Where I am going in this sermon God loves you God is just Jesus must mean everything to you Never deny Christ Don’t call the things of God evil Don’t try to scheme to save your neck

Is there an “unpardonable sin?” Attributing the works of God to the devil Mt 12:22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. 23 All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”

Is there an “unpardonable sin?” 25 And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? … 31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

Is there an “unpardonable sin?” 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. New American Standard

Is there an “unpardonable sin?” Denying Jesus before men Mt 10:24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!...

Is there an “unpardonable sin?” Denying Jesus before men Mt 10:32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

Is there an “unpardonable sin?” Attributing the works of God to the devil Denying Jesus before men Both involve a denial

Various interpretations of the Bible “Systematic Theology” is a system that makes sense Every “theology” has many Bible passages that support it Every “theology” has a few Bible passages that contradict it, or don’t fit in. My role, to preach the Bible, even the passages that don’t “fit in” or we don’t like.

Can a person do something to lose their salvation? Some theologies say “NO” Some theologies say “Yes” The Bible is clear we have assurance of our salvation No sin we accidentally commit will rob us Almost no sin we intentionally commit will rob us Nobody else can take it away from us No being can “snatch” us out of God’s hand

The Hard sayings of Jesus A person can “grieve” or “make sad the Holy Spirit” A person can be so lost that they don’t recognize the things of God as good and attribute them to the devil. We can forfeit our own salvation

1. Grieving the Holy Spirit by calling His works evil In Christ, God was doing a new thing The Pharisees had never seen God act this way before They condemned Jesus as being “Beelzebub” (another name for the devil) Even that might be forgiven, but Jesus knew the Holy Spirit would come to indwell and empower Let the Holy Spirit work as He wants to work

2. Some will grieve the Holy Spirit by going to their grave rejecting Jesus God is loving and God is just God alone sees into the heart God knows your intentions God loves you God will evaluate every thought, word and deed at the end of your life and fairly judge God doesn’t want ANYONE to be lost God does not force anyone but honors choice Man married to woman in congregation Went to see him in hospital Hoping to share Jesus with him “what the blankety blank are you doing here?” “Never had anything to do with religion; never will” Died a

3. Apostacy “The deliberate, decisive repudiation of Jesus as Lord” Some will not deny him no matter what Some people will intentionally deny Jesus Some people will try to find a way around the dilema Youth worker Raised in Christian home; led Bible studies; Morrocco for university studies Commitment of muslim people Rejected Jesus and became muslim

3. Apostacy 3. People Scheme and try to make following Jesus easier Political Climates Change - Persecution happens Some execute every person who names Jesus as Lord The Christian believer could scheme… “I know God can forgive me of anything” “To keep from being beheaded, I will deny Jesus” “Then, when there is no danger, I will ask forgiveness” “I get to live, I still get eternal life”

3. Apostacy Denying Christ with the intention of reinstatement dishonors the martyrs of History Heb 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

3. Apostacy The Main Point- NEVER DENY JESUS To deny is to intentionally repudiate Not drifting Not backsliding Not temporary anger at God Not even referring to the “prodigal son (daughter)” Know a man who swears, problem w anger, in church, no difference in his life because of it, but will NEVER say he doesn’t believe in Jesus

A famous denial 25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, *said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

A famous denial Jon 21:15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

A famous denial 17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Where I am going in this sermon God loves you God is just Jesus must mean everything to you Never deny Christ Don’t call the things of God evil Don’t try to scheme to save your neck

So What? Our culture is looking for people who really believe, not just church goers! Younger generation will not put up with systematic theologies that have holes’ We need to live the Bible in front of people No longer out of the realm of imagination to find ourselves at the end of a gun barrel of a madman or religious extremist asking “do you believe?” Political climates can change to become anti-Jesus