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THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

This passage deals with the sin of apostasy. It where you lead your life in rejection of Jesus Christ. Not every unbeliever is an apostate but every apostate is an unbeliever. Judas is the world's most famous apostate. He had the light with him and yet he still rejected Jesus. Saul was an apostate. He knew what was right but he rejected it. In the last days there will be widespread apostasy. See 1 Timothy 4:1-2. Apostasy is an intentional withdrawal from the faith.

1. The characteristics of an apostate person (vs 26)

The truth is received. (vs 26) The person has received the truth and the truth has been rejected. It is a person who has heard the message or been to church. This person has really understood the truth but does not live by it.
The truth is rejected (vs 26) - An apostate will walk away and reject the truth. Sooner or later the sinner will return to sin. They have never been saved in the first place. The Child of God will come back to the Lord when they fail. The apostate will willfully sin. The Christian will lapse into sin and loathe it. The apostate will leap into sin and love it. How do you know the difference between a Christian and an apostate? You can't know. The only soul you should worry about is your own. We need to examine our own lives. No one who is saved is going to keep habitually in sin. The Holy Spirit will convince and convict the Christian.

2. The causes of apostasy

There are four that are the main reasons:-

Persecution. See Matthew 24. People can't take what others are going to say to them if they become a Christian.
Deception. Matthew 24:11. Some people don't hear the right teaching. They hear a false gospel and go along with it because it is what they want to hear.
Temptation. See 2 Timothy 4:10. Some people start thinking about their sin and what they are going to have to give up. They don't want to change their lifestyle..
Indecision. Matthew 24:11. They mean to get saved but they never do. Not to decide is to decide against Jesus. See Hebrews 2:3.

3. The consequences of apostasy (vs 26-31)

We cannot chosse the consequences of our apostasy.

Our payment is forfeited (vs 26) - There is only one sacrifice that can remove sin. If you reject this sacrifice then there is no more hope. There is only one way to be saved. There is only one medicine for the sick soul. If you reject this medicine, then you die.
The punishment is forthcoming (vs 27-29) - The greater the sin, the greater the judgment. See 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8. Going to Church won't get you to Heaven. There was judgment for breaking the Ten Commandments. There is greater punishment for rejecting Jesus Christ. There are three indictments:-

- Trampling under foot the Son of God. You have accounted it to be worthless. We trample on something that is of great value.
- Taking lightly the blood of the covenant. The shed blood of Jesus Christ is a holy thing.
- You insult the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a person. He delivers the grace by convicting us of sin. People kick him aside and don't respond. They continue in their sin. This is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

The pain is forever (vs 30-31) - It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God if you have rejected Jesus Christ. Are we doing what we can to see people getting saved. The Lake of Fire awaits those who are lost. We don't like to talk about eternal punishment but the Bible teaches it clearly. It is for those who have rejected Jesus Christ.