Got Questions?

From time to time I am asked questions which are not always easy to answer. I believe that God has given us His Word, the Bible, to guide us through life and any questions that may arise. Here is one recent question:

"I have a question for you, if you don't mind. I have been wondering lately about something. Are there sins that are not forgiven? For instance, Murder?? (not thinking of doing it...just to set you at ease). Two instances, if the person is saved before they commit the murder, and genuinely ask for forgiveness after the fact. The other, if they are not saved when they commit the Murder, but genuinely ask Christ to be their Savior after, and ask for forgiveness, (are they forgiven) even if they are put to death for that crime? I know I should probably already know this, but don't, so I was hoping you could offer some insight. Thanks."

My answer: This is a question that has fueled debates among Christians for generations. Two Scriptures to consider. First, Matthew 12.31 says "every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." And second, 1 Timothy 1.15 "...Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." Jesus paid the penalty for all sin- everything a person has done or will do that is contrary to God's Word and His nature. Although Jesus did this, it is not credited to our account personally until we accept God's gracious gift of salvation. The blasphemy of the Spirit is not accepting what God has done for us, but choosing to go our own way. If we accept Christ and then blow it by committing a sin, we have a remedy in 1 John 1.9 which says, "If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." When we confess our sins, we agree with God that our acts are sin. We also bring them out of hiding and into His light. This begins to break the power of sin in our lives. Through confession we step back into God's light and into His righteousness. Can a believer commit murder or some other heinous crime? Unfortunately yes. All sin is forgiven through Christ, and although we may have a right standing with God, the consequences of our sins on earth will still need to be met. This means we need to ask forgiveness of those we sin against and face the consequences, such as broken relationships, time in prison or even execution.

God has given us a preventative strategy for this. Psalm 119.11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against You." Galatians 5.16 "...live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature..." John 14.15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command." Simply put: maintain your relationship with God through listening to Him, obeying Him, and following His Spirit. If you do these things, you will avoid the heartache of hurting others and displeasing God. If you have a question, feel free to email me and I will strive to give you a quick response.

At OCC we're in the middle of our 40 day Spiritual Adventure. The theme is servanthood. One way to serve God and people is finding a need and filling it. There are holes everywhere. People who have fallen through the cracks. A program that could use another hand. It may be something small, but if it is a hole that you are in, it is huge when someone comes along and lends a helping hand. Jesus said, "If you want to be great in God's kingdom, learn to be a servant of all."
See any holes? Then fill them, in Jesus name and for His glory.

Blessings,
Pastor Pete