We closed our last class by talking about the opposition that Jesus was facing from both His family and the religious leaders of the day. It reached a new height in Mark’s account when we are told that His family concluded that “He is out of His mind” and the scribes sent from Jerusalem said “He has Beelzebub” and “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.” Jesus called those scribes to Himself and spoke to them in a parable, simply a story that illustrated the truth of His identity and the error of their accusations. The question He asked was “How can Satan cast out Satan?” His point was “a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand”. The parable was that no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods unless he first binds up the strong man. Jesus’ point was His work of grace that was casting out demons was robbing the kingdom of darkness and that He could not do that work unless He had power over Satan, not power from Satan. He was once again revealing His identity to those that would be willing to see and hear with the eyes of the Spirit.
From this parable Jesus begins to teach something of great importance but at the same time something that has often been misunderstood. We often refer to this short section of verses as “The Unpardonable Sin” but I’m not sure that is really the heart of what Jesus was teaching, in this one sentence Jesus gives both a great promise and a great warning but I don’t believe He gives any cause for fear or confusion. I have had more than a few people come to me over the years with great concern that they had committed the “unpardonable sin”, they are usually afraid that they have unknowingly lost their salvation and that God was finished with them. I find it amazing that words that Jesus spoke to give a warning to those that were in sin have been twisted to become words used to create fear for many that have had their sins forgiven. Let’s remember two things as we wade into this text, Romans 8:15 says “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Secondly, I John 4:18 says “There is no fear in Love, perfect love casts out fear . . .” When God speaks, even when it is a rebuke, even when it is a judgment it is not ever to cause the fear that leads to confusion, meaning not knowing where we stand with Him. Rebuke and judgment can cause fear, the fear and trembling that are present when we recognize and realize the severity of our sin and His holiness, but that fear drives us to a decision of obedience or disobedience. The fear of confusion is not ever from God, He is truth, He makes the crooked places plain because His love desires that we walk in the truth of adoption not the fear of being cast out.