Bible Studies

---

Mark 3: 28—“Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; (29) “but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”—(30)
BECAUSE THEY SAID, “HE HAS AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT.” It is interesting to look at these Scriptures in the light of the ones found in the book of Acts. First we will address the one we want to compare to this, and then we will go back and look at the whole picture. Acts 10:28—But God has shown to me (Peter) that I SHOULD NOT CALL ANY MAN COMMON OR UNCLEAN. Now let’s look at the previous Scriptures!

Acts 10:9—The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. (10) Then he became VERY HUNGRY and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, HE FELL INTO A TRANCE (11) and saw HEAVEN OPENED UP and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners , descending to him and let down to the earth. (12) In it were ALL KINDS OF FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS of the earth, WILD BEASTS, CREEPING THINGS, and BIRDS OF THE AIR. (13) And a voice came to him, “RISE, PETER, KILL and EAT.” (14) But Peter said, “NOT SO, LORD! For I have never eaten anything COMMON OR UNCLEAN.” (15) And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “WHAT GOD HAS CLEANSED YOU MUST NOT CALL COMMON.” For another piece of the picture let’s compare these to the Scriptures that we find in the book of James.

James 3:5—Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! (6) and the tongue IS A FIRE, A WORLD OF INIQUITY. The tongue is SO SET AMONG OUR MEMBERS that IT DEFILES THE WHOLE BODY, and SETS ON FIRE THE COURSE OF NATURE; and IT IS SET ON FIRE BY HELL. (7) For every KIND OF BEAST and BIRD of REPTILE and CREATURE of THE SEA, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. (8) But no man can tame THE TONGUE. It is AN UNRULY EVIL, full of deadly poison. (9) With it WE BLESS our GOD AND FATHER and with it WE CURSE MEN, WHO HAVE BEEN MADE in the SIMILITUDE OF GOD. (10) Out of the same mouth proceed BLESSING and CURSING. My brethren, THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT TO BE SO. (11) Does A SPRING send forth FRESH WATER and BITTER from the same opening?(12) Can a FIG TREE my brethren, bear OLIVES, or A GRAPEVINE bear FIGS? Thus NO SPRING can yield both salt water and fresh. Luke 6:43—“For A GOOD TREE does not bear BAD FRUIT, nor does a BAD TREE bear GOOD FRUIT. (44) “For EVERY TREE is known by its OWN FRUIT. For men do not gather FIGS from THORNS, nor do they gather GRAPES from a BRAMBLE BUSH. (45) “a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Now let’s return back to the Book of Acts and take another look at Peter’s vision!

Acts 10:15—And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call COMMON.” (16) This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. (17) Now while Peter wondered within himself WHAT THIS VISION which he had seen MEANT, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. Now let’s look at Acts 11:2—And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those OF THE CIRCUMSISION contended with him, (3) saying, “YOU WENT IN TO UNCIRCUMCISED MEN and ATE WITH THEM!” (Acts 10:28—Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. BUT GOD HAS SHOWN ME THAT I SHOULD NOT CALL ANY MAN COMMON OR UNCLEAN.) Acts 11:4 cont.-- But Peter explained it to them in order from THE BEGINNING, saying: (5) “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and IN A TRANCE I SAW A VISION, an object descending like a GREAT SHEET, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. (6) “When I observed it intently AND CONSIDERED, I saw FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS of the earth, WILD BEASTS, CREEPING THINGS, and BIRDS of THE AIR. (7) “And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘RISE PETER; KILL and EAT.’ (8) “But I said, ‘NOT SO, LORD! For nothing COMMON or UNCLEAN has at any time entered my mouth.’ (9) “But the voice answered me again FROM HEAVEN, ‘WHAT GOD HAS CLEASED YOU MUST NOT CALL COMMON.’ (10) “Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. (11) “At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.

(12) Then “THE SPIRIT told me to go with them, DOUBTING NOTHING. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. (13) And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, (14) ‘WHO WILL TELL YOU WORDS BY WHICH YOU and ALL YOUR HOUSEHOLD WILL BE SAVED.’ (15) “And as I began to speak, THE HOLY SPIRIT FELL UNPON THEM, AS UPON US AT THE BEGINNING. (16) “Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water, BUT YOU SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.’ (17) “If therefore God gave them the SAME GIFT as HE GAVE US when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I would withstand God? (18) When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “THEN GOD HAS ALSO GRANTED TO THE GENTILES REPENTANCE TO LIFE.” Now let’s look at these Scriptures in the light of the ones in the beginning of Acts. These are the teachings of Jesus!

Acts 1:4—and being assembled together with them, HE COMMANDED THEM not to depart from Jerusalem , BUT TO WAIT FOR THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; (5) ‘for John truly baptized with water, but you shall BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT not many days from now.” (6) Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him saying, “LORD, WILL YOU AT THIS TIME RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL? (7) And He said to them, “It is not for you to know TIMES OR SEASONS which the Father has put in HIS OWN AUTHORITY. (8)”BUT YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU; AND YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH.” (NKJV)

What happened when the early church was filled with the spirit? Acts 2:4—And they were all filled with THE HOLY SPIRIT and began to speak with OTHER TONGUES, as THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE. (5) Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem JEWS, devout men, FROM EVERY NATION UNDER HEAVEN. (6) And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and WERE CONFUSED, because EVERYONE HEARD THEM SPEAK IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE. (7) Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these WHO SPEAK GALILEANS? (8) “And how is it that we hear, EACH IN OUR OWN LANGUAGE IN WHICH WE WERE BORN? (11) ‘CRETANS and ARABS—we hear THEM SPEAKING IN OUR OWN TONGUES THE WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD.”

Can you imagine what would happen in our churches today, if people of other nations attended our services and heard someone speak (not in an unknown tongue) but in their very own language, by someone who did not happen to know that language? I have heard of it on very rare occasions, but sorry to say I have never had the pleasure of attending a service like that, have you? It is important to note though why the Holy Spirit was given in the first place. It was given to fulfill THE GREAT COMMISSION! Acts 1:8—“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH.”

THE GREAT COMMISSION: Luke 24:44—Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be FULFILLED which WERE WRITTEN in THE LAW OF MOSES and THE PROPHETS and THE PSALMS concerning Me.” (45) And HE OPENED THEIR UNDERSTANDING, that they may UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES. (46) Then He said to them, “Thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and TO RISE FROM THE DEAD the third day, (47) “and that REPENTANCE and REMISSION of SINS should be preached in His name TO ALL NATIONS, beginning at JERUSALEM. (48) “And you are witnesses of these things. (49) “BEHOLD, I SEND THE PROMISE OF MY FATHER UPON YOU; BUT TARRY IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM UNTIL YOU ARE ENDUED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH.”

Acts 3:18—“But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all HIS PROPHETS, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. (19) REPENT therefore and be converted, THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT, so that times OF REFRESHING may come from THE PRESENCE of the Lord, (20) “and that HE MAY SEND JESUS CHRIST, WHO WAS PREACHED TO YOU BEFORE. (21) “whom heaven must receive UNTIL THE TIMES OF RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. (22) “For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. (23) ‘And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ (24) “Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. (25) “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to ABRAHAM, and in your seed ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED. (Galatians 3:29—And if you are Christ’s, THEN you are ABRAHAM’S SEED and HEIRS according TO THE PROMISE.) Returning to Acts 3:26—“To you first, God, HAVING RAISED UP HIS SERVANT JESUS, sent Him to BLESS YOU, in turning away EVERY ONE OF YOU from your iniquities.”

Acts 13”32—“And we declare to you glad tidings—THAT PROMISE which was made to the fathers, (33) “God has fulfilled this for us their children, IN THAT HE HAS RAISED UP JESUS. AS IT IS ALSO WRITTEN IN THE SECOND PSALM:
“You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” Let’s look at the second Psalm in its entirety!

Psalm 2:1—Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? (2) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, (3) “Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.” Isn’t that exactly what is happening in our world right now? The nations are raging and many of them want nothing to do with our God! Nothing would make many of them any happier, than to see us defeated, and their god, Allah, or whoever, or whatever they happen to call their god, take their place on the throne to rule mankind. It is just not going to happen! We have God’s word on that. Let’s continue on with Psalm 2 verse 4—He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. (5) Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: (6) “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of ZION.” (7) I will declare the decree: the Lord has said to Me, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. (8) Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.

Every one seems to be under the impression that what is promised in the second Psalm is not going to take place until after the literal return of Christ, but if we study very carefully and prayerfully in the book of Hebrews we will find that this is just not the case. We find that we have a High Priest , who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty IN THE HEAVENS. Here He is referred to as a Minister of the sanctuary and of THE TRUE TABERNACLE which the Lord erected and not man. We read in the book of Psalm 78:68—(in regards to God’s sanctuary) that He chose the tribe of Judah, (From which tribe our Lord arose.) (69) And He built HIS SANCTUARY like THE HEIGHTS, Like THE EARTH which HE HAS ESTABLISHED FOREVER. Then in verse four of this eighth Chapter of Hebrews, it very plainly states that IF HE WERE ON EARTH, He would not even be a priest, since there are priests all ready who offer gifts according to the law.’

Here is how this fourth verse reads, and I quote, “For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law. Also in the fifth Chapter of Hebrews we see this in the fifth verse, “So also Christ did NOT GLORIFY HIMSELF to BECOME HIGH PRIEST, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” So here we are taken right back to the second Psalm where God is declaring His Son, and saying that just for the asking, He will give Him the nations for HIS INHERITANCE, and THE ENDS OF THE EARTH for HIS POSSESSION. The gospel of John seems to strengthen this also as we read in, “John 3:16—“For God so loved the world that He gave His ONLY begotten Son, that whoever believes IN HIM should not perish but have everlasting life. (17) “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED.

Bringing us right back to THE GREAT COMMISSION: And bringing us back to
THE REASON WHY CHRIST REDEEMED us FROM THE CURSE of THE LAW. Galatians 3:13—Christ HAS REDEEMED US from THE CURSE of THE LAW, (14) THAT THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM might COME UPON THE GENTILES in Christ Jesus, that we might receive THE PROMISE of THE SPIRIT through FAITH. Romans 4:13—For THE PROMISE that he would be THE HEIR of THE WORLD was not to ABRAHAM or to his seed through the law, BUT THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS of FAITH. Hebrews 11:1—Now FAITH is THE SUBSTANCE of THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE of things NOT SEEN. We are told in the book of Isaiah Chapter fifty-one, “That if we are FOLLOWING after RIGHTEOUSNESS, and if we ARE SEEKING THE LORD: Then we are to look to the rock from which we were hewn, and to LOOK to ABRAHAM and SARAH. Verse 2—For I called him alone, AND BLESSED him and increased him. (3) For the Lord will comfort ZION, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness LIKE EDEN, and her desert LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD;

Why have we not thus far obtained this blessing? Because we have forgotten ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING, there was A STIPULATION ATTATCHED! God was very blessed by the fact that Abraham was willing to offer up his precious son of promise. Let’s read just what God said to Abraham: Genesis 22:16—“By Myself I HAVE SWORN, says the lord, BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THIS THING, and have not withheld your son, your only son, (not mentioning Ishmael) (17) IN BLESSING I WILL BLESS YOU, and IN MULTIPLYING I WILL MULTIPLY YOUR DESCENDANTS as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess THE GATE of their ENEMIES. (18) “IN YOUR SEED ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED, BECAUSE YOU HAVE OBEYED MY VOICE. This was the day God’s amazing grace was born! This promise has been handed down from generation to generation. When God gave this promise to Isaac, He said, Genesis 26:4— “And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to YOUR DESCENDANTS all these lands; and in your seed ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED; (5) “BECAUSE ABRAHAM OBEYED MY VOICE, and KEPT MY CHARGE, MY COMMANDMENTS, MY STATUTES, and MY LAWS.” Then later Isaac passed the blessing of Abraham on to JACOB and then we have Jacob’s ladder and the dream, where the Lord spoke with Him and confirmed the blessing to Jacob. (Genesis 28:3-22) Later THROUGH FAITH, the blessing gets passed on to us as we learn that, “The generation of those who seek God’s face, are now the modern day Jacob.” (Psalm 24:6) We learn also that IF WE ARE CHRIST’S then WE ARE ABRAHAM’S SEED and HEIRS according to THE PROMISE. (Galatians 3:29)

What a shame, God is wanting to give His kids THE WORLD, and they don’t even want it! Jesus said, “What profit a man if he gain the whole world and loose his own soul?” Well, He ought to have the answer to that, because He was willing to do just that! Isaiah 53:10—Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. WHEN YOU MAKE HIS SOUL an offering for sin, He shall SEE HIS SEED, HE SHALL PROLONG HIS DAYS, AND THE PLEASURE OF THE Lord shall prosper in His hand. (comment: regarding this subject I said to God, “If I lost my soul to gain the world, the loss would be great to me, but the gain would be very great to God.” For I am not talking about material gain, but the gain of spiritual descendants!)

Matthew 12:33-- “Either make THE TREE GOOD and ITS FRUIT GOOD, or else make THE TREE BAD and ITS FRUIT BAD; (Hosea 9:10—I found ISRAEL like GRAPES in the wilderness; I SAW YOUR FATHERS AS THE FIRSTFRUITS ON THE FIG TREE IN ITS FIRST SEASON.) for A TREE is known by ITS FRUIT. (35) “A good man out of the GOOD TREASURE of HIS HEART brings forth GOOD THINGS, and an evil man out of the EVIL treasure brings forth EVIL THINGS (36) “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. (37) “FOR BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE JUSTIFIED, and BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED.” Hebrews 9:11—But Christ came AS HIGH PRIEST of the GOOD THINGS TO COME, with THE GREATER and MORE PERFECT TABERNACLE not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.

Baker’s on-line Dictionary states, “Abraham serves as the foundation for blessings.” Then we have this exhortation given by Peter! 1 Peter 3:8—FINALLY, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; LOVE AS BROTHERS, be TENDERHEARTED, be COURTEOUS; (9) not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary BLESSING, knowing that YOU WERE CALLED TO THIS, THAT YOU MAY INHERIT A BLESSING. (10) For “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain HIS TONGUE from evil, and his lips from speaking guile; (11) Let him TURN AWAY FROM EVIL and DO GOOD; Let him SEEK PEACE and pursue it. (12) For the eyes of the Lord ARE ON THE RIGHTEOUS, and HIS EARS are OPEN to THEIR PRAYERS; But THE FACE of the Lord is against those who do evil. Psalm 37:27—DEPART FROM EVIL, and DO GOOD; and DWELL FOREVERMORE. (28) For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. (29) THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL INHERIT THE LAND, AND DWELL IN IT FOREVER. (22) For those who ARE BLESSED by Him shall INHERIT THE EARTH, but those who ARE CURSED by Him shall be CUT OFF.

Matthew 7:12—“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (15) “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (16 “YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or FIGS from thistles? (17) “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit, 20) “THEREFORE BY THEIR FURITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM. James 3:10—Out of the same mouth proceed BLESSING and CURSING, My brethren, these things ought not to be so. (11) Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?(12) Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a GRAPEVINE bear FIGS? Thus no spring can yield both salt water and fresh. John 15:16—“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you THAT YOU SHOULD GO AND BEAR FRUIT, and that YOUR FRUIT should REMAIN, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

THE ONLY WAY WE WILL RECEIVE THE BLESSING PROMISED US, IS AS GOD HAS SAID, “IN BLESSING I WILL BLESS YOU!”

Galatians 3:8—And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify THE NATIONS by FAITH, preached THE GOSPEL to ABRAHAM beforehand, saying, “in you all the nations shall be blessed.”

Mark 16:15—And He said to them, “Go into ALL THE WORLD and preach THE GOSPEL to EVERY CREATURE. (16) “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (17) “And these signs will follow those WHO BELIEVE: In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with NEW TONGUES; (18) “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; THEY WILL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, and THEY WILL RECOVER.”

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE