The Worst Sin of All...

Christians have always classified some sins as worse than others.  Examples include: adultery; divorce; sexual immorality; homosexuality; murder or multiple murders; suicide.

 

However, an honest and comprehensive study of the NT reveals that no one sin is worse than any other sin in the eyes of God.  Certain sins may have greater earthly consequences, but God sees every sin as a complete abomination, yet all forgivable…except one. 

 

It has been called “the unforgivable sin” or “the unpardonable sin.”  What is IT?  Is it divorce?  Is it homosexuality?  Is it suicide?  All of these are sins with incredible earthly consequences, but the unpardonable or unforgivable sin is described in today’s text as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

 

But before we get there, let’s look at these verses leading up to verses 28-30.

 

 

Introduction cont.

We have left the twelve apostles.  Remember that when Jesus called the twelve apostles that he called them on a mountaintop.  He has now come down from the mountaintop, and we move into the next scene here in Mark 3:20.

 

 

Mark 3:20-21

20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

 

Jesus had come home.  He came down from the mountain, and He made his home in Capernaum at Peter and Andrew’s house.  Mark says that a crowd gathered again.  Jesus normally attracted crowds, but this time, the crowd was so frenzied, so hostile, so contrary, that Jesus and his disciples couldn’t even eat or rest or get away from the assembly because they were completely involved in in ministering to them. 

 

In verse 21, Jesus’ family heard that He was back in town.  This was His mother and His brothers.  We will talk more about them next week as we look at verses 31-35, but they heard He was back in town, and they heard about all the people who were coming to Him, and they heard all about those who were healed and those who had been healed of demon possession.

 

They came to take their boy home.  They came to rescue Him.  Surely He wasn’t in His right mind doing all these strange things.  Perhaps they even thought He was damaging their family’s reputation. 

 

 

3:22-27

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”  23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. 27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

 

The scribes or teachers of the Law came down from Jerusalem and made two crazy accusations.

 

First, they accused Him of being possessed by Beelzebul.  The scribes and teachers of the Law were using this term to refer to Satan.  They were accusing Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul or Satan.

 

Their second crazy accusation was that He was casting out demons by the ruler of the demons.  They had heard about Jesus exorcising demons from at least one man back in Mark 1.  They even may have been present.

 

But they were attributing Jesus’ power to cast out demons to Satan.  The demons listened to Jesus because Jesus was the mouthpiece or possessed by Beelzebul or Satan himself.

 

Jesus then called all of the scribes together and asked them a very pointed and interesting question.  How can Satan cast out Satan?  He can’t.  Their accusations were silly, dumb, illogical, crazy.

 

He then explained his reasoning with a concise analogy in three parts.

 

First, a kingdom or nation divided against itself cannot stand.  We see this all around the world with civil wars.  On some occasions, it has seemed like we were close to that in our country like we did in the late 1800’s.  It is probably more accurate on some occasions to say, “The Divided States of America.”

 

Second, a house divided against itself cannot stand.  We see this often with families who have been fractured and split over fights and disagreements.  We see this most clearly in marital relationships.  A husband and wife who are divided cannot stand together and end up divorcing.

 

Jesus got to the heart of the matter in 3:26. If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is finished.  If Jesus is possessed by Satan and is casting out demons, Satan’s agenda and plans and work will not stand.

 

However, we know that Satan’s agenda and plans and work do go on.  Therefore, Jesus is absolutely, positively not possessed by Satan.

 

Jesus finally set the record straight in 3:27, but it will require some explanation.  The strong man is Satan.  His house is his kingdom or domain.  His property is his demons and those he possesses.

 

Satan cannot be overtaken except by someone who is stronger, one who can bind him.  That is only the Lord Jesus.  The Lord Jesus will then set free all who belong to Satan and take them for Himself.

 

Let me translate.  Jesus was not and is not possessed by Satan.  Jesus and His work and His mission and His kingdom stand diametrically opposed to Satan and everything Satan stands for: sexual immorality; idolatry; adultery; homosexuality; stealing; coveting; drunkenness; strife; jealousy; anger.

 

 

1. When speaking of sin and forgiveness, Jesus speaks comprehensively, 3:28.

28 “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter.”

 

1. Jesus begins verse 28 with a change in tone.
   1. He moves from calm explanation to a stern warning.
   2. The phrase “Truly I say to you” is one that means listen up. It is used 13 times in Mark’s gospel.
   3. What He is about to say is the absolute truth, and you need to hear it.
2. You then see and hear Him speaking comprehensively regarding sin and forgiveness.
   1. All sins shall be forgiven (See Psalm 103:8-13; Isaiah 1:18; Acts 10:43; Ephesians 4:32).
      1. Quality is no matter.
      2. Quantity is no matter.
   2. All blasphemies shall be forgiven.
      1. Speaking ill of someone.
      2. Intentional irreverence for God (See 1 Timothy 1:12-14).
   3. God will forgive you just like He has forgiven others.
      1. Noah of drunkenness;
      2. Abraham of lying;

• Moses of murder;

1. David of adultery and murder;
2. Jonah of running from God;
3. Peter of denying Christ;

• Paul of persecuting the church.

 

2. When speaking of sin and forgiveness, Jesus speaks about conditions, 3:29.

29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”

 

1. According to 3:29, God’s forgiveness of sins seems to have one condition.
2. God offers forgiveness for all sins except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
   1. What does the word mean?
      1. Speak reproachfully;
      2. To Rail at;

• Revile;

1. Malicious Misrepresentation.

1. What is it not?
   1. It is not cursing the Holy Spirit.
   2. It is not taking the Lord’s name in vain.

• It is not adultery or sexual perversion or divorce or suicide.

1. What is it?
   1. It is an attitude of defiant hostility toward God that rejects His saving power toward man, expressed in the Spirit-filled person and work of Jesus.
   2. It is one’s preference for darkness even though he has been exposed to the light.

• It is determined rebellion against God.

1. It is calling evil good and darkness light.
2. It is attributing the work of God to Satan himself.
3. It is the continual rejection of the witness of the Holy Spirit in your life calling on you for salvation.

 

3. When speaking of sin and forgiveness, Jesus speaks of continuity, 3:30.

30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

30. The key to understanding what the unpardonable sin is lies here in verse 30.
31. Notice Mark’s Holy Spirit inspired commentary.
    1. He wrote, “because they were saying…”
       1. This is not a one time act.
       2. This is an on-going or continuous attitude.
    2. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit doesn’t just happen once. It happens again and again and again.  Remember Peter denied Christ three times, but ultimately returned stronger than ever.

 

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, there are those here this morning with the following questions?

1. Can this sin be committed today?
2. Have you ever committed this sin? Probably not, but maybe.
3. What is the consequence of this sin? Eternal punishment in hell or eternal damnation.  It is physical and spiritual separation from God.  However, remember that no sin is unpardonable or unforgivable as long as you have breath.