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You said it! That is what GRACE is all about! You see, we can't
out-sin the grace of God. If we could, if it were possible, then it would
not be GRACE.
No doubt, some may take this truth and distort it. "If I can't out-sin God's
grace," one may say, "then I can just keep on sinning and sinning." But
God's overwhelming forgiveness is not a license for sin, but a motivation
for holiness.>
And even though God will forgive, the consequences of our actions can never
be undone. In addition, one day we will have to account for every single act
we've ever committed. However, to say that any sin is unforgivable is to say
that Christ's death was not enough, that the crucifixion was not the remedy
for man's sin.
All of our iniquities-past, present, and future-have been forgiven. Instead
of living in fear, doubt, and anxiety-constantly worrying whether or not we
have committed some unpardonable act-we can take comfort in knowing that God
is faithful to forgive. (1 John 1:9) He will never let us down.
Adultery. Greed. Lust. Murder. Hate. . . What is the worst sin you can think
of? Looking back on your own life, what past action brings the most guilt?
The lives of some believers are filled with doubt, anxiety, and worry-all
because they believe they have committed some "unpardonable sin" (Matthew
12:32; Matthew 13:22) While Jesus makes one reference in Matthew 12 to such
an unforgivable transgression, rest assured that no such action is possible
today.
Matthew 12 specifically refers to a definite moment in history, while Jesus
was on the earth performing miraculous works. Instead of recognizing
Christ's power, the Pharisees attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to
Satan, accusing Jesus of casting out devils through the power of "Beelzebul
the ruler of demons" (Matthew 12:24). Christ's simple response-"If Satan
casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom
stand?"-proved the Pharisees' faulty logic. Indicting them of the ultimate
heresy-direct blasphemy against the Holy Spirit-Jesus further added,
"Whosoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him . .
. ." (Matthew 12:32).
The events surrounding Christ's mention of the unpardonable sin can no
longer be duplicated. The Pharisees-with the living, breathing Son of God in
front of them-deliberately denied Christ in the face of irrefutable
evidence. Miracles and wonders surrounded them and Jesus Christ Himself was
physically in their presence, yet they refused to accept the truth He
offered. Much like the soldiers in the Garden of Gethsemane-who witnessed
Jesus heal the detached ear of their wounded comrade-the Pharisees denied a
living miracle right in front of their eyes.
Think of all the heinous sins committed by men of God in the Bible. David
committed murder and adultery and was nonetheless called "a man after
[God's] heart." Peter profusely denied knowing Christ three times, even
swearing, yet He was used by God in a mighty way. Paul-one of the most
significant figures in the Christian faith-once vehemently opposed Christ
and His church. Paul persecuted Christians with the same passion with which
he would later support Christ and His followers.
You see, when Christ died on the cross, not long after His encounter with
the Pharisees, He washed away ALL sin. There are no exception clauses in
God's promise of forgiveness. Psalm 103:3 says that God will "pardon all
your iniquities." Imagine if David had written, "God will pardon all your
iniquities, except for the unpardonable sin."
Paul wrote, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Where
is the exception clause in this pivotal verse? There isn't one! The fact
is-we can't out-sin the grace of God.
The most heinous sin ever committed was certainly the crucifixion of the Son
of God, yet as He hung on the cross, Jesus asked the Father to forgive those
who executed Him. (Luke 23:34) What an amazing display of the immensity of
God's grace and forgiveness!
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