Ask Mr. Religion
☞☞☞☞Presbyterian (PCA) 	
Gold Subscriber
LIFETIME MEMBER
Hall of Fame
Matthew 12:31 describes the sin attributing to Satan (e.g., exorcisms described in previous verses) the work of the Holy Spirit. In other words the unforgiveable sin was rejecting the Holy Spirit's testimony to Christ. After all, it is blasphemy of the Spirit.
This is a sin that is only possible by the reprobate. When men encounter the truth, and harden themselves against it, they are but finishing the process—humanly speaking—of their own condemnation. The Pharisees literally saw with physical eyes the power of God, exercised in the man Christ Jesus, wholly infilled and purely and perfectly directed by the Holy Spirit. By Our Lord's own infallible testimony, these persons had understood sufficiently what manner of gracious power was at work right in front of them to command their devotion—and instead they preferred to attribute those wonderful words and works to Satan. Such willful blindness is almost inconceivable.
The same Holy Spirit is at work today, still bearing witness to Our Lord. Accordingly, I those who read the Spirit's account of Christ's ministry in the New Testament, and say "that's a fairy tale," are in the exact same position as were the leaders who rejected Christ in those days of Matthew 12. If you put out your own eyes, God has no obligation to rectify that condition, allowing you to see again that you might be saved. In fact, it is most likely that such was God's foreordained means by which you would merit your hopeless destiny. We see these means at work at Chorazin and Bethsaida, in that those places were not shown the testimony of the miracles of Christ (God has no obligation to do so) as a portion of the judgment against those that put out their own eyes:
"Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes... And you Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you" (Matthew 11:21-24).
The unregenerate elect cannot commit the unforgivable sin, else election is impossible, not to mention it would be a situation of pardoning that which is unpardonable, a contradiction. The regenerate elect, having the Spirit indwelling them, cannot commit the unpardonable sin as it is impossible for them to blaspheme He who indwells them.
AMR
This is a sin that is only possible by the reprobate. When men encounter the truth, and harden themselves against it, they are but finishing the process—humanly speaking—of their own condemnation. The Pharisees literally saw with physical eyes the power of God, exercised in the man Christ Jesus, wholly infilled and purely and perfectly directed by the Holy Spirit. By Our Lord's own infallible testimony, these persons had understood sufficiently what manner of gracious power was at work right in front of them to command their devotion—and instead they preferred to attribute those wonderful words and works to Satan. Such willful blindness is almost inconceivable.
The same Holy Spirit is at work today, still bearing witness to Our Lord. Accordingly, I those who read the Spirit's account of Christ's ministry in the New Testament, and say "that's a fairy tale," are in the exact same position as were the leaders who rejected Christ in those days of Matthew 12. If you put out your own eyes, God has no obligation to rectify that condition, allowing you to see again that you might be saved. In fact, it is most likely that such was God's foreordained means by which you would merit your hopeless destiny. We see these means at work at Chorazin and Bethsaida, in that those places were not shown the testimony of the miracles of Christ (God has no obligation to do so) as a portion of the judgment against those that put out their own eyes:
"Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes... And you Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you" (Matthew 11:21-24).
The unregenerate elect cannot commit the unforgivable sin, else election is impossible, not to mention it would be a situation of pardoning that which is unpardonable, a contradiction. The regenerate elect, having the Spirit indwelling them, cannot commit the unpardonable sin as it is impossible for them to blaspheme He who indwells them.
AMR