Q&A - WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE "SAVED?" - PART 1

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Q&A – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “SAVED?” - PART 1

John 3:16 For Elohim so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For Elohim sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

This question will take more than one post to answer; so, today, I want to establish the foundation for the answer.  Hopefully, it will only take one more post to answer the question. Of course, the answer will no doubt spin off more questions.  We will deal with them in due course.

Matthew 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 

This is the first time the word “saved” appears in the New Testament.  In verses 16-23 of that chapter, Yahushua describes a time when his disciples would be persecuted, tracked down, tried and put to death.  To those who endured to the end, he said they would be “saved.”  This same promise of salvation to those who “endure to the end” is found in Matthew 24:13 and Mark 13:13. Seminarians would tell you that the “principle of first use” engaged in understanding the meaning of Scripture, would suggest that because of this “first use,” being saved is a condition that can be altered or affected since, at the very least, endurance is necessary to maintain the effect. (There are also four other passages of Scripture recorded after the Book of Acts, that clearly state that the effect of faith in Messiah is conditional upon the disciple’s endurance in one form or another.)

The second time the word “saved” appears in the New Testament is found in this well-known story.

Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, Elohim: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

18 He saith unto him, Which? Yahushua said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

21 Yahushua said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

23 Then said Yahushua unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Elohim.

25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

This story is also recorded in Mark 10:17-26 and Luke 18:18-26.  It is interesting to note that the young man asked what “good thing” he could “do” to have “eternal life.”  When Messiah gave him something to “do,” he was unable to do it.  To that inability, Messiah said that it was difficult for the rich to “enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  Finally, the disciples responded to Messiah’s comment by asking, “Who then can be saved?”  

First, this young rich man somehow understood that Yahushua was peddling eternal life; or he would never have come to him to inquire how he could possess it.  Secondly, Messiah associated the eternal life sought by this young man with entering into the kingdom of heaven (a much different thing than “going to heaven when you die”). Finally, the disciples related both of these to being saved.  Note, also, in our opening verses (John 3:16-17), that “eternal life” and being “saved” are linked; though they are not quite to be regarded as synonymous terms.

What was Yahushua actually “peddling?”  What was his message, and the message of his apostles, and the message he commanded to be taught to all of his disciples from the day of Pentecost forward?  It was”

“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

(Matthew 4:17)

Tackling the answer to the question, “What does it mean to be saved?” is complicated thanks to the traditions of man, and especially the traditions of the western church, and the churches throughout the world that have been influenced by the western church.  The western world has what I call an empirical mindset.  That means, if something can be reduced to a formula in order to understand it and control it, the western man will do it, and he will do it automatically, because that is his cultural predisposition.  We are taught to think like that from infancy.  The eastern man has no such mindset. An excellent way to explain this is by an illustration I have shared once before in this blog.

100 westerners and 100 easterners were told:  “Cotton does not grow in a cold wet climate.  England has a cold wet climate.  Does cotton grow in England?”  97 westerners answered “No.”  97 easterners answered, “I don’t know.  I have never been to England.”

If you are a westerner, you might instinctively, hopefully silently, have mocked the response of the easterners as being ignorant and naïve. To the westerner, A + B = C. It is a simple formula.  If A is a known condition, and B is a negating condition, then C is the only possible consequence.

Western man studies the Bible and automatically, through no specific fault of his/her own, develops all manner of doctrines based upon A + B = C.  They can’t help it; but it results in erroneous conclusions.  The problem is, they base their hope upon much of their “C’s.”

Salvation is possibly the least understood doctrine of the church.  If you were to ask a dozen professing Christians what it means to be saved, you would likely get at least 5 or 6 different answers; and very possibly all of them would be wrong.  That is because most Christians never read or study the Scriptures to know anything at all based on their own study.  They are content to learn whatever they are to believe by listening to 20-minute sermons on Sunday mornings. Most of those who do actually take the time to read the Scriptures, analyze them based on their intellect and their empirical mindset.

I have listened to far too many Scriptural debates between believers battling each other with their “C’s” instead of what they have received from the voice of the Holy Spirit.  I have participated in quite of few of those debates in years past.  They generally boil down to battles of intellect. Who knows the most Scripture verses that support the variables in their formula to prove their conclusion; and not a revelation of the Spirit.

Many times I have heard Christians approach each other and one ask, “Are you saved, brother?” to give the other one the opportunity to declare his answer in the affirmative; then share a good laugh with each other.  The question, however, seeks an answer based on an empirical understanding of the subject matter.  Is it Scriptural to point to a moment in time when one has been “saved?”  It would seem that it is; but Scripture points not to a moment when one is saved; but the moment in which one begins the journey of salvation.

On the day of Pentecost it was said that IAUE added to the church daily such as “should be saved.”   (Acts 2:47)

Peter, recounting his experience with the household of Cornelius said that Cornelius had been revealed that Peter would come and tell him words, whereby he and his household “shall be saved.” (Acts 11:14)

The Philippian jailer asked Paul what he must do to be saved; and Paul said he must believe on the Master Yahushua Messiah to be saved; but then Paul “spoke the word of the Master” to him. We are not told what that word included but we know that after he spoke to him he baptized him and his family. Believing and being baptized are not synonymous.  (Acts 16:30-32)

Romans 5:8  But Elohim commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Romans 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to Elohim by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Romans 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Each of these passages look forward to a salvation that is still before us.  There is an ultimate conclusion to our hope.  There is a future tense to our being saved in which our ultimate salvation will be realized. There is indisputably, an “entry point” at which this journey unto the climax of salvation begins. We would not be called disciples of Yahushua if this were not true; but this is where the empirical mindset poses its biggest problem to understanding this Scriptural question. It does not allow for the consequences of the journey between beginning and ending.

One thing we have not yet done (which seems as though it should have been the first thing to do) is to define our terms.  What are we actually referring to when we say “saved” or “salvation?”  How can we answer our question if we don’t know what we are talking about in the first place?  As obviously critical as that is; it is more important (at least for us westerners) to be made aware of our intellectual conflict with the Scriptures.  In our next post, we will define our terms, deal with the “time” factor (the beginning, the journey and the conclusion), and hopefully discover the answer to the question.

Q&A - HOW CAN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT?

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Q&A – HOW CAN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT?

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

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

In our last post we examined the recorded events in the Book of Acts where people responded to the gospel and received the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  In Acts 8, with Philip in Samaria, it was possibly a week or two before Peter and John in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had responded to the gospel and made the 30+ mile trek up to Samaria to impart the Holy Spirit to the repentant, water-baptized disciples.  The Ephesian disciples in Acts 19 believed the gospel as explained by Paul, were baptized in water, and then Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

It is indisputable from the Scriptural record that the initial role of the Holy Spirit in conversion is to give birth to new believers and to place them into the body of Messiah.  It is a secondary, but equally important role, to indwell the new believer with His own presence.

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Note in this verse that in baptism, the baptizing agent is external to the person; but in drinking, the agent is internal.  In repentance and belief, the Holy Spirit’s work is external; but in receiving the Holy Spirit, His presence is internal.

The question we are facing, today, is how do we know if we have received the Holy Spirit?  What are the evidences that the Holy Spirit is internal to us and not just external?  Throughout the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would come “upon” a person to enable a desired response such as to prophesy, to have supernatural strength, to receive a revelation, etc. Let’s look at what the Scriptures say would happen when the Holy Spirit comes “inside” a person.

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

In my own experience, from the moment I received the Holy Spirit, I immediately began to saturate myself in the Scriptures.  I wanted to learn absolutely as much as was possible to learn from the Word of IAUE. I instantly became a student, and the Holy Spirit became my teacher.  There wasn’t even a thought given to it. It was just the most natural and obvious thing for me to do.  Scriptures I had read often throughout my prior years became opened to me with insight and understanding that had eluded me until then. It was almost as if I was reading the Scriptures for the first time.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

1 John 5:6  This is he that came by water and blood, even Yahushua Messiah; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

Many believers often have doubts about their faith, about Yahushua being real, even doubting the very existence of IAUE. All such doubts originate with the whispers of the enemy.  Once a believer is indwelled by the Holy Spirit, he/she has a constant witness from the Spirit of IAUE that Messiah indeed has come in the flesh, has redeemed man, and sits at the right hand of the Creator.  The Spirit testifies of Yahushua…of the Truth (see John 16:13).

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of Elohim is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

 Possibly the most important function of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to lead us in paths of righteousness.  “Righteousness” is almost exclusively a “religious” word seldom used outside the context of Scriptures; so it has been the subject of much tradition blinding us to its real significance.  In simplest terms, righteousness is the moral purity by which IAUE makes all His decisions, and upon which all His words, actions and behavior are based.  He expects us to live righteously; and to make that possible, He has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit…His Spirit.  “Holy” is essentially that condition produced by righteousness.  It is what “sets us apart” from what is not righteous.

If you do not have an internal compass pointing you to moral purity in your decisions, words, actions and behavior; and if you do not sense conviction immediately upon failing to be righteous in these areas, you probably have never received the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. IAUE hates sin.  The Holy Spirit of IAUE breathes His hatred for sin within us.

When one receives the Holy Spirit, there is a sense of completion that overwhelms you; and that brings a peace that cannot be stolen by circumstances.  With that peace; and possibly as a fruit of that peace, there is a joy that is also not based on your outward circumstances.  Though you may not be at all happy with what is happening around you, it has no bearing whatsoever on the constant presence of peace and joy in your life.  If this is not your experience, it is likely you have not received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Mark 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Power is an undeniable evidence of the Holy Spirit; but, unfortunately, it is one that is often sacrificed to tradition and bad doctrine.  One must choose to act in the power of the Holy Spirit.  It does not happen by accident.  Because of errant tradition and wrong teaching, many believers never experience participation with the Holy Spirit to impart the power of IAUE into the lives of those who need it.

Is Speaking in Tongues “THE” Evidence of Receiving the Holy Spirit?

There are many books that have been written and many preachers and teachers that present the idea that speaking in tongues is the foremost and inseparable evidence of one being filled with the Holy Spirit; even to the point that they believe that if you have not spoken in tongues, you have not yet received.  I would humbly submit that they are simply mistaken.  Personally, I think THEY want to hear one speak in tongues to placate their own need to be satisfied that one has received the Holy Spirit.

If we look back over the accounts from Scripture where people come to Messiah and are born again, water baptized and receive the Holy Spirit, we will find that there is no reference to speaking in tongues associated with the 3,000 converts on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the Samaritans in Acts 8, the apostle Paul in Acts 9, or the Philippian jailer in Acts 16. Consequently, it is not wise to try to force a doctrinal position that speaking in tongues is necessarily the initial evidence of having received the Holy Spirit.  We do know, however, from 1 Corinthians 14, that Paul spoke in tongues often and much.  When he first spoke in tongues is not known.  In my own experience, I desperately wanted to speak in tongues when I went forward in a bible study meeting for ministry.  The Holy Spirit’s indwelling was extremely dramatic for me, so much so that I refer to my body as being invaded by His presence.  He came into me with a dramatic force; and almost instantly I craved to study the Scriptures with a voracious appetite for the Truth. It was two weeks later when I first spoke in tongues.

It can be declared with Scriptural confidence that the believer is expected to speak/pray in tongues, based on Mark 16 and 1 Corinthians 14.  If you don’t pray in tongues, it is possible that you have not received the Holy Spirit; but it may also be possible, you just haven’t allowed the Holy Spirit to manifest that ability in your life. 

There are many other evidences that the Holy Spirit is within the believer; but they are not automatic.  They require participation and abiding in Messiah.  I want to focus, in this study, on the automatic evidences of His indwelling presence in order to provide you with a framework to determine whether or not you have received the Holy Spirit in your own life.

If you have the least bit of uncertainty about whether or not you have received the Holy Spirit since you believed upon Messiah Yahushua, I would encourage you to waste no time either to go to a brother or sister whom you know for a certainty is filled with the Holy Spirit and ask them to lay hands on you and to pray that you might be filled with the Holy Spirit; or, if there is no one near you that meets that qualification, then pray for yourself.

Luke 11:13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Simply declare to the Father your faith in Messiah; thank Him for making you a new creature in Messiah Yahushua; and ask Him for the gift that He wants to give you.  Ask Him to give you His Holy Spirit; then thank Him for doing so.  You will not be denied.

Q&A - HOW CAN YOU KNOW YOU ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT?

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Q&A – HOW CAN YOU KNOW YOU ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Acts 2: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

This is a question that seems to beset many believers.  It is a question that, more often than not, comes from questioning how the Holy Spirit can be inside of me if I am still committing sin, or if I am undisciplined, or am lacking power in my life, or am weak in faith.  It is usually not asked so much as a doctrinal question as it is a spiritual condition question (although it is a pet doctrinal issue for many).

To answer this question, we must first define the critical term. What do we mean by being “filled” with the Holy Spirit? This is where one runs into doctrinal issues rather quickly, and where theological opinions abound.

There are two answers to the question. 

1.  Being filled means, “to be indwelled by” the Holy Spirit.

2.  Being filled means, “to be under the influence of” the Holy Spirit. 

It seems to me that a disciple would KNOW when he/she is wholly under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  The manifestation of the Holy Spirit consuming our life’s expression would be rather obvious; and not the reason why someone would ask this question.  We will touch upon this idea, however, at the end of this study; but clearly what needs to be addressed is whether or not a disciple has the Holy Spirit at all.  So, let’s ask this question in a more direct way.

HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Acts 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahushua Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as IAUE our Elohim shall call.

Earlier in his address to the Jews that had assembled around the disciples that morning, Peter had explained that the phenomenon of the 120 disciples speaking in the languages of all the peoples who had gathered from many nations, declaring unto them the mighty acts of Elohim, was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel.  Joel had said that in the latter days IAUE would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.  This was a manifestation of that.

Peter refers to the unmistakable and indisputable manifestation of the Holy Spirit that was the very cause of the crowd having gathered when he refers to “the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  He explained that one must repent and be baptized (in water), and then the gift of the Holy Spirit would be received…not just by the crowd that gathered that Pentecost morning; but “to all that are afar off, even as many IAUE our Elohim shall call.”

Peter was not laying down a formula.  He was not explaining that in order to receive the Holy Spirit you first had to repent, then you had to be baptized in water, and THEN you could receive the Holy Spirit.  If you think about it, the 120 disciples who had just been “filled” with the Holy Spirit had not been baptized in the name of Yahushua Messiah since his resurrection.  Before they were visited by the resurrected Messiah, many of them still had not resolved in their minds who he was.  After his death, they were all ready to go back to their old lives.  Any water baptism prior to the resurrection would not represent the same thing as it would after his resurrection.  This is evidenced in Acts 19 with the passionate Ephesian disciples who had received John’s baptism of repentance; but they were baptized again AFTER they had the word of Elohim more fully preached to them by Paul.  (Acts 19:1-7)

There are five instances in the Book of Acts where the experience of new believers receiving the Holy Spirit is recorded. 

The first is the 120 disciples who were in the upper room praying for ten days awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  It is obvious that all of them had repented.  They had not received the Holy Spirit yet because He had not yet been given to man (John 7:39).  Messiah first had to complete the formalities of his sacrifice in the temple of IAUE not made with hands…in the presence of His Father, Himself.  Once that was completed, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, and the disciples received the Holy Spirit (which was made evident, manifested by, their speaking in tongues). They were no doubt numbered among the 3,000 who believed and were baptized that day. (Acts 2:41)

The second incident is in Acts 8:5-17, when Phillip went to Samaria and preached the gospel and cast out demons, healed the sick, and healed the lame.  The whole city came to Messiah and the people were baptized in water; but it took Peter and John coming up to Samaria from Jerusalem to lay hands on these new disciples before they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of Elohim, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Master Yahushua.)

17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The third incident is in Acts 9:1-18, when Paul confronted the resurrected and glorified Messiah on the Damascus road.  No doubt repentance was Paul’s first response.  After being blinded by the glory of the Master for three days, Ananias was sent to him to restore his sight and to fill him with the Holy Spirit.  Immediately after he his sight was restored and he received the Holy Spirit, Paul was baptized in water.

Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Master, even Yahushua, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

The fourth incident is in Acts 10:34-48, when Peter went to the house of Cornelius, the Roman centurion.  As he preached the gospel to him, his family and friends, the Scripture says the Holy Spirit “fell upon them,” and then they began speaking in tongues and magnifying IAUE.  Peter recognized this as evidence of the same event they experienced on the day of Pentecost and said that they had received the “gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Immediately, he instructed them to be baptized in water.

The fifth incident is in Acts 19:1-6, when Paul met with the disciples of John in Ephesus. Though the passage does not state it openly, it was apparent to Paul that these disciples were not “complete,” so he asked them point blank if they had received the Holy Spirit SINCE they believed.  They were unaware of any Holy Spirit. Paul asked them about their baptism; and they said they were baptized unto John’s baptism.  Hearing this, Paul understood they had not actually believed on Yahushua as Messiah.  When they believed on Yahushua, Paul baptized them, then laid his hands upon them; and they received the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues and prophesied.

If we consider that the unrecorded event of the 3,000 who were added to the church on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41) followed the instructions of Peter (Acts 2:38), then we have six conversion events in the book of Acts:  Three received the Holy Spirit AFTER they were water baptized.  Three received the Holy Spirit BEFORE they were water baptized. 

The real point to be made here is that one first has to become a repentant believer, i.e., born again, become a new creature in Yahushua Messiah, BEFORE one is qualified to receive the Holy Spirit.  One does NOT automatically receive the Holy Spirit as a “package deal” with believing; therefore, “Have I received the Holy Spirit since I believed,” is the real question.  If you are not aware of a moment in your life AFTER you believed in Messiah when your body was invaded by the presence of the Spirit of the Creator, the answer is, “No.”  If no one has laid hands on you or prayed with you to receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit; or if you have not asked IAUE to give you his “gift” and filled your body with the Holy Spirit, the answer is, “No.”  If you did not approach your water baptism with the full expectation that you would receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit when you emerged from the water, the answer is, “No.”  If IAUE has not sovereignly filled you with the Holy Spirit (like the household of Cornelius experience), the answer is, “No.”

Next post we will discuss a “Yes” answer.

Q&A - WHAT IS THE UNPARDONABLE SIN?

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Q&A – WHAT IS THE UNPARDONABLE SIN?

Matthew 26:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men.

It is odd that this question seems to be asked often; but odder still is that the question is being asked by Christians.  If there is anyone who should not be concerned about the answer to this question, it would be the disciple of Messiah; but then, that may be what makes the difference…being a Christian, or being a disciple of Messiah.  One who has not yielded his life servant to the Master is always wondering where that line is that he cannot afford to cross while in the pursuit of his own selfish objectives and desires.

First, let’s resolve one issue.  The word “unpardonable” appears nowhere in the Scripture.  That is a “church” term, I suppose intended to sound religious.  A pardon excuses a person from the consequences of his guilt; but it does not declare that person to be innocent. There is no “unpardonable” sin in the Scripture.  There are, however, sins that have eternal consequences. 

We find the story of this event in all three of the synoptic gospels.

Matthew 26:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

25 And Yahushua knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of Elohim, then the kingdom of Elohim is come unto you.

29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men.

Mark 3: 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.

30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven.

If we combine all of the comments in these three passages what we find is that “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” shall never be forgiven. “Blasphemy” is saying something that is egregiously in conflict with what is commonly held as a treasured belief. When Yahushua said in John 6, that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood; that would have been regarded as blasphemy because it was repugnant; and it violated the law of Moses.  For Paul to declare that the converts to faith in Messiah were not under obligation to obey the law of Moses, that was held as blasphemy by the Jews; and for these Pharisees to declare the obvious and undeniable work of the Spirit of IAUE to the work of a pagan god, a Nephilim spirit, that was unforgivable blasphemy.

In Luke, there is no frame of reference for this remark.  It is a stand-alone verse.  In Mark it was said “because they said ‘he hath an unclean spirit.’”  It is in Matthew where the setting has its broadest context.

Matthew 26:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

The Pharisees did not believe what they were saying.  They were jealous of Yahushua’s popularity, envious of his power, and fearful of his effect upon their social standing. They would do anything, say anything to deflect the people’s belief that he was a prophet, or even worse, that he was the Messiah, even if that meant speaking against IAUE, Himself. The hardness of heart that represents is almost unimaginable…and unforgiveable; because that kind of fallow ground cannot be broken up by repentance.

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Yahushua by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from Elohim: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except Elohim be with him.

All of the Sanhedrin knew that what Yahushua did could only be done through allegiance with IAUE. The Pharisees attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to a demonic spirit.  Specifically, they attributed it to Beelzebub, the prince of demons.  If you have read the series on The Seed War, you will understand that Beelzebub is not a fancy name for the devil; but rather the chief of the Nephilim who was worshipped throughout Old Testament history as a god.  In the days of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of the northern kingdom of Israel, they had 400 prophets of Baal.

With that in mind, what you now see in this passage of Scripture is that the religious leaders of the day were attempting to make Yahushua appear to be an emissary of a Nephilim spirit, a pagan deity.  In the Torah, that would require his death.

An aspect of this unforgivable sin that I have never heard anyone discuss is the fact that it is a pre-death declaration of Messiah.  He was referring to a particular sin that his up-coming impaling would not be efficacious to forgive.  He was not talking about something that a post-Pentecost (Acts 2) born-again disciple could commit.  Having said that, let’s take a look at some relevant scriptures.

Deuteronomy 32:48 And IAUE spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,

49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:

50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:

51 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.

52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.  (See Numbers 20:1-12)

Moses was instructed to speak to the rock and it would bring forth water for the people to drink.  In his anger, Moses struck the rock twice with his rod.  It cost him the Promised Land.  Why?  Because he did not sanctify IAUE before the people.  How often does our willful disobedience fail to sanctify IAUE to the people around us?  Can you reflect on any times that you have deliberately disobeyed IAUE’s will because you were embarrassed at what others’ reactions might be?  Have you acted in ways to prevent others to know that you belong to IAUE?  That IAUE is your Elohim? That your life belongs to Him?  Even in little things like refusing to pray over one’s meal in a restaurant or other public place, when you always pray over your meal at home…you fail to sanctify IAUE to the people around you. If we as disciples of Messiah Yahushua are not going to reveal to others that we are the children of IAUE, that we are the servants of Messiah, who is?

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5 And have tasted the good word of Elohim, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of Elohim afresh, and put him to an open shame.

2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Master and Saviour Yahushua Messiah, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living Elohim.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Messiah, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

These kinds of exhortations are not figurative.  I know of a minister in Houston, TX, who was well known in the 1970s through the 1990s as a Bible teacher who specialized in expositional studies from the Greek and Hebrew.  He held to the position that these verses were only ideas that could never happen in the life of a believer.  Personally, that just demonstrates theological bias rather than a proper understanding of Scripture.  These passages would not be in the Scriptures if they were not valid warnings of that which is possible.

So, in conclusion, there is a sin that the death of Messiah will not cover.  The person committing that sin is unredeemable because the redemption in Messiah pays the penalty for all sins but that one.  Having said that, once redeemed; we are still in need of obedience to the will of IAUE, participation with the Holy Spirit, and service to the Master Yahushua.  We lose our identity as a free agent when we entered into the death and resurrection of Yahushua.

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Messiah constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

The church, at large, seems to have missed the whole point of the gospel.  To ask what is the “unpardonable sin” is irrelevant to a disciple who lives only to do the will of IAUE. It would never occur to a disciple to do anything but openly praise and declare the mighty acts of IAUE when seen.  To ascribe the work of the Holy Spirit to a false god would be as unnatural to a disciple as trying to breathe while under water.

One thing we can benefit from understanding this particular sin is that in the days coming upon the earth in, what I believe to be, the near future; when we see someone deliberately trying to dissuade people from coming to Messiah by willfully ascribing the works of the Holy Spirit (healings, casting out of demons, miracles, etc.) to demons, we know not to waste our time trying to preach the gospel to them.  They have been disqualified as recipients of the good news; and they are incapable of the requisite repentance.  As for our own lives, we need to remember the story of Moses and sanctify IAUE in our hearts so that we are careful to sanctify Him before others.

[If you have questions you would like discussed in this series, please email them to me at kaprion@gmail.com.]