An eternal sin?

Texts: Genesis 42.1-17, 1 Corinthians 5.1-8, Mark 3.19-35

Commemoration: Chad of Litchfield

Almighty God, whose servant Chad, for the peace of the Church, relinquished cheerfully the honors that had been thrust upon him, only to be rewarded with equal responsibility: Keep us, we pray, from thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, and ready at all times to step aside for others, (in honor preferring one another,) that the cause of Christ may be advanced; in the name of him who washed his disciples' feet, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Jesus was healing many and driving out demons. But "the scribes who came down from Jerusalem" were not impressed, claiming, "'He is possessed by Beelzebul' and 'by the prince of demons he casts out demons.'" Not only was this claim callous, it was also perilous, placing these self-proclaimed religious know-it-alls in danger of eternal separation from God. For Jesus warns them that "all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin."

But what was it which these scribes said which placed them outside the forgiveness of God? What was their "eternal sin?" Jesus said this to them, according to Mark, because "they had said, 'He has an unclean spirit.'" They had witnessed, before their very eyes, the power of the Holy Spirit at work in Jesus, bringing healing and deliverance. Yet, they attributed all this to "the prince of demons."

But is the "eternal sin" of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as simple as this? Is it merely an outward act, a careless word spoken out of ignorance or hard-heartedness? Did the scribes' real sin involve only the words of their mouths, or did it involve the attitude of their hearts? Were not their careless words merely a manifestation of a callous attitude which so clouded their perception that they could not even acknowledge, much less glorify, God even when the power of his Holy Spirit was on display right before their very eyes?

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable, "eternal sin" not because of any failure on God's part to forgive "all sins" committed by "the children of men and whatever blasphemies they utter." Rather, the one who "blasphemes against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness" because such forgiveness is not desired. The merciful, forgiving, and healing God revealed in and through Jesus Christ is a total stranger to such a person, so much so that he is unable to give God all the glory, but instead gives the devil all the credit.

Originally posted 1/20/09

When O'er My Sins I Sorrow

When o’er my sins I sorrow,
Lord, I will look to Thee
And hence my comfort borrow
That Thou wast slain for me;
Yea, Lord, Thy precious blood was spilt
For me, O most unworthy,
To take away my guilt.

Oh, what a marvelous offering!
Behold, the Master spares
His servants, and their suffering
And grief for them He bears.
God stoopeth from His throne on high;
For me, His guilty creature,
He deigns as man to die.

My manifold transgression
Henceforth can harm me none
Since Jesus’ bloody Passion
For me God’s grace hath won.
His precious blood my debts hath paid;
Of hell and all its torments
I am no more afraid.

Therefore I will forever
Give glory unto Thee,
O Jesus, loving Savior,
For what Thou didst for me.
I’ll spend my breath in songs of thanks
For Thy sad cry, Thy sufferings,
Thy wrongs, Thy guiltless death.

• Justus Gesinius