The Unforgivable Sin
THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN
PURPOSE:
To teach the Student that the only sin that is unforgiveable is to reject the Holy Spirit.
PROLOGUE:
Matt 12:31-32 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come”. Speaking against the Holy Spirit is the same as rejecting the Holy Spirit. The simple explanation for this is as follows:
When Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead and ascended unto Heaven, His sacrifice for our sins was finished but not completed. It was necessary for the Holy Spirit to descend on the Apostles at Pentecost. Jesus had returned to Heaven but he left the Holy Spirit to live within us. To reject the Holy Spirit is to reject any chance of salvation therefore it is unforgiveable.
Jesus as a man was constrained by time and space. If he had remained on Earth as an immortal he would not have been able to overcome limitations as imposed by being Earth bound. While he was with us in the flesh, he was limited to a very small part of the Planet.
The Holy Spirit is not constrained by time and space and can be everywhere at the same time. The Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus Christ in everyone who accepts him. In effect, we have the third entity of the Holy Trinity residing within us. Jesus said in Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.
To reject the Holy Spirit (or teach others to reject the Holy Spirit) is to render salvation impossible, therefore it is the unforgiveable sin. The analogy of the drowning man refusing help from his rescuers and drowning as a result is akin to the Sinner rejecting the Holy Spirit and losing his salvation.
PROCEDURE:
(Teacher Note: The concept of the Holy Spirit residing within the Christian is very difficult to teach and even harder to understand. It is essential however that the Student accept that being Christian is only possible when the Holy Spirit resides within them.)
1. Read about Pentecost in Acts chapters 1 and 2 as preparatory to a further discussion about the Holy Spirit. Openly discuss the events explained there.
2. To become a Christian we are told that “ye must be born again”. What does this mean? (Ref John 3: 5-6)
3. What does it mean when Jesus said “The Kingdom of God is within you”?
4. Open the discussion for questions and comments.