November 23, 2009

• Isaiah 9:6-7 and qualifications of the unpardonable sin, blaspheme of the Holy Spirit by Pastor Don

  Isaiah 9 contains a powerful prophetic message. God has established a balance of order in the universe. Yet there are many who do not like the whole picture of this balance.

  Some want to think that Israel is a picture of the Church and that the Church has replaced Israel. This is not true. If Israel permits sin, God will let evil come – and if you look at the history of the nation of Israel, you see that many nations came against Israel and attacked them. God gave the people time to repent, but when they did not repent, judgment came. But then God has also promised to save a remnant, and restore Israel. He will do this and gave the people of Israel the following awesome promise.

  Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

  Notice, that this passage mentions judgment and justice forever. The zeal, enthusiasm, of the Lord will bring this to pass.  God is a God of LOVE, but He is also a God of JUSTICE. Some read this and fear that they will commit the Blaspheme of the Holy Ghost, and fall away and not come back to God.

  Pastor Don wanted the people to know that most of us are not at a point where we can Blaspheme the Holy Ghost, and he took us to the passages that show us who qualifies for that. In our walk in the Lord we struggle so much with unworthiness. People are afraid that God has discarded them, that God heard that negative thought and pushed them away.  But if a person is concerned about blaspheming the Holy Ghost they probably have not done it.  Those who blaspheme the Holy Ghost do it deliberately and do not care or fear that they have done it.

  So, how do we know if we have committed the unpardonable sin?

  Hebrews 6:1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

  These are ELEMENTARY principles of Christ that lead to perfection.  Repentance from dead works – or sin and anything that we have done in the flesh.  If we do works in the flesh, even if they are godly works, Jesus could say, Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ These would be dead works.  Some things we did as believers just for show. Jesus did most of His spiritual works in private.  We are to do works to glorify Christ, not to make it all about us.  The dead works will be burnt off like the hay and stubble.  It is important that we examine our flesh and ask ourselves why we did what we did. As we bring the Gospel to others, it gives us an opportunity to examine ourselves as well. 

  FAITH TOWARD GOD, faith in God.  It is not faith in faith, but faith in God.  Mark 11:22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.

  Hebrews 6:2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

  The DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS.  There are several baptisms in the Bible.  THE BAPTISM INTO CHRIST – making Christ the CEO, and obeying Him.  We don’t do things our way, but we seek to do what Christ wants us to do. Jesus is our boss and if He tells us to not touch something or to not go there, we don’t.  BAPTISM INTO GOD – Jesus told us that He did what He saw His father doing and if we know Him, we know the Father.  BAPTISM INTO THE BODY – we are part of the whole Body of Christ, and we need to love the brethren.  There are many who come to Church and don’t want to connect with other people, but God has told us to not forsake the assembling of the brethren.  This is what God has given us, and we are in a benevolent dictatorship – we don’t get to vote.  When we are immersed in the Baptism of the Body, and we subject ourselves to the flow of God, knowing that Jesus is the Head, and we all have a part.  WATER BAPTISM, an outward manifestation of the forgiveness of sin that we gained by accepting Christ into our lives. BAPTISM INTO THE HOLY GHOST where we gain an endowment of power.  There are two kinds of power, exusia – which is authority, and then dunamis power – which is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with power.  In John we are told that the Spirit and the Word must agree. John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

  We know that the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and that requires an action of the Holy Spirit.  But what is the water?  Pastor Don had those who already know keep silent, but we went to various scriptures to look at what is meant by “water” so that people can see for themselves.

  We first looked to see if it was being born of the water of the womb.

  We then went back to John 3:3  Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

  Jesus is teaching the things of God, and Nicodemus as a rabbi should have known the things of God to teach them to his people.

  John 3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

  Nicodemus did not understand, thinking Jesus was talking about the physical womb.  But it was not the water of the womb.

  John 3:5-6 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

  Being born of the womb leads to death, and thus the water of the womb is not the answer.

  John 3:7-10 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

  Jesus points out that Nicodemus is a teacher of Israel and doesn’t know this mystery.  Jesus likened it to the wind where we don’t know where it comes from our where it blows.

  John 3:11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

  Therefore the answer to the puzzle can only be figured out by someone who knows the answer, and Jesus knows the answer for He is God.

  John 3:12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

  You can only receive the answer by spiritual revelation.

  The Bible is its own dictionary, and thus the same truths are expressed in other places in the scriptures. When we think of healing today people want to get the person saved first (and salvation is tied up with dying and going to heaven. But Jesus never said that.  He never went up to a person and asked them, “Do you want to be saved?”  He asked them if they wanted to be healed. Jesus healed the sick and touched lives, and through that salvation came.  Salvation means wholeness, deliverance, freedom, peace.  Not just being taken to Heaven when we die. People try to get people to confess Jesus, and then the people walk away, but they may still have their health problems – marriage problems, financial problems.  When Jesus comes into a life He wants whole salvation – wholeness, peace, deliverance, and comfort.

  To understand what is meant by the water, we need to get a revelation of the mystery, and the Bible as it’s own dictionary will help us to understand.

  Ephesians 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

  washing of water by the WORD.

  1 Peter 1:22-23 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit^ONEVOICEtalk