:55,027
who have tasted the heavenly gift,

1203
00:55:55,027 --> 00:55:56,551
shared in the Holy Spirit,

1204
00:55:56,551 --> 00:55:57,921
and have tasted the goodness

1205
00:55:57,921 --> 00:55:59,543
of the Word of God and the powers

1206
00:55:59,543 --> 00:56:00,608
of the age to come,

1207
00:56:00,608 --> 00:56:01,879
and then have fallen away,

1208
00:56:01,879 --> 00:56:03,808
to restore them again to repentance,

1209
00:56:03,808 --> 00:56:05,461
since they're crucifying again

1210
00:56:05,461 --> 00:56:07,605
the Son of God to their own harm

1211
00:56:07,605 --> 00:56:10,621
and holding Him up to contempt."

1212
00:56:10,621 --> 00:56:16,571
Now, the point that I would make is

1213
00:56:16,571 --> 00:56:18,604
that in Hebrews 12,

1214
00:56:18,604 --> 00:56:22,529
the same author is giving us this account.

1215
00:56:22,529 --> 00:56:24,830
Well, what's he already told us?

1216
00:56:24,830 --> 00:56:27,492
He's already told us it's impossible

1217
00:56:27,492 --> 00:56:31,566
to renew somebody unto repentance

1218
00:56:31,566 --> 00:56:33,925
once they've fallen away

1219
00:56:33,925 --> 00:56:37,167
after having all these things.

1220
00:56:37,167 --> 00:56:39,207
(incomplete thought)

1221
00:56:39,207 --> 00:56:42,696
Listen, the book of Hebrews

1222
00:56:42,696 --> 00:56:45,659
is a whole.

1223
00:56:45,659 --> 00:56:48,761
The message is a unit.

1224
00:56:48,761 --> 00:56:50,590
He's dealing with the same issue

1225
00:56:50,590 --> 00:56:52,415
all the way through this book.

1226
00:56:52,415 --> 00:56:53,348
Which is what?

1227
00:56:53,348 --> 00:56:56,931
What's the issue?

1228
00:56:56,931 --> 00:57:00,740
You have people who are drifting.

1229
00:57:00,740 --> 00:57:02,829
You have people whose arms

1230
00:57:02,829 --> 00:57:04,799
are hanging down.

1231
00:57:04,799 --> 00:57:06,938
They're becoming weary in this race.

1232
00:57:06,938 --> 00:57:10,307
And they're thinking about giving up the race.

1233
00:57:10,307 --> 00:57:12,102
They're thinking about succumbing

1234
00:57:12,102 --> 00:57:14,381
to all the pressures

1235
00:57:14,381 --> 00:57:18,894
and not keeping on.

1236
00:57:18,894 --> 00:57:21,262
That's why the warnings.

1237
00:57:21,262 --> 00:57:23,146
That's why you get these warnings.

1238
00:57:23,146 --> 00:57:30,125
Because they're growing weary.

1239
00:57:30,125 --> 00:57:34,216
He brings up Esau for the same reason

1240
00:57:34,216 --> 00:57:37,378
he gives the warning in Hebrews 6.

1241
00:57:37,378 --> 00:57:38,772
Which is what?

1242
00:57:38,772 --> 00:57:40,672
It's the warning to not give up.

1243
00:57:40,672 --> 00:57:42,230
It's the warning to keep on.

1244
00:57:42,230 --> 00:57:45,505
It's the warning to keep embracing Christ.

1245
00:57:45,505 --> 00:57:48,302
So my point is this,

1246
00:57:48,302 --> 00:57:55,456
what is being taught in Hebrews 6

1247
00:57:55,456 --> 00:58:00,636
is it's impossible to restore or renew

1248
00:58:00,636 --> 00:58:03,095
somebody unto repentance.

1249
00:58:03,095 --> 00:58:06,802
Now, what does that mean?

1250
00:58:06,802 --> 00:58:09,811
Does that mean that

1251
00:58:09,811 --> 00:58:13,443
it's impossible for somebody to be saved

1252
00:58:13,443 --> 00:58:16,372
even if they repent?

1253
00:58:16,372 --> 00:58:18,501
Or is it saying it's impossible

1254
00:58:18,501 --> 00:58:22,087
for them to repent?

1255
00:58:22,087 --> 00:58:25,708
And I take it it's the second.

1256
00:58:25,708 --> 00:58:27,791
I take it just like Bunyan takes it.

1257
00:58:27,791 --> 00:58:30,408
That basically, this man in the iron cage

1258
00:58:30,408 --> 00:58:32,258
is not repenting

1259
00:58:32,258 --> 00:58:35,872
and Christ won't have anything to do with him.

1260
00:58:35,872 --> 00:58:42,960
You see, that would conflict with John 6:37.

1261
00:58:42,960 --> 00:58:44,296
If somebody truly

1262
00:58:44,296 --> 00:58:48,011
in humility and brokenness

1263
00:58:48,011 --> 00:58:49,806
and faith and repentance

1264
00:58:49,806 --> 00:58:55,121
is coming to Christ,

1265
00:58:55,121 --> 00:58:57,454
they will be accepted.

1266
00:58:57,454 --> 00:59:00,460
That's why I take Hebrews 6 to mean

1267
00:59:00,460 --> 00:59:01,827
there's no more repentance,

1268
00:59:01,827 --> 00:59:03,355
to mean just that.

1269
00:59:03,355 --> 00:59:04,747
There's no more repentance.

1270
00:59:04,747 --> 00:59:07,434
They're not capable of repentance.

1271
00:59:07,434 --> 00:59:11,638
Not that their repentance won't be accepted,

1272
00:59:11,638 --> 00:59:14,524
they're not capable of it.

1273
00:59:14,524 --> 00:59:18,980
So, when you go over now to Hebrews 12,

1274
00:59:18,980 --> 00:59:21,633
you have to ask the question,

1275
00:59:21,633 --> 00:59:24,746
ok, what are we dealing with here?

1276
00:59:24,746 --> 00:59:29,634
Is this really saying that he repented

1277
00:59:29,634 --> 00:59:32,625
and it wasn't accepted?

1278
00:59:32,625 --> 00:59:34,679
Or is it saying that at such a time

1279
00:59:34,679 --> 00:59:38,234
when he would have repented,

1280
00:59:38,234 --> 00:59:41,034
he didn't find it possible?

1281
00:59:41,034 --> 00:59:43,156
Just read it.

1282
00:59:43,156 --> 00:59:45,163
And I would say this,

1283
00:59:45,163 --> 00:59:47,357
even if you want to take the word

1284
00:59:47,357 --> 00:59:51,763
to mean the base meaning:

1285
00:59:51,763 --> 00:59:53,899
a change of mind,

1286
00:59:53,899 --> 00:59:56,966
you really have to look at the change of mind.

1287
00:59:56,966 --> 01:00:00,571
Was it that he wanted salvation?

1288
01:00:00,571 --> 01:00:03,374
Or was it more carnal than that?

1289
01:00:03,374 --> 01:00:06,282
Was his change of mind

1290
01:00:06,282 --> 01:00:12,415
that now he wanted the physical blessings

1291
01:00:12,415 --> 01:00:16,621
that were attached with having kept

1292
01:00:16,621 --> 01:00:20,722
his birthright.

1293
01:00:20,722 --> 01:00:22,427
I mean, those are the things

1294
01:00:22,427 --> 01:00:24,594
that you need to think about in this.

1295
01:00:24,594 --> 01:00:27,580
Because if you say, he was genuinely repentant,

1296
01:00:27,580 --> 01:00:28,779
and he wasn't accepted,

1297
01:00:28,779 --> 01:00:33,378
it's a flat out contradiction

1298
01:00:33,378 --> 01:00:36,892
to Christ receiving those who come.

1299
01:00:36,892 --> 01:00:38,487
And I recognize Esau lived

1300
01:00:38,487 --> 01:00:40,441
long before Christ,

1301
01:00:40,441 --> 01:00:46,294
but by faith, Abraham...

1302
01:00:46,294 --> 01:00:48,453
by faith, Abel...

1303
01:00:48,453 --> 01:00:50,675
by faith, Enoch...

1304
01:00:50,675 --> 01:00:56,575
It's been by faith ever since the beginning.

1305
01:00:56,575 --> 01:01:02,729
And I think we have to take

1306
01:01:02,729 --> 01:01:08,528
that text at face value.

1307
01:01:08,528 --> 01:01:09,694
And you just read it.

1308
01:01:09,694 --> 01:01:12,335
Like I say, just read it.

1309
01:01:12,335 --> 01:01:15,118
Are you convinced it's actually saying

1310
01:01:15,118 --> 01:01:16,658
that he repented;

1311
01:01:16,658 --> 01:01:18,664
he genuinely repented

1312
01:01:18,664 --> 01:01:20,435
and it wasn't accepted.

1313
01:01:20,435 --> 01:01:21,771
It could be that,

1314
01:01:21,771 --> 01:01:23,729
but I don't think it has to be that.

1315
01:01:23,729 --> 01:01:25,977
I think it could be that

1316
01:01:25,977 --> 01:01:29,912
at such a time when it was in his mind

1317
01:01:29,912 --> 01:01:31,159
that he'd like to go back

1318
01:01:31,159 --> 01:01:32,422
and have it all over again

1319
01:01:32,422 --> 01:01:34,040
because he wanted the blessing,

1320
01:01:34,040 --> 01:01:36,500
now it's too late.

1321
01:01:36,500 --> 01:01:38,484
And even if you do

1322
01:01:38,484 --> 01:01:41,244
size that repentance up to be a change of mind,

1323
01:01:41,244 --> 01:01:42,989
he did change his mind.

1324
01:01:42,989 --> 01:01:45,774
There was a day when he freely gave it away,

1325
01:01:45,774 --> 01:01:47,392
and there was a day when he

1326
01:01:47,392 --> 01:01:49,801
would have liked to have had it back.

1327
01:01:49,801 --> 01:01:50,948
That's a change of mind.

1328
01:01:50,948 --> 01:01:52,674
But I think that can fall

1329
01:01:52,674 --> 01:01:56,976
well short of salvation.

1330
01:01:56,976 --> 01:02:04,541
So basically both accounts:

1331
01:02:04,541 --> 01:02:07,122
Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 12

1332
01:02:07,122 --> 01:02:09,893
are both being directed at the same people,

1333
01:02:09,893 --> 01:02:11,386
and they're both being used

1334
01:02:11,386 --> 01:02:13,481
for the same purpose -

1335
01:02:13,481 --> 01:02:16,151
to discourage these people

1336
01:02:16,151 --> 01:02:18,522
from falling out of the race.

1337
01:02:18,522 --> 01:02:21,261
Both of them are meant to encourage them

1338
01:02:21,261 --> 01:02:22,897
to press on.

1339
01:02:22,897 --> 01:02:24,105
They're warnings.

1340
01:02:24,105 --> 01:02:26,577
Both of them are warnings.

1341
01:02:26,577 --> 01:02:30,964
They're warnings not to step out.

1342
01:02:30,964 --> 01:02:33,784
Now, is it possible,

1343
01:02:33,784 --> 01:02:37,735
that there is a repentance,

1344
01:02:37,735 --> 01:02:40,248
or can anybody think of a repentance

1345
01:02:40,248 --> 01:02:42,990
that doesn't save?

1346
01:02:42,990 --> 01:02:45,361
James: 2 Corinthians 7:10

1347
01:02:45,361 --> 01:02:48,507
Tim: There you have it.

1348
01:02:48,507 --> 01:02:53,424
Somebody want to quote that?

1349
01:02:53,424 --> 01:02:55,448
James: Godly grief produces repentance

1350
01:02:55,448 --> 01:02:58,595
that leads to life, whereas worldly grief

1351
01:02:58,595 --> 01:03:01,384
produces a repentance that leads to death.

1352
01:03:01,384 --> 01:03:02,782
Something like that.

1353
01:03:02,782 --> 01:03:09,957
Tim: Somebody want to read it verbatim?

1354
01:03:09,957 --> 01:03:11,792
James: "For godly grief produces

1355
01:03:11,792 --> 01:03:13,778
a repentance that leads to salvation

1356
01:03:13,778 --> 01:03:17,144
without regret, whereas worldly grief

1357
01:03:17,144 --> 01:03:20,128
produces death."

1358
01:03:20,128 --> 01:03:21,713
Yeah, it doesn't actually say

1359
01:03:21,713 --> 01:03:25,831
that repentance is actually created there.

1360
01:03:25,831 --> 01:03:30,546
Anybody think of any place else

1361
01:03:30,546 --> 01:03:33,961
where repentance may be something

1362
01:03:33,961 --> 01:03:42,531
that needs to be repented of?

1363
01:03:42,531 --> 01:03:54,117
Judas?

1364
01:03:54,117 --> 01:03:55,865
What did Judas do?

1365
01:03:55,865 --> 01:03:58,493
James: He changed his mind.

1366
01:03:58,493 --> 01:04:00,352
I don't know if that's the same

1367
01:04:00,352 --> 01:04:02,839
metanoia word.

1368
01:04:02,839 --> 01:04:07,742
Tim: I think it is actually.

1369
01:04:07,742 --> 01:04:13,617
Where is that found?

1370
01:04:13,617 --> 01:04:15,795
It may not say repent in the ESV,

1371
01:04:15,795 --> 01:04:18,653
but I think it does in the KJV.

1372
01:04:18,653 --> 01:04:27,010
And I think it is the same word.

1373
01:04:27,010 --> 01:04:31,286
Anybody know where that is?

1374
01:04:31,286 --> 01:04:40,556
James: I thought it was in Mark.

1375
01:04:40,556 --> 01:04:41,722
(from the room)

1376
01:04:41,722 --> 01:04:43,429
Matthew 27:3?

1377
01:04:43,429 --> 01:04:46,305
Tim: Yeah, I was thinking it was Matthew.

1378
01:04:46,305 --> 01:04:49,079
What translation do you have, brother?

1379
01:04:49,079 --> 01:04:50,617
NKJV.

1380
01:04:50,617 --> 01:04:52,242
Tim: What does it say?

1381
01:04:52,242 --> 01:04:54,015
"Then Judas, His betrayer,

1382
01:04:54,015 --> 01:04:56,274
seeing that He had been condemned,

1383
01:04:56,274 --> 01:04:57,860
was remorseful and brought back

1384
01:04:57,860 --> 01:04:59,234
the thirty pieces of silver

1385
01:04:59,234 --> 01:05:01,065
to the chief priests and elders,

1386
01:05:01,065 --> 01:05:03,378
saying, 'I have sinned by betraying

1387
01:05:03,378 --> 01:05:05,774
innocent blood.'

1388
01:05:05,774 --> 01:05:07,459
They said, 'what is that to us?

1389
01:05:07,459 --> 01:05:09,168
You see to it.'"

1390
01:05:09,168 --> 01:05:14,332
Tim: So it says remorseful.

1391
01:05:14,332 --> 01:05:17,723
Anybody have the King James?

1392
01:05:17,723 --> 01:05:19,082
Sid, you have it?

1393
01:05:19,082 --> 01:05:21,696
"And Judas which had betrayed Him

1394
01:05:21,696 --> 01:05:23,794
when he saw that He was condemned,

1395
01:05:23,794 --> 01:05:25,089
repented himself..."

1396
01:05:25,089 --> 01:05:26,086
Tim: There it is.

1397
01:05:26,086 --> 01:05:27,641
'...and brought again the thirty

1398
01:05:27,641 --> 01:05:29,626
pieces of silver to the chief priests..."

1399
01:05:29,626 --> 01:05:31,270
Tim: And I do think it's metanoia.

1400
01:05:31,270 --> 01:05:33,032
I think it's changed the mind.

1401
01:05:33,032 --> 01:05:36,523
And anyway, that text right there

1402
01:05:36,523 --> 01:05:38,844
would be one that you would want to

1403
01:05:38,844 --> 01:05:42,988
write in the margin of Hebrews 12,

1404
01:05:42,988 --> 01:05:45,074
even though in your ESV

1405
01:05:45,074 --> 01:05:47,034
or whatever - even the NKJV

1406
01:05:47,034 --> 01:05:48,416
doesn't use that.

1407
01:05:48,416 --> 01:05:50,609
We could look that up

1408
01:05:50,609 --> 01:05:52,655
as far as the actual Greek there,

1409
01:05:52,655 --> 01:05:56,389
but I think it is the metanoia terminology.

1410
01:05:56,389 --> 01:05:59,859
(from the room: unintelligible)

1411
01:05:59,859 --> 01:06:03,417
Um, ok. There are various places

1412
01:06:03,417 --> 01:06:08,032
where you get closely associated word group there.

1413
01:06:08,032 --> 01:06:09,714
It's a synonymous word.

1414
01:06:09,714 --> 01:06:11,197
It's not the -noia.

1415
01:06:11,197 --> 01:06:15,566
It's the same one that's found

1416
01:06:15,566 --> 01:06:18,040
where you have the two sons,

1417
01:06:18,040 --> 01:06:22,938
and they're both told to go work

1418
01:06:22,938 --> 01:06:24,139
and one says I will

1419
01:06:24,139 --> 01:06:25,893
and the other one says I won't,

1420
01:06:25,893 --> 01:06:30,351
and they change their minds.

1421
01:06:30,351 --> 01:06:35,414
It's the same word there.

1422
01:06:35,414 --> 01:06:40,411
But anyway, you see the basic related

1423
01:06:40,411 --> 01:06:47,898
word group there.

1424
01:06:47,898 --> 01:06:50,271
The whole point is

1425
01:06:50,271 --> 01:06:56,316
that if you repent and believe,

1426
01:06:56,316 --> 01:06:57,778
you will be saved.

1427
01:06:57,778 --> 01:07:02,431
Whatever happened with Esau

1428
01:07:02,431 --> 01:07:03,897
is meant to be a warning

1429
01:07:03,897 --> 01:07:05,251
not to stray away,

1430
01:07:05,251 --> 01:07:07,140
and it obviously was not saving.

1431
01:07:07,140 --> 01:07:09,104
Whatever change of mind that it was,

1432
01:07:09,104 --> 01:07:11,002
it was not saving.

1433
01:07:11,002 --> 01:07:17,254
(incomplete thought)

1434
01:07:17,254 --> 01:07:20,849
it says that he wanted the blessing.

1435
01:07:20,849 --> 01:07:22,859
That's the real issue.

1436
01:07:22,859 --> 01:07:25,778
If you go back into Genesis,

1437
01:07:25,778 --> 01:07:31,698
what was it that he was so upset about?

1438
01:07:31,698 --> 01:07:34,134
Really, what he was so upset about

1439
01:07:34,134 --> 01:07:37,161
was when his father was not able

1440
01:07:37,161 --> 01:07:39,228
to bless him.

1441
01:07:39,228 --> 01:07:42,203
Remember? Doesn't it say in Hebrews

1442
01:07:42,203 --> 01:07:43,679
he wanted the blessing?

1443
01:07:43,679 --> 01:07:45,022
What happened was

1444
01:07:45,022 --> 01:07:48,843
once his father gave the blessing to his brother,

1445
01:07:48,843 --> 01:07:50,458
he said to him,

1446
01:07:50,458 --> 01:07:53,978
I don't have anymore for you.

1447
01:07:53,978 --> 01:07:55,849
And he's just, come on!

1448
01:07:55,849 --> 01:07:57,324
Isn't there something left?

1449
01:07:57,324 --> 01:07:58,982
Give me a blessing.

1450
01:07:58,982 --> 01:08:03,612
That was the issue.

1451
01:08:03,612 --> 01:08:05,154
Was there ever a place where

1452
01:08:05,154 --> 01:08:06,930
he actually came back

1453
01:08:06,930 --> 01:08:08,882
and we find in the Old Testament,

1454
01:08:08,882 --> 01:08:11,802
in the Genesis account?

1455
01:08:11,802 --> 01:08:13,356
See, two things happened.

1456
01:08:13,356 --> 01:08:14,531
There was the birthright

1457
01:08:14,531 --> 01:08:16,786
and there was the blessing.

1458
01:08:16,786 --> 01:08:19,387
Jacob ended up with both of them.

1459
01:08:19,387 --> 01:08:24,267
How? The one through the stew.

1460
01:08:24,267 --> 01:08:29,475
The second one through deception.

1461
01:08:29,475 --> 01:08:33,790
So, Esau willingly gave up his birthright.

1462
01:08:33,790 --> 01:08:36,150
He did not willingly give up the blessing.

1463
01:08:36,150 --> 01:08:38,492
But the issue was

1464
01:08:38,492 --> 01:08:42,230
that it seems to tie them both together

1465
01:08:42,230 --> 01:08:44,518
in the Hebrews 12 account.

1466
01:08:44,518 --> 01:08:47,769
Where he willingly gave up the one -

1467
01:08:47,769 --> 01:08:49,386
that's what it faults him for.

1468
01:08:49,386 --> 01:08:51,152
And then when he would have had

1469
01:08:51,152 --> 01:08:53,923
the blessing,

1470
01:08:53,923 --> 01:08:57,179
it wasn't there for him to get.

1471
01:08:57,179 --> 01:08:59,376
But yeah, that's a far cry short

1472
01:08:59,376 --> 01:09:02,298
of actually wanting salvation.

1473
01:09:02,298 --> 01:09:04,636
He wanted the blessings.

1474
01:09:04,636 --> 01:09:14,377
Anybody remember what the blessings were?

1475
01:09:14,377 --> 01:09:17,641
What was it?

1476
01:09:17,641 --> 01:09:28,558
What exactly was said to Jacob by Isaac?

1477
01:09:28,558 --> 01:09:37,583
Anybody remember?

1478
01:09:37,583 --> 01:09:45,113
Genesis 27:27

1479
01:09:45,113 --> 01:09:46,641
He came near and kissed him,

1480
01:09:46,641 --> 01:09:48,675
and then it says,

1481
01:09:48,675 --> 01:09:52,708
"May God give you of the dew of heaven

1482
01:09:52,708 --> 01:09:54,454
and of the fatness of the earth,

1483
01:09:54,454 --> 01:09:56,803
and plenty of grain and wine,

1484
01:09:56,803 --> 01:09:58,244
let people serve you

1485
01:09:58,244 --> 01:10:00,548
and nations bow down to you,

1486
01:10:00,548 --> 01:10:02,290
be lord over your brothers,

1487
01:10:02,290 --> 01:10:05,023
and may your mother's sons bow down to you.

1488
01:10:05,023 --> 01:10:07,418
Cursed be everyone who curses you,

1489
01:10:07,418 --> 01:10:10,457
and blessed be everyone who blesses you."

1490
01:10:10,457 --> 01:10:13,985
Tim: And you know, the thing is

1491
01:10:13,985 --> 01:10:18,451
he likely didn't even know what was said.

1492
01:10:18,451 --> 01:10:22,586
(incomplete thought)

1493
01:10:22,586 --> 01:10:24,182
What happens when Esau goes in?

1494
01:10:24,182 --> 01:10:25,096
What's he told?

1495
01:10:25,096 --> 01:10:26,391
See, Esau doesn't even know

1496
01:10:26,391 --> 01:10:27,972
what happened, so he doesn't know

1497
01:10:27,972 --> 01:10:30,750
what was said.

1498
01:10:30,750 --> 01:10:34,795
But what does it say when he goes in?

1499
01:10:34,795 --> 01:10:38,828
Can you read the account from there?

1500
01:10:38,828 --> 01:10:41,421
"I'm your son. Your firstborn, Esau.

1501
01:10:41,421 --> 01:10:43,380
Then Isaac trembled very violently

1502
01:10:43,380 --> 01:10:44,833
and said, 'who was it then

1503
01:10:44,833 --> 01:10:46,614
who hunted game and brought it to me

1504
01:10:46,614 --> 01:10:48,230
and I ate it all before you came

1505
01:10:48,230 --> 01:10:50,046
and I have blessed him.

1506
01:10:50,046 --> 01:10:51,562
Yes, and he shall be blessed.'

1507
01:10:51,562 --> 01:10:53,160
As soon as Esau heard the words

1508
01:10:53,160 --> 01:10:54,567
of his father, he cried out

1509
01:10:54,567 --> 01:10:56,124
with an exceedingly great

1510
01:10:56,124 --> 01:10:58,175
and bitter cry and said to his father,

1511
01:10:58,175 --> 01:11:01,205
'bless me, even me also, oh, my father!'

1512
01:11:01,205 --> 01:11:04,155
But he said, 'your brother came deceitfully,

1513
01:11:04,155 --> 01:11:06,350
and he has taken away your blessing.'"

1514
01:11:06,350 --> 01:11:07,418
Tim: And see it there?

1515
01:11:07,418 --> 01:11:10,007
He wants the blessing. He wants the blessing.

1516
01:11:10,007 --> 01:11:12,008
But what the author of Hebrews is doing

1517
01:11:12,008 --> 01:11:15,426
is he's tying it together with the fact

1518
01:11:15,426 --> 01:11:18,653
that he wickedly gave away his birthright.

1519
01:11:18,653 --> 01:11:23,351
And it's like the author ties it together.

1520
01:11:23,351 --> 01:11:26,407
One he willingly gave up.

1521
01:11:26,407 --> 01:11:28,892
The other God took from him.

1522
01:11:28,892 --> 01:11:30,809
You could say Jacob took it from him,

1523
01:11:30,809 --> 01:11:33,504
but God took it from him.

1524
01:11:33,504 --> 01:11:34,902
And when he wanted it,

1525
01:11:34,902 --> 01:11:36,932
you don't even know that he

1526
01:11:36,932 --> 01:11:40,885
necessarily knew what it was,

1527
01:11:40,885 --> 01:11:42,956
but he wanted it.

1528
01:11:42,956 --> 01:11:44,670
And even after it was already given

1529
01:11:44,670 --> 01:11:46,858
to Jacob, he still wanted it.

1530
01:11:46,858 --> 01:11:48,371
I mean, even if it was possible

1531
01:11:48,371 --> 01:11:51,172
to have it and Jacob already has it,

1532
01:11:51,172 --> 01:11:53,334
just give it to me too.

1533
01:11:53,334 --> 01:11:55,105
Whatever.

1534
01:11:55,105 --> 01:11:56,933
He might have had some idea

1535
01:11:56,933 --> 01:11:58,434
of what it consisted of.

1536
01:11:58,434 --> 01:12:01,116
But, he knew it was good

1537
01:12:01,116 --> 01:12:02,388
and he wanted it.

1538
01:12:02,388 --> 01:12:07,735
And so, I think the change of mind

1539
01:12:07,735 --> 01:12:10,545
is where he freely gave away his birthright,

1540
01:12:10,545 --> 01:12:12,035
now all of a sudden,

1541
01:12:12,035 --> 01:12:14,134
the change of mind -

1542
01:12:14,134 --> 01:12:15,815
the repentance is,

1543
01:12:15,815 --> 01:12:18,192
well, now I want it.

1544
01:12:18,192 --> 01:12:20,238
I want the blessing.

1545
01:12:20,238 --> 01:12:21,918
I so freely gave that away -

1546
01:12:21,918 --> 01:12:23,348
counted it as nothing,

1547
01:12:23,348 --> 01:12:25,584
but now I want it.

1548
01:12:25,584 --> 01:12:27,558
There was that change of mind.

1549
01:12:27,558 --> 01:12:30,512
Now he couldn't get it.

1550
01:12:30,512 --> 01:12:33,842
That's what the author of Hebrews

1551
01:12:33,842 --> 01:12:35,469
is looking at.

1552
01:12:35,469 --> 01:12:37,507
And look, the thing that he's doing

1553
01:12:37,507 --> 01:12:41,229
is saying this:

1554
01:12:41,229 --> 01:12:43,916
he's saying don't be like him.

1555
01:12:43,916 --> 01:12:48,952
Don't despise what you have.

1556
01:12:48,952 --> 01:12:50,721
You come under the truth -

1557
01:12:50,721 --> 01:12:53,721
don't despise that.

1558
01:12:53,721 --> 01:12:55,095
Because you know what?

1559
01:12:55,095 --> 01:12:56,933
The day will come when you'll change

1560
01:12:56,933 --> 01:12:59,549
your mind too.

1561
01:12:59,549 --> 01:13:00,753
The day's going to come

1562
01:13:00,753 --> 01:13:03,374
when you're going to want that.

1563
01:13:03,374 --> 01:13:07,057
You're going to want that good thing

1564
01:13:07,057 --> 01:13:08,892
that's promised in the Gospel.

1565
01:13:08,892 --> 01:13:11,105
You're going to want that good thing

1566
01:13:11,105 --> 01:13:13,952
that's promised by the blood of Jesus Christ;

1567
01:13:13,952 --> 01:13:17,004
the blood of that covenant.

1568
01:13:17,004 --> 01:13:20,575
Don't throw it away cheaply.

1569
01:13:20,575 --> 01:13:21,654
That's the issue.

1570
01:13:21,654 --> 01:13:23,588
Because the day's coming,

1571
01:13:23,588 --> 01:13:26,581
you'll give anything for it.

1572
01:13:26,581 --> 01:13:28,715
But it's too late.

1573
01:13:28,715 --> 01:13:32,016
You see, that's the whole idea of Hebrews.

1574
01:13:32,016 --> 01:13:34,702
These guys are drifting.

1575
01:13:34,702 --> 01:13:36,042
You don't want to neglect

1576
01:13:36,042 --> 01:13:40,014
such a great salvation.

1577
01:13:40,014 --> 01:13:42,883
You don't want to be like those Jews

1578
01:13:42,883 --> 01:13:46,780
in the wilderness who hardened their hearts.

1579
01:13:46,780 --> 01:13:50,538
What happened?

1580
01:13:50,538 --> 01:13:53,052
Today, if you hear His voice,

1581
01:13:53,052 --> 01:13:56,102
harden not your hearts.

1582
01:13:56,102 --> 01:13:59,713
Like those there in the wilderness.

1583
01:13:59,713 --> 01:14:07,122
You don't want to do that.

1584
01:14:07,122 --> 01:14:10,176
Don't toy with your souls.

1585
01:14:10,176 --> 01:14:15,202
That's the real issue in all of this.

1586
01:14:15,202 --> 01:14:19,269
But anyways, I just don't believe

1587
01:14:19,269 --> 01:14:23,818
you can make any kind of solid case

1588
01:14:23,818 --> 01:14:28,673
that Esau was broken and repentant

1589
01:14:28,673 --> 01:14:31,623
and wanted God's salvation.

1590
01:14:31,623 --> 01:14:34,677
I think he was carnally wanting

1591
01:14:34,677 --> 01:14:40,023
earthly blessings,

1592
01:14:40,023 --> 01:14:45,806
and he had already despised

1593
01:14:45,806 --> 01:14:51,239
the real value.

1594
01:14:51,239 --> 01:14:52,569
Can you imagine?

1595
01:14:52,569 --> 01:14:56,854
Think about it.

1596
01:14:56,854 --> 01:15:01,744
He had the birthright

1597
01:15:01,744 --> 01:15:09,770
in the lineage of God.

1598
01:15:09,770 --> 01:15:13,332
And he sold it

1599
01:15:13,332 --> 01:15:17,391
for a bowl of pottage;

1600
01:15:17,391 --> 01:15:22,753
a bowl of whatever you want to make it out to be -

1601
01:15:22,753 --> 01:15:26,064
oatmeal, soup...

1602
01:15:26,064 --> 01:15:28,899
for one bowl, he sold it.

1603
01:15:28,899 --> 01:15:34,212
He sold himself out

1604
01:15:34,212 --> 01:15:37,763
of the very Messianic line;

1605
01:15:37,763 --> 01:15:40,584
of the lineage of the people of God

1606
01:15:40,584 --> 01:15:45,358
and the patriarchs.

1607
01:15:45,358 --> 01:15:48,601
That's what you don't want to do.

1608
01:15:48,601 --> 01:15:54,706
That's the issue behind all of this.

1609
01:15:54,706 --> 01:15:55,863
But I'll tell you what,

1610
01:15:55,863 --> 01:15:57,439
no matter what people have done,

1611
01:15:57,439 --> 01:15:59,227
you press them towards Christ.

1612
01:15:59,227 --> 01:16:00,654
Press them towards Christ.

1613
01:16:00,654 --> 01:16:01,839
Because you know what?

1614
01:16:01,839 --> 01:16:03,274
No matter what they've done,

1615
01:16:03,274 --> 01:16:05,395
no matter how much light they've despised,

1616
01:16:05,395 --> 01:16:08,551
no matter what,

1617
01:16:08,551 --> 01:16:11,707
if they will go to Christ,

1618
01:16:11,707 --> 01:16:13,734
Christ will accept them.

1619
01:16:13,734 --> 01:16:17,257
You can look at every single account

1620
01:16:17,257 --> 01:16:18,852
where people came to Christ,

1621
01:16:18,852 --> 01:16:19,776
He accepted them.

1622
01:16:19,776 --> 01:16:22,579
Now, He'd give them terms.

1623
01:16:22,579 --> 01:16:24,966
There were those who didn't like His terms.

1624
01:16:24,966 --> 01:16:27,267
And they went away.

1625
01:16:27,267 --> 01:16:31,673
But everybody who came to Him,

1626
01:16:31,673 --> 01:16:33,168
and they were willing to take

1627
01:16:33,168 --> 01:16:34,294
what He had to offer,

1628
01:16:34,294 --> 01:16:36,617
they received.

1629
01:16:36,617 --> 01:16:37,748
All of them.

1630
01:16:37,748 --> 01:16:41,380
You never find a case where He says,

1631
01:16:41,380 --> 01:16:43,873
nope.

1632
01:16:43,873 --> 01:16:46,239
You find where they walked away,

1633
01:16:46,239 --> 01:16:49,980
but you don't find where He walked away.

1634
01:16:49,980 --> 01:16:54,467
He says I'll never cast you out.

1635
01:16:54,467 --> 01:16:55,950
Well, we obviously can't go

1636
01:16:55,950 --> 01:17:02,667
to the second question.

1637
01:17:02,667 --> 01:17:06,002
Good thoughts and good conversation.

1638
01:17:06,002 --> 01:17:10,403
Good discussion.

1639
01:17:10,403 --> 01:17:25,164
Anything else before we wrap this topic up?

1640
01:17:25,164 --> 01:17:27,259
Ok.

1641
01:17:27,259 --> 01:17:30,543
Father, we would be,

1642
01:17:30,543 --> 01:17:35,528
Lord, as this fictional character of Bunyan's:

1643
01:17:35,528 --> 01:17:38,360
Christian,

1644
01:17:38,360 --> 01:17:49,790
fearfully regarding this man in this iron cage.

1645
01:17:49,790 --> 01:17:54,810
We know there actually were men like Esau.

1646
01:17:54,810 --> 01:17:56,921
Real men

1647
01:17:56,921 --> 01:18:01,641
who found themselves in the iron cage.

1648
01:18:01,641 --> 01:18:04,168
Lord, we know this is a reality

1649
01:18:04,168 --> 01:18:06,089
and we know it's life and death.

1650
01:18:06,089 --> 01:18:08,002
We know souls are at stake.

1651
01:18:08,002 --> 01:18:10,766
Lord, we know this is for keeps.

1652
01:18:10,766 --> 01:18:13,493
This is all or nothing.

1653
01:18:13,493 --> 01:18:15,277
We've got to have Christ.

1654
01:18:15,277 --> 01:18:17,432
Christ. Christ.

1655
01:18:17,432 --> 01:18:19,991
Oh, Lord, give us the grace

1656
01:18:19,991 --> 01:18:22,013
that none of us would ever be fools

1657
01:18:22,013 --> 01:18:27,459
to exchange Christ for anything else.

1658
01:18:27,459 --> 01:18:28,638
Lord, we pray,

1659
01:18:28,638 --> 01:18:31,058
may great grace fall upon us.

1660
01:18:31,058 --> 01:18:33,249
May great grace keep us.

1661
01:18:33,249 --> 01:18:35,651
Lord, we know that left to ourselves,

1662
01:18:35,651 --> 01:18:37,476
oh, what fools we would be.

1663
01:18:37,476 --> 01:18:41,322
What choices we would make.

1664
01:18:41,322 --> 01:18:45,118
Lord, keep us

1665
01:18:45,118 --> 01:18:48,695
kept by the power of God through faith.

1666
01:18:48,695 --> 01:18:50,270
Oh, may the power of God

1667
01:18:50,270 --> 01:18:52,612
be real in our lives.

1668
01:18:52,612 --> 01:18:54,172
We pray in Christ's name,

1669
01:18:54,172 --> 01:18:54,926
Amen.