Unforgivable
Religion…the word alone can stir so many emotions and ideas, many of which are not good. We think of bigotry, hypocrisy, judgement, wars, and mythology. Why do we seek to know where we come from or where we are going? Why does it matter so much to us that we have answers to questions greater than our immediate needs? You do not see the animals toil and war with one another over who God is or where they go when they die. If we really are just a product of evolution without any design or intent to our existence, then why do most humans, throughout all cultures and time periods, search for meaning beyond the here and now?
The answer should be obvious, and I want to put before you, it is. However, even the most obvious answer to a question can obscured if a lie is told often enough. A person who tells themselves repeatedly they are unlovable and will never find happiness, often ends up in the very situation they have spoken over themselves. If at some point in the heart of every human we long to know why we are here and if there is more to life than what we can see, then shouldn’t it be obvious that this is more than just an evolutionary desire?
It cannot be part of evolutionary desire because it goes against everything evolutionary teaching has shown us. Only the strong survive, this is the only life we live, and matter is all that exists, no spirit. If those things are true then why would we spend our only time on the earth sacrificing, seeking, and desiring more? Wouldn’t we just get to the business of thriving at any cost, after all, once this life is over, you’re done!
One of the most misunderstood and “scary” statements that Jesus ever made was letting us know that there was an unforgivable or unpardonable sin. For years, this section of scripture that can be found in Matthew, & Mark, has caused much anxiety and fear in the hearts of those earnestly seeking to know who God is. Here it is as told by the Apostle Matthew:
Matthew 12:30-32
“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
This Sunday we will take a deep dive into these scriptures and by the grace of God come away with a clear understanding of the weight of forgiveness, the cost of sin and the unspeakable grace of a God who truly loves His creation.
See you Sunday at LifePoint!
Peace,
Nathan Bentley