The Unpardonable Sin (Part 2)

In the synoptic Gospels it is especially  the enemies of Christ and the not-yet­converted who are in danger of committing the unpardonable sin. A number of peri­scopes in the New Testament seem to indi­cate that professed Christians should also be warned of that eternal sin. Paul, for in­stance, admonishes the believers in Ephe­sus not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4: 30), for "that Spirit is the seal with which you were marked for the day of our final liberation" (N.E.B.).*

John, in his first Epistle, also speaks about members of the church who might commit a deadly sin for which there is no forgiveness. And in the book of Hebrews the church is warned more than once about the sin of indifference toward the grace of God, an indifference that eventually may lead to an apostasy from the faith. Even repentance then becomes impossible (chap. 6:4-6). To him who persists in sin after hav­ing received the full knowledge of truth there remains only "a terrifying expecta­tion of judgement and a fierce fire" (chap. 10:26-30, N.E.B.).

1 John 5:16. John is making a distinc­tion between sins that are not deadly and sins that inevitably result in death. This distinction corresponds closely to the one made in the Old Testament: on the one hand the sin committed out of ignorance, out of weakness, and by mistake—bishega­gah, and on the other hand the sin com­mitted beyad ramah, "with an high hand," willfully and intentionally (Num. 15:25­31). The man who sinned willfully, presumptuously, whether he was a Jew or a stranger, "shall utterly be cut off." John refers to it in the words humartia pros than-a ton. Under the old covenant the priest could make no atonement for him. Such a sin could not be forgiven. In John's words: "I do not suggest that he should pray about that" (N.E.B.). (Compare here also He­brews 10:26-31: ". . . no sacrifice remains," etc.)

Sin of Apostasy

But to what type of sin was John refer­ring? From the whole context of John's Epistles it seems highly probable that John is referring to the sin of determined apos­tasy, such as choosing to accept the words of false teachers (false prophets) in willful disobedience to the Holy Spirit and the counsels He has given us. John makes it very clear that no one needs to be misled by these false spirits after the Spirit of God has been revealed so clearly (1 John 2:18; 3:7; 4:1, etc.). It is a serious warning for Christians living in the last days to beware of false teachers, false doctrines, and false philosophy.

Calvin, in his commentary on this text, remarks that this sin unto death is the sin against the Holy Spirit. And many com­mentators have followed him. This sin, however, is not merely the acceptance of a wrong doctrine, nor is it doubt, or even a falling away from the flock. As a "child of God," in spite of all our disloyalty, the be­liever may rest assured that God will not leave him completely to the snares of Sa­tan to be his slave. No, the sin unto death to which John is referring is again a per­sistent refusal to repent, to return to the flock. "Return to the flock" does not mean that a man was already dropped from the church records. The serious warning refers also to him who is a regular church mem­ber, even a leader, but who, in his heart, has fallen away.

When John describes the change wrought in a sinner at his conversion, he says that that person has "crossed over from death to life" (1 John 3:14). Such a man has eternal life already (John 11:26). But the person who falls away from that faith, he who continues to commit sin in spite of the clear testimony of the Spirit of God, and who persistently refuses to repent, is crossing over again from life to death. John is making the contrast be­tween eis ten zoen and pros ten thanaton: the step to Christ and the step away from Him.

In his whole Epistle, John with great emphasis now warns the church members against this form of apostasy. What, then, is it that makes apostasy an unpardonable sin?

Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31. "For when men have once been enlightened, when they have had a taste of the heavenly gift and a share in the Holy Spirit, when they have experienced the goodness of God's word and the spiritual energies of the age to come, and after all this have fallen away, it is impossible to bring them again to repentance; for with their own hands they are crucifying the Son of God and making mockery of his death" (Heb. 6: 4-6, N.E.B.).

The same earnest warning against apos­tasy is repeated in Hebrews 10:26-31. There, however, one thing is made very clear: such an apostasy is not just a tres­passing of the law, willfully or by mistake, a denial of the Lord, even after all our experiences with Him, but a willful per­sisting in our sin. When a man who has received the knowledge of truth, who has been made a partaker of the Holy Spirit, who has experienced the goodness of the Lord in his life, apostatizes, such a man does not sin in error, bishegagah. He does so deliberately and intentionally. Still, there is time to repent. But the text (verse 26) says: hekouslos gar hamartanontan hemon, a willful continuation to sin, a persisting in willful sinning. And that is what makes repentance gradually impossible. "The process is gradual, and almost imperceptible."'

The crucial point here is photizein. The writer speaks about the spiritual situation of the church—the members have grown "dull of hearing"; they ought to be teach­ers, but instead they need others to teach them "the ABC of God's oracles over again; it has come to this, that you need milk instead of solid food" (Heb. 5:12-14, N.E.B.; 6:1-3).

Constant Effort to Grow

Spiritual indolence is a sign that people are in danger of falling away from the faith. "Growing" means constant effort, diligence, and struggle. Spiritual sluggish­ness is a sign that people are in danger of losing their faith and thus are making shipwreck of it (I Tim. I:19), such as Hy­menaeus and Alexander were doing whom Paul therefore "delivered unto Satan" (verse 20). The examples of these people are a warning of what happens to church members who do not hold to the faith. Gradually they will lose it completely, even though there may remain a form of godliness. A continued spiritual sluggish­ness, a growing disinterest in daily spirit­ual life, someday will lead to a total falling away, and a complete loss of faith. As El­len G. White remarked: "It is not neces­sary for us deliberately to choose the serv­ice of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the king­dom of the light."'

This form of apostasy, however, is a de­nial of the Holy Spirit we received at our baptism. It is interesting to note that the early Christian church often used the terms photizein and photismos for bap­tism. And those who were baptized were often referred to as hapax photisthentes, "the once enlightened." Conversion, "en­lightenment," is the work of the Holy Spirit. The enlightened ones indeed have experienced and tasted God's grace and the goodness of the Lord. They really have become partakers of the Holy Spirit. A continued neglect of this grace is an out­right denial of the Holy Spirit, a serious grieving of the Holy Spirit, who once sealed us unto salvation.

Refusal to Grow in the Spirit

This does not mean that a sin committed after our baptism is unpardonable, as some in the early Christian church taught. The apostle is not referring to a "cardinal sin." He speaks about the persistent re­fusal to grow in the Spirit. The apostle's words contain therefore the serious warn­ing that such an attitude of spiritual lazi­ness and indolence among the church members leads to a "hardening of the heart," making even repentance impossi­ble.