Reply to 'When Jesus speaks of an "unforgivable sin."'
Thank you for this post
For me, with a great deal of heartbreak I consider the innumerable women who have been maligned and demonized, by the Church (and usually by men in particular) throughout history and right into our day, who are answering their called in obedience as teachers, prophets, and servants of God....
it's sobering how few of those people, if any, realize they are sinning in just this manner.
> Rebellion and moral confusion, especially of this magnitude, cannot be pardoned while actively ongoing.
So when Jesus at His crucifixion asked God to "forgive them for they do not know what they are [actively] doing," He was asking for them to be forgiven only afterward, when/if they find out? But not while or if they remain confused?
Your distinction between repentance and pardon was helpful. While I have had a position that is in agreement agreed with your presentation, I've not always had the words at the time.
I think this is a beautiful interpretation of this thing that has caused so many of us such anxiety. A thought that has occurred to me as someone who holds a hopeful universalist eschatology is that the “unforgivable sin” is, in fact, unforgivable but will be payed for by the offender in a process of purgation that eventually results in the will yielding to the love of God which burns like a fire. I think you’re spot on about the unforgivable sin not being something God cannot forgive, but as a condition of the heart that shuts one off from receiving forgiveness.
Bishop Fulton Sheen had a thoughtful insight on those words of Jesus on the cross; "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". In a sense, he says, all forgiveness depends on some level of ignorance. What would it be like if we had complete and total knowledge of all of the true consequences of sin! Or if we really knew how much love there was in the Incarnation and Passion! If they truly knew what they were doing, there would be no forgiveness. As we come to fuller knowledge of those consequences, we are faced with the choice: do I continue as before, or do I humbly submit that I was wrong and need to repent?
The reason God always forgives the repentant man is that he has come out of ignorance into knowledge which has shown him the harms of his sin. God knows me better than I know myself. Dear God, I wish to know! Help me out of my ignorance!
I think attributing something evil to a being that is wholly good is what is meant by "taking the Lord's name in vain". Coming from a social work standpoint, I think you are right in saying that just because a sin is "unforgivable" doesn't mean God can't or won't forgive it, but that it is a repentance thing, and people who are so morally corrupt have deep teachings like the ones the Pharisees held so deep within them, there whole worldview is built on their control and the sun is "unforgivable" because they likely will never repent and therefore never be forgiven
"What is necessary in such a state is repentance, not pardon."
Friend, this is an excellent approach to the puzzle. I don't have interlinear Greek translation handy. However, the English suggests that it is the "sin," not the person, which is unforgivable.
The Spirit never abandons anyone. However, it cannot work its healing grace so long as the person denies its power to do so.
"Consider if this had happened in the gospel story. After Jesus offers his rebuke to the Pharisees about how they explained the exorcism, imagine one of them feeling convicted. Jesus' answer stings, and this Pharisee reconsiders: "Perhaps I have been too quick to judge. This man has been set free from demonic power. Jesus is correct. Clearly this is the work of God!" The Pharisee repents in his heart for speaking against the Holy Spirit."
This may have actually been the case with Nicodemus. Remember what he first says to the Lord during there meeting.
Maybe what Jesus’ intention here was to provoke the Pharisee by saying this statement - perhaps he WAS convicted after Jesus said this … perhaps he did repent, perhaps Jesus’ statement about ‘the unforgivable sin’ was a direct challenge, addressing him with a choice, which Kingdom did he want to be in? Maybe this statement was cryptic, for the moment and to whoever had eyes to see and ears to hear were provoked to repent. Like an epiphany, perhaps the statement DID help the Pharisee see the division of Kingdoms more clearly? They had just witnessed something incredible and when they went home witnessing this would have played out in their minds and I am sure the phrase ‘unforgivable sin’ would have been wrestled with by some, puzzled over in the same way we have wrestled it. Some would have just been offended and walked away.
What fascinates me is that Jesus showed his power of Satan. He made clear (to some) that there are two kingdoms. I wish the divide was always this clear to see… but, the devil often parades an Angel of light - he can make evil look like good and good look like evil - an unforgivable sin. Very clever.
I think as mentioned above, Jesus’ ‘father forgive them for they know what they do’ reveals a divine hearts cry, an eschatological hope for the currently unrepentant.
Reply to 'When Jesus speaks of an "unforgivable sin."'
Thank you for this post
For me, with a great deal of heartbreak I consider the innumerable women who have been maligned and demonized, by the Church (and usually by men in particular) throughout history and right into our day, who are answering their called in obedience as teachers, prophets, and servants of God....
it's sobering how few of those people, if any, realize they are sinning in just this manner.
(in my opinion)
> Rebellion and moral confusion, especially of this magnitude, cannot be pardoned while actively ongoing.
So when Jesus at His crucifixion asked God to "forgive them for they do not know what they are [actively] doing," He was asking for them to be forgiven only afterward, when/if they find out? But not while or if they remain confused?
Your distinction between repentance and pardon was helpful. While I have had a position that is in agreement agreed with your presentation, I've not always had the words at the time.
I think this is a beautiful interpretation of this thing that has caused so many of us such anxiety. A thought that has occurred to me as someone who holds a hopeful universalist eschatology is that the “unforgivable sin” is, in fact, unforgivable but will be payed for by the offender in a process of purgation that eventually results in the will yielding to the love of God which burns like a fire. I think you’re spot on about the unforgivable sin not being something God cannot forgive, but as a condition of the heart that shuts one off from receiving forgiveness.
Bishop Fulton Sheen had a thoughtful insight on those words of Jesus on the cross; "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". In a sense, he says, all forgiveness depends on some level of ignorance. What would it be like if we had complete and total knowledge of all of the true consequences of sin! Or if we really knew how much love there was in the Incarnation and Passion! If they truly knew what they were doing, there would be no forgiveness. As we come to fuller knowledge of those consequences, we are faced with the choice: do I continue as before, or do I humbly submit that I was wrong and need to repent?
The reason God always forgives the repentant man is that he has come out of ignorance into knowledge which has shown him the harms of his sin. God knows me better than I know myself. Dear God, I wish to know! Help me out of my ignorance!
I think attributing something evil to a being that is wholly good is what is meant by "taking the Lord's name in vain". Coming from a social work standpoint, I think you are right in saying that just because a sin is "unforgivable" doesn't mean God can't or won't forgive it, but that it is a repentance thing, and people who are so morally corrupt have deep teachings like the ones the Pharisees held so deep within them, there whole worldview is built on their control and the sun is "unforgivable" because they likely will never repent and therefore never be forgiven
At least, that's how I read it
"What is necessary in such a state is repentance, not pardon."
Friend, this is an excellent approach to the puzzle. I don't have interlinear Greek translation handy. However, the English suggests that it is the "sin," not the person, which is unforgivable.
The Spirit never abandons anyone. However, it cannot work its healing grace so long as the person denies its power to do so.
"Consider if this had happened in the gospel story. After Jesus offers his rebuke to the Pharisees about how they explained the exorcism, imagine one of them feeling convicted. Jesus' answer stings, and this Pharisee reconsiders: "Perhaps I have been too quick to judge. This man has been set free from demonic power. Jesus is correct. Clearly this is the work of God!" The Pharisee repents in his heart for speaking against the Holy Spirit."
This may have actually been the case with Nicodemus. Remember what he first says to the Lord during there meeting.
Maybe what Jesus’ intention here was to provoke the Pharisee by saying this statement - perhaps he WAS convicted after Jesus said this … perhaps he did repent, perhaps Jesus’ statement about ‘the unforgivable sin’ was a direct challenge, addressing him with a choice, which Kingdom did he want to be in? Maybe this statement was cryptic, for the moment and to whoever had eyes to see and ears to hear were provoked to repent. Like an epiphany, perhaps the statement DID help the Pharisee see the division of Kingdoms more clearly? They had just witnessed something incredible and when they went home witnessing this would have played out in their minds and I am sure the phrase ‘unforgivable sin’ would have been wrestled with by some, puzzled over in the same way we have wrestled it. Some would have just been offended and walked away.
What fascinates me is that Jesus showed his power of Satan. He made clear (to some) that there are two kingdoms. I wish the divide was always this clear to see… but, the devil often parades an Angel of light - he can make evil look like good and good look like evil - an unforgivable sin. Very clever.
I think as mentioned above, Jesus’ ‘father forgive them for they know what they do’ reveals a divine hearts cry, an eschatological hope for the currently unrepentant.
Amen, Dr Beck. Well said.