Day 99 - 1 Samuel 1-3 & Luke 12:1-34
“And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Luke 12:8-10 ESV)
A couple of people I met some years ago would be surprised to know that they are guilty of the unforgivable sin. On claimed to be an agnostic and the other stated that she sees good in all religions, after all, “we all serve the same God.”
Jesus is calling us to genuine Christianity, the belief that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ESV)
The unforgivable sin, a.k.a. the sin against the Holy Spirit, is the refusal to believe in Christ as Savior. Luther’s explanation to the Third Article of the Apostles’s Creed helps us understand the Spirit’s most crucial work:
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
Those people I met in the past had one thing going for them... They were still alive. They still had a chance to believe in Jesus as their Savior from sin. I encouraged both of them to look at Jesus, to read His words recorded in the gospels, especially John. It is through the Word of God that the Holy Spirit changes minds and leads doubters to Jesus and His precious gifts of forgiveness and heaven.
Lord, please protect me and keep my faith strong in Jesus my Savior. Help me to keep my eyes and ears open for others who do not believe in Christ s that You can use me to share the best news they will ever hear. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.
“See” you at the Communion table this morning!
Pastor David Paape
Daily Bible Reading Chart
http://www.wholesomewords.org/family/bibleread/truth.pdf
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