Is There An Unforgiveable Sin ?

[justaname]

Jesus will break our hearts and the dawn of transformation will occur.....

For me, realizing that unredeemed souls and God's omnipotence are really incompatible has made me question my understanding of salvation. Also, if God is truly all present how could He not be in everyone's heart?

The NT says that Jesus came for everyone - if this is true, His death would have been in vain if the majority of humanity is lost,

I am not ready to give up the idea of Hell, but I am definitely questioning the classic interpretation.

Aspen,

Love is the absolute that exists always.
Romans 9

Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?
22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?
23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.

God is always working in the best interest of His children. God desires all come to repentance. The tension comes on the toes of the thought of justice. My admission is we children of God do not know the depths of evil in the hearts of men.

Children of God are predestined as God's own workmanship, to be conformed into the image of the Son. My next admission is we do not know the depths of love in the heart of the Son. From our linear view through time He has not finished His work in us yet, yet according to His election it is as good as done, even during times of suffering.
Romans 8

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;
34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.



Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work (death for sin) on the cross and the bodily resurrection.
Theologically speaking this is all we need to know or better described trust in. Debates between theologians and scholars about processes can be interesting, but also consuming if allowed.


As to the OP I agree with Big Andy and the like! I would like to add if anyone today attributes Jesus' work to the devil, I am not so convinced this can not be applied to you also.

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

According to the "experts" ...
this verse refers only to that small group of people back then
who claimed that Satan performed the miracles, and not the Holy Spirit.

.
Correct ..... we would have to be right there with Jesus as he was performing miracles and accuse Him of using an evil spirit to doing the miracles

Mark 3:28-29 are out of context! They can not stand alone and be exegeted properly without the surrounding scripture. (WHAT Jesus said)

Look at verse 22: "And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”" (WHO Jesus is addressing)

Then look at verse 30: "He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”" (WHY He was addressing them)

Let's read them in order...
And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem [WHO] said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”" ...[Jesus said]" Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” [WHAT] He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”[WHY]

It's quite clear, with the surrounding text (the WHO, WHAT, and WHY), that Jesus is aiming His statement about blaspheme right at the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees accusing Him of being Satan rather than God. They pretended to be the arbiters of Holiness but could not even recognize The Lord Himself in their midst! So Christ puts them in their rightful place, not only refuting their accusation, but turning the tables and bringing their accusation against Him right back on them.

This out of context passage has nothing to do with today, after the crucifixion, during this age of grace. It is very site specific, audience specific, and time specific.

.

Well said Big Andy

 

[KingJ]

I have heard that to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is unforgiveable...is that true ?

Yes. But it is not easily done. We can learn from the fallen angels here. How many acts of rebellion before they were booted out of God's presence for eternity? one!

What is the significant difference between us and angels? They are in the spirit and we are not. Their yes is a clear and decisive yes. Ours is yes'ish and no'ish. Hence after considerable rejection of the convicting of the Holy Spirit, we are doomed. God knows the cut-off point. It just takes some applied logic. Surely those that are dead and never accepted Christ had no more hope of coming around? God must have seen in them that they have made the decision to reject Him at the same level of intent as the fallen angels.

This is why I panic / stress for those who are continuing in an extremity of sin! The math is simple to do. Hence we can make statements like 'everyone living is living because God has hope for them!' everyone dead and en-route to hell committed the unpardonable sin of cursing the Holy Spirit.

Another good example I read on the internet is: Paul was en-route to Damascus to kill Christians (Blaspheming Jesus). If he rejected what Jesus said in his encounter and went on to kill Christians it would be blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

 

[Axehead]

I hope you do not mind me adding a verse here...

Luk 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Not at all John 8_32. That is a great verse.

Until we 'endure to the end' we are not saved. I have seen the root of bitterness defile many Christians on the road to Zion. They left the highway of holiness.


Rom_12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.


Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

Why should we fear?

Rom 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

 

[veteran]

Scripture reveals it a sin that only the called or chosen can make.


Acts 5:1-10
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
(KJV)



Rom 5:13
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
(KJV)


It's about 'accountability'. If one has no opportunity to 'hear' The Gospel of Jesus Christ and believe, then how can those be held accountable by God? Those will still die because of sin, but not accountable to perish until they have had opportunity to hear and believe on Christ (a major purpose for Christ's future Milennium reign).

But one that has believed on Christ Jesus, and had 'evidence' of the things of the world to come, like Hebrews 6 states, there is no more sacrifice for sin, i.e. Christ's sacrifice is made of none effect for those who turn like that. And I believe their falling away would have to include a DIRECT turning around with the willful intention to follow the devil instead.

Many believers on Christ Jesus have been blinded in ignorance when they wrongly bow to the coming pseudo-Christ. If they don't know the pseudo-Christ is not our Lord Jesus, that is not the unforgiveable sin. But an elect chosen one today who well knows... the coming pseudo-Christ is false, and still bows to that false one in full knowledge, well that's a different story. Those will be accountable, and that would be the unforgiveable sin.