As I continued to read, I came across the man in the iron cage bound up in his own guilt, sin and having a hardened heart against God. I was a bit perplexed that a man thought he was unworthy of being saved since he had known of God once before, His promise and the ultimate sacrifice. Perhaps it was because he appeared to be a man of the proverbial cloth. I was always led to believe that where there is life, there is still hope.
Man. “I have crucified Him to myself afresh. I have despised His person. I have despised His holiness; I have counted His blood an unholy thing; I have shown contempt to the Spirit of mercy. Therefore I have shut myself out of all the promises of God, and there now remains to me nothing but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, fearful threatenings of certain judgment and fiery anger, which shall devour me as an enemy.” – Pilgrim’s Progress.
With aid of my earthly mentor, I have learned that there is one sin that is unforgivable. It is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. To illustrate, please see these verses:
Mat 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
While I thought (wrongly) that one could be forgiven anything right up until death, apparently there is one sin, above all others that is unforgivable. Jesus’ words in the scripture are very specific on this matter. Earlier in Matthew, there is an example given, about the Pharisees attributing Jesus’ healing to that done with the help of the devil.
Take Heed.
Indeed. I have been thinking that Hebrews 6:4-6 is probably a thorough description of that which shall not be forgiven.
Yes, it is a more thorough description. And it shows me how close I was to becoming one of those. It is easy to see those who have fallen away, having known. Their hearts are hardened.