The Seed Blog: Have I Gone Too Far?

We have been in an unplanned series, which is probably the best kind of series, growing in what it means to really turn from this world and our sins and want Christ and His Ways more than our own life rather than say a prayer for deliverance and go on with life as usual. What it means to truly die to self and stop living for the, goals, pleasures and meaning of this world as our motivation and purpose. And what it means to truly Rise again new with Christ, seeing everyone and everything differently; rejecting our old ways of sin because we know His ways of love are better; embracing a new life in Him with a new purpose, truly trusting and walking in life differently. All of this, through Him and His Power in us—not legalistically or begrudgingly.

In what Christ taught us about what it means to live for Him and with Him in real love brings us to a place where Satan has many living in fear and agony when we should be living in peace and adventure.
We will begin today's study addressing one of the most popular and life hindering questions that Christians and potential Christians ask. And we will carry into the one thing which the majority of all Christians are missing as we attempt to walk in God's Love today.
Let's begin with this question that a number of people ponder over endlessly, seek counsel over and torment themselves with frequently. Because you have probably asked this question—some here may be living in this mindset right now—and we will all need this to help others. The dilemma in many minds right now is this: “I do know God is real, I have accepted Him in Faith, and yet I have still chosen to be angry with Him at times. I have still chosen, on purpose, to do my own thing against Him at times. I have moments when I want what I want, and I will cave in to those same sins, again that I am supposed to have given to Him. I know there was a time (for some maybe it is even now) when I knew He was there, and I purposefully still rejected Him, knowing He’s there, quenching His Spirit and choosing myself. Does He still love me?  Does He still want me? Can I even be saved now? Or have I committed the ‘Unforgivable Sin’?” Many well-meaning people read Scriptures like the Ones we are about to read and feel they are forsaken; without h; unlovable. These Scriptures are so often read out of context and removed from supporting Scriptures throughout the Bible, causing so much unnecessary worry. Let's take a bit of time and break them down to see their true meaning: Hebrews 6:4-8: Paul (probably) is talking to Hebrews (Jews) who have understood and accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Some have turned away, back to their familiar and useless following of the law that they think will save them. The Passage states that if you have "known" the Way—tasted God, become a partaker of the Spirit—and then "fall away"—return to their previous ways, they cannot be renewed again to repentance. But listen to the explanation of "why?" "…Since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame." They openly reject what Jesus did for them. This has nothing to do with God's willingness to forgive and everything to do with their decision to reject it. Paul is saying: "If you reject the one thing that will save you, it is impossible to be saved any other way." Not that you can’t return to that trust in Christ, but that if you reject the truth you have, there is no other Way to be made. He reiterates this fact with a short example: Hebrews 6:4-8. If the ground receives what it needs to produce harvest (rain), but instead, it takes that goodness and produces thorns, it is near to being cursed. The rain will still fall—what the ground produces with the rain is the key. Did David know God intimately? Was he used by the Spirit to win battles, write the very Scriptures we read? And yet did he fall far enough away to commit adultery? To hate another enough to have them murdered innocently? Did God forgive him and take him back? Did Peter know Jesus intimately?
Walk with Jesus? Love and accept Jesus as his Messiah? Did Peter turn away in Jesus' most desperate moments in selfishness and fear? Did Jesus take him back and use him powerfully? Did the Prodigal son reject his own father knowingly? And we know this parable is not just about the human condition because it compares the son to one who never leaves. Did he count his inheritance as nothing and waste it? Was he welcomed back the moment he repented and came home? The love and desire of God for His children never goes away; the offer for forgiveness never goes away. But if we shun that sacrificial love for us, there is nothing else which can save us. We must return and accept what He has done or it is impossible.
This second passage causes many to live in fear the same way: Matthew 12:31-32. So many people fear they have committed the "Unpardonable Sin" by ridiculing, rejecting or quenching the Spirit when they have known that it was God. First, attach this passage to what it was intended to address. The Pharisees have just seen Jesus' miracles. They have seen Him fulfill the Scriptures they teach, and yet—because they do not want to accept Him in their hearts—they are knowingly rejecting and blaspheming the Spirit which reveals truth to them. And the last passage before these words are spoken to them by Jesus: Matthew 12:30: Jesus is saying: "You have clearly seen Truth, yet you are openly rejecting the Witness of the Spirit in your hearts. You may misunderstand who I am in ignorance, but if the Spirit reveals truth and you will not accept it. If you choose to stand against me openly, it is unforgivable." In other words: if you reject the very conviction of the Spirit in you, then your heart has condemned you because I am the only way. If you stand against Me, you are not for Me. So, your heart, your decision, is beyond forgiveness—now and in eternity—because you've rejected salvation—not because forgiveness is not still available—but because you have rejected the Spirit's conviction. Forgiveness must come from yielding to the Spirit. The Sin was "Unpardonable" because of condition of the heart. Their rejection of Him just like us today. Not because of some magical, specific thing they have said or done that God Calls irreversible through some form of legalism. No one is ever beyond salvation. It is but one surrendered breath away. Even those Pharisees could have received salvation if they had repented and softened their hearts to the Spirit, but they were set in their decision. Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21; Jeremiah 33:8. And lastly—understand this once and for all—from where does conviction come? John 16:8; John 6:44. The very fact that you are worried over your salvation—that you even desire salvation—proves the Spirit is still working in your heart. The one who has rejected Him, stands against Him—has no care or desire to be near Him; no care to be saved by His sacrifice. You are secure in His offer of salvation in His calling for you to come in His desire for your love. God does not just love us, God is love in His very essence: 1 John 4:18-19.
The real question still remains: "Do you truly want Him now?" Stop obsessing over a past that can’t be changed. You are just as valued, treasured and desired as ever. Jesus will forgive your rebellion, so you must let it go as well. Don't give Satan access to the only weapon he has against you—unjustified fear and ignorance of who Christ is. The only thing that matters is do you want to be with Him now? I didn't say, "Do you want Salvation now?" Because if that is all you want—if that is all you have a fear over—you do not love and want Him. So few Christians understand just how deeply they are loved; just how treasured they are to God. If we could grasp it—if we could express it to others—people would flock to Christ for His Salvation. All of Creation around us was created for us as a wondrous, majestic, gift of Love, for us to rule over and enjoy, basked in His Love. He Created us in His image, with all His attributes to be able to show love and share in oneness with Him. How Deeply do you think the Father Loves Jesus? John 3:35; John 17:24. How faithfully do you think the Father hears Jesus when He Speaks? John 11:41-42. How close do you think the Father is to Jesus in their relationship? John 17:5; John 17:21;
John 10:30, 38; John 14:11. The Father loves Jesus passionately as Himself. The Father is literally One with Jesus in intimacy and relationship. The Father hears everything Jesus asks. The Father works with Jesus as One to heal and save us. The Father gives glory to His precious honored Son. That is exactly how much God loves you and I, and when we broke that Love when we messed up everything with our sin and selfishness. He should have stopped there and rid His creation of heartbreak and evil, but He is love incarnate. He would not abandon those He had created to be one with Him—even at the cost of His Kingdom, His crown, His soul—so He made the way for us to be redeemed to come home. But only if we wanted to share in the love He made us for, only if we chose to be with Him. Since we had lost our glory, our worth, our ability to love—He gave everything to die in our name so He could give us the glory, worth and love of His name, and make us worthy to be one with Him again. Look at all Jesus died and won for us—not just a ticket to heaven: John 17:21-23, 26; John 14:18-20. God redeemed you to make you one with Him again—right now, right here. Christ gave you His worth to the Father. Christ gave you His glory in the Father's eyes. Christ made you one in fellowship with Him and the Father. That means He desires to walk and talk with you. He desires to work in your life every moment. He is concerned with everything about you. It also means He desires that same love, devotion and fellowship in return. It is why we were created. It means that our reason for being placed on this earth has not changed—to care for this world and the people in it under Him, to restore all things back to Him, make all things new. He wants to work with you as one in that calling now. He wants us to become so close to Him, so in love with Him, so at one with Him that we share in His desire to set the world right again that we love those in this creation He has given to us. He didn’t just come to get us to the Kingdom; He came to bring the Kingdom to us now. He places great worth and importance on our prayers for those in our lives. He longs to work with us as one, answering our heartfelt prayers to help, heal, grow, and save others. That is why Jesus says that when we become one with His will, we can ask anything and it will be done: 1 John 5:14-15. His will is not just a command to learn what He wants so we can "parrot" it back to Him in prayer. It is an offer to become so close to Him in love that our heartfelt desires can be so like His that we can join with Him as He honors our desire and will to move in this creation He has given to us. Placing the same worth, importance, passion, authority into hearing and answering us that He did for Jesus Christ. Because through Christ alone, we have been given that worth, honor and love once more—even though we have done nothing to deserve it. This is how and why we die to self and rise a new creature with a new life and desire. This is how we find a new worth for people and life. This is why we don't see anything the same after Christ; everything serves a different purpose than before. Our goal and purpose is unimaginably bigger than anything we could desire on earth. We have joined the King as one in His quest to save eternal souls: to love and touch broken people; to show worth to worthless people. It is so much bigger than simply attaining salvation. Our lives are meant for so much more, right here, right now. Accepting Christ as King is supposed to be an epiphany of the souls where we are accepted and loved as one with God Himself where our prayers, work, desires—all take on the importance and authority of Christ. As we become partners with our King to care for the Creation He has given to us.  So, get over whether you are worthy or not [you aren't—but He can make you worthy if you want Him]. Get over whether you have gone too far or rejected Him one too many times. Get over what you did yesterday, and decide if you want Him now. Then we all need to fully embrace just how loved we are now. Embrace that He wants to be one right now. Embrace that our entire calling has changed as we walk with Him in newness. Embrace that we have been bestowed with blessing, power and position in Him that our love, work and will are wanted and honored as we work with him in the greatest calling imaginable: Ephesians 2:8-10.