Dec 17, 2019 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

The Sin That Is Never Forgotten

Being a Christian for many years, I have heard and witness the church operating many times without love. A church that would rather proclaim gospel-lies of hate and unforgiveness; I knew it was wrong then, 60 years ago, just as it is still wrong today.

Of course, the Bible says to hate sin, but it is referencing ‘the sin in your life’. It is very difficult to hate the sin in another person’s life without judging that person. As Jesus stated, “Get rid of the sin in your life before you try to help others to get rid of the sin in their lives.” (We are such hypocrites, and if you read the gospels; it was Jesus who was always warning His disciples of the hypocrisy of religious people. Today’s New Testament church still has the problem of hypocrisy, and I am sure it will be with us until Christ’s return.)

Moreover, the church rarely addresses the most dangerous sin—the sin of all sins—the sin against the Holy Spirit. Jesus warned Israel of their rejection of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 11: 16-24 NIV:

16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Sin against the Holy Spirit is not forgivable. Only if we sin in ignorance is there a way of escape. The Bible is very clear on this issue, and we ought to be careful what we say, what we do, and how we respect and honor the Holy Spirit. (Remember what happened to Ananias and Sapphira in the Book of Acts chapter 5, when God killed them for lying to the Holy Spirit.) Whenever we reject the activity of the Holy Spirit there are consequences for our actions. Jesus cries over Jerusalem when He realizes that the people have rejected the activity of the Holy Spirit in their city—He says that Jerusalem will be destroyed, and it was in 70 A.D. (Luke 19:41-44).

This should move all of us to fear God and keep His commandments and this decision of our should lead us to what we forgive and how we judge sin. To often the church considers these sins to be the worst and many times do not offer forgiveness: divorce/adultery, being gay, murder, and abortion. Oh, how it is easy to judge others for sins we have committed ourselves. I do not know anyone who has not committed adultery and murder. In fact, Jesus made it very clear that anyone who hates another person in their heart or lusts after another person in their heart, did the actual sin as if they committer the physical act of illicit sex or murdering. We think we are innocent, but we are not! We think we can judge others because we have not committed similar sins, but we have! We need to forgive and receive forgiveness—we need to do it now—from this moment on!

Nevertheless, it is the sin of rejection of the Holy Spirit that is unforgivable not the sins of the Ten Commandments. We all have sinned against God and Jesus Christ, God (the Trinity) has chosen to forgive us of these sins. So, let’s be forgiving, loving one another, and instead warn each of us daily not to sin against the Holy Spirit.

Let us not be caught rejecting the Holy Spirit, not responding to the Holy Spirit, and speaking against the activity of the Holy Spirit for God is a God to be feared—He is a God of judgment; it is His judgment that is without mercy.

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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