The Unforgivable Sin Error

One of the biggest mistakes people make is fretting that they committed the unforgivable sin. Worse yet, some preachers teach this error as biblical fact. So, what is this unforgivable sin?

One passage trotted out is Hebrews 6:4 to 6. The Bible in Basic English renders it this way. "As for those who at one time saw the light, tasting the good things from heaven, and having their part in the Holy Spirit, With knowledge of the good word of God, and of the powers of the coming time, And then let themselves be turned away, it is not possible for their hearts to be made new a second time; because they themselves put the Son of God on the cross again, openly shaming him."

Some ministers teach that one sin can nullify a person's salvation. Cults, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, claim that people can't be baptized until they're on their death beds in case they sin afterward.

The problem is that they don't understand salvation and God's power to keep people saved until the Day of the Lord. Ephesians 1:13 (KJV) plainly states about our faith in Christ, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"
Paul likened our salvation in Christ to being married to a new husband after the old one died. And since God hates divorce, he won't disown those who place their trust in Christ's redemptive work on the cross. Romans 7:4 (KJV) says, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."
Ephesians 4:30 (KJV) shows that this seal will last until Christ comes for us at the last day. "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."(

I could write so much more of our assurance of salvation but I'll save it for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? I agree with John MacArthur that if we could lose our salvation, it would have happened a long time ago.

On my next post, I'll be writing about how we bring our sin with us wherever we go. There's no escape from it.

What if We Sin After Being Saved?

A question which comes up in the lives of many new Christians is if they're really saved. When they fall into a habitual sin, Satan whispers in the ears of their minds that they wouldn't have done what they did if they were truly born again. This cunning strategy to derail our faith can be easily avoided by reading God's promises in the Bible.

Jesus promised this in John 10:28 (KJV). "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

Hebrews 13:5 (KJV) also assures us that, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'"

And look at the great comfort John gives us. As he wrote in 1 John 2:1 (KJV), "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"

Moreover, he wrote in 1 John 1:9 (KJV), "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Paul also admonishes us in Ephesians 4:30 (KJV), "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

We also see evidence of our new life through the good fruit automatically produced in our conduct. Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) reminds us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

There are so many more scriptures I could cite but I'll save them for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Only those who genuinely surrendered themselves to Christ's rule in their lives will be with him eternally. Truly good works are the fruit produced by being a new creature in Christ.

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Holy Spirit

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, which runs the lives of Jehovah's Witness members, also teaches incorrectly about the Holy Spirit. They claim that he's really an impersonal force emanating from Jehovah. Neither do they believe that the Holy Spirit is a member of the Godhead.

We can easily see from Scripture that the Holy Spirit is an individual by the use of personal pronouns. John 16:13 (KJV) records Jesus saying, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come

Additionally, an impersonal force can't be grieved. Look at what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:30 (KJV). "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

And can an impersonal force talk? Check out what Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV). "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"

We have solid proof that the Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead in Acts 5:4 (KJV). A man named Ananias and his wife said they sold their property and were giving ALL the money to the church. But they agreed beforehand to keep part of the amount for themselves. That's why Peter said to them, "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."

The Watchtower Society and all who follow their errors are in for dire chastisement, according to Hebrews 10:29 (KJV). "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

Even so, we mustn't reject those individuals since they've been deceived. Instead, we must show them how wonderful salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ's atonement alone is. Cults keep their victims running on the treadmill of works and the fear that they won't do enough to be saved. They don't understand that Christ has done it all for us through his death and resurrection.

I'll be writing more about this treadmill of works in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Instead of trying to become righteous on our own, which won't please God, Christ gives his righteousness to cover us with.

Salvation Assurance in the Bible Vs. the Qu'ran

Since our heavenly Father loves us and sent Christ to die and save us, we can rest assured regarding our eternal home in heaven. Better still, we're sealed for that day with the Holy Spirit.

And though we mustn't grieve him with our rebellious actions and thoughts, we're still guaranteed to be eternally with the Trinity. Ephesians 4:30 (KJV) promises, "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

But this is what the Qu'ran says will happen to the believers of Allah. Sura 39:61 claims, "And Allah will save those who maintained righteousness to their place of salvation. No harm will touch them, nor will they grieve."

Some Christians also believe that we can lose our salvation. They quote Hebrews 6:4-6 (KJV) which reads, " For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

The people mentioned in this passage aren't born-again believers but those, like Judas, who were mere seekers of the good things Christ offers. We read in 1 John 2:19 (KJV) that, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

It truly is a blessed assurance that we are saved forever. We do stray, as sheep are wont to do, but we're still in the Good Shepherd's flock.

I'll emphasize this in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People need to understand fully that their salvation depends on the finished and irrevocable work of Christ on the cross.

How Do People Grieve the Holy Spirit?

Here is another contentious subject. Many Christians either don't know or think they know what this expression means. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:30 (KJV), "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

To get the real meaning of this verse, read the previous verse and the following verses to the end of the chapter. The grief we cause the Holy Spirit is a result of our churlish and childish behaviour.

Instead of having sharp words with one another, we should speak gently. Instead of envy, we must encourage one another. Instead of bragging, we must be humble. Instead of boasting of how talented we are, we must appreciate the accomplishments of others.

How sad it is that people misunderstand this wonderful verse. I've been taught that it meant restricting the manifesting of the Holy Spirit by not speaking in tongues. The word "tongues" actually means human languages. As we read in Acts chapter two, people didn't hear "angelic languages" but the dialects of those attendees at the temple.

The Holy Spirit is also grieved by our wrong actions. More than just slander, our unreasonableness and fractious actions are what quenches the Spirit. Again, it isn't resisting tongues which grieves and quenches him.

Neither do we prevent the Spirit's work by not performing signs and wonders. Look at what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (KJV), "Quench not the Spirit." I once was taught by errant teachers that it meant preventing him from doing miracles through us. Reading the whole chapter shows that Paul was writing about fleshly misconduct which is fueled by our pride. The Christian life is others-centred and Christ-centred, not self-centred.

I'll be writing more about this abysmal misunderstanding of the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work in us in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? My Psalms 37:4 heart's desire is to proclaim the Lord's truth regarding each member of the Trinity. Please pray that I can write and publish this highly important book while there is yet time to do so.