There is only one unforgiveable sin and that is the sin of unbelief. Christ died for the sins of the whole world, but to accept God’s pardon one must personally accept the forgiveness God offers or their unbelief will harden their heart and become their unforgiveable sin. “As it is said, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion'” {Hebrews 3:15}.
The book of
Hebrews is a fascinating treatise written to show us the superiority of Christ
over the prophets and angels, and in turn the superiority of the New Covenant
over the Old. This Jesus, with one definitive act, purged our sins and then sat
down on the right hand of the Majesty on High {Hebrews 1:3}. This final
sacrifice that was foretold by the slaying of countless numbers of bulls and
goats foreshadowed the suffering Messiah. “It is finished!” he cried out as he
gave up His Spirit and completed God’s plan for salvation on the cross, so that
“by one offering he has perfected
forever them that are sanctified” {Hebrews 10:14}.
This is our hope, not in a sacrifice that appeases God each
time we sin, but in this one final sacrifice. Far too many Christians do not understand the
finality of Christ's work on the cross and that there is no longer any need for “gaining
forgiveness” from a God who has already promised you that He has granted it. I
am not opposed to “asking” the Lord to forgive our sins when we commit them,
but our theology is incomplete if we do not understand that whatever sin we may
commit was already placed on a cross in 30 A.D. for all who will accept this by
faith. Jesus does not die over and over again each time we sin, but instead His
work on the cross is complete. Our asking for forgiveness is an acknowledgement
of our sins, but the reality is that all the Believer’s sins, past, present and
future are already forgiven.
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,
says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I
write them; And their sins
and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these
is, there is no more offering for sin” {Hebrews 10:16-18}.
What a wonderful gospel we have been given; proving once and for all that no good works can earn salvation, but it is indeed a gift of grace from God. All we can do is accept by faith what God says is true and then in turn respond appropriately to such immense love. Beyond this, we are told that we can boldly draw near to the holy of holies where God sits on the thrown making our appeals and our relationship directly with the Father through our High Priest, Christ Jesus {Heb. 10:19-21}.
What a wonderful gospel we have been given; proving once and for all that no good works can earn salvation, but it is indeed a gift of grace from God. All we can do is accept by faith what God says is true and then in turn respond appropriately to such immense love. Beyond this, we are told that we can boldly draw near to the holy of holies where God sits on the thrown making our appeals and our relationship directly with the Father through our High Priest, Christ Jesus {Heb. 10:19-21}.
“Let us draw near with a true
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto
love and to good works” {Hebrews 10:22-24}.
We are told that the “love of Christ compels us” that “he died for all, so that they who live
might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on
their behalf "{I Corinthians 5:14-15}. If you are a true Believer in the Lord Jesus, you can have no other response, but to enter into a life of love and good
works. Not that these things will save us, but rather that they become a proof
that we have indeed tasted of the goodness and grace of God and we are indeed
saved. Our hearts are changed, our minds are changing, and we are learning to no
longer walk in a dead flesh, but walk in newness of life in the Spirit of God. When
Jesus died, we died. When Jesus rose, we rose with Him to a new life alive in the
Spirit of God. Now will we only believe it and walk in this new life God has
given to us?
Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest
at any time we should let them slip {Hebrews 2:1}. We must be in the
Word consistently and listen to biblically sound teaching so we will learn how we
are to walk with Jesus day by day, moment by moment. We must listen to great
teaching and be in prayer often for there is an enemy of our soul who wants to
kill, steal and destroy. Christ’s death on the cross destroyed the power of the
Devil {Hebrews 2:14}, so let us move forward and conquer the promised life that
God has given us.
Since
we know all of these truths about Jesus, our high priest, we are exhorted to
believe until the end. If you want to know what is the final proof of one’s salvation
it is that they will believe until the end. We who believe will never forsake Him who has promised never to leave or forsake us. We are warned, “Take heed,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing
from the living God” {Hebrews 3:12}.
“But
exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin” {Hebrews 3:13}.
Christian
sisters, please heed these warnings for I fear for those who are afraid of, or unwilling
to heed the admonitions of our spouse and others as they warn us against our
sins. We have heard from far too many who are sure that they are
right and their spouse is all wrong. Then bitterness and hardness of heart has
set in and begun to blind and destroy them. Learn to appreciate being exhorted
to live godly lives and ask those closest to you to call out any sin they see
in your life. Sin is so sneaky, and its desire is to control you. Keeping a toe
in the muddy waters of sin risks wallowing in the mud, an embarrassment not
becoming your position as a child of God. Come out from among them is our
admonition, and live a life of godliness in the pure white linen of the
clothing of Christ. For this is the calling of the children of God {2 Corinthians 6:16-18}
For
we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence
STEADFAST unto the end; While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden
not your hearts, as in the provocation.
Hebrews 3:14, 15
