![]() In addition, they knew the scriptures and thus understood intellectually that Christ was the fulfillment of messianic prophecy. From a historical perspective it is important to note that the Pharisees had firsthand knowledge of Christ’s miracle working power. They consistently portray people who knowingly persist in rejecting Christ’s messianic mission despite His miracles and the ministering power of the Holy Spirit. Passages like Matthew 12:22-37, Mark 3:20-30, and Luke 12:10 all have one thing in common. Instead, with premeditation and persistence, they willfully blasphemed the Holy Spirit’s testimony that Christ was the Son of the living God. Unlike those who are afraid they have committed the unforgivable sin, the Pharisees were totally unconcerned about Christ’s forgiveness. The Pharisees mentioned by Matthew militantly hated Christ and attributed His miracles to Beelzebub, the prince of demons. In other words, they have no interest in His forgiveness. The fear I experienced in 1962 is the same fear that prompts one of the questions I am asked most frequently today on the Bible Answer Man broadcast: “How can I know for sure that I have not committed the unforgivable sin?”įirst let me point out that my response to each and every caller is exactly the same as what my father told me: “If you are truly concerned, you have not committed the unforgivable sin.” Rather than demonstrating concern, those who actually commit the unpardonable sin are cavalier about Christ and Christianity. To this day I can still hear his words: “If you are truly concerned, you have not committed the unforgivable sin.” To my utter astonishment he simply smiled. ![]() “Dad,” I stammered when he entered the bedroom, “I’ve committed the unforgivable sin… the world is coming to an end… and I’m headed for hell!” When my father returned from work, he found me lying in bed, agonizing over my impending physical and spiritual doom. ![]() In the ensuing hours I was virtually paralyzed by my fear. Even at my age I understood that as the Cuban Missile Crisis played itself out, the world was poised precariously on the precipice of nuclear disaster. Kennedy had thrown down the gauntlet to the Soviets by imposing a naval blockade. My terror continued to grow as I heard that John F. I listened anxiously to news reports of Nikita Khrushchev’s secret installation of nuclear warheads in Cuba. Although my anxiety subsided somewhat after Sunday’s service, the following day my fears flooded back in full force. My horror at this sudden realization was so traumatic that I literally felt sick. But one memory remains forever etched upon the canvas of my consciousness: I like the Pharisees of Christ’s time had committed the unforgivable sin. Today as I write I cannot recall the exact thoughts that flashed through my mind at that moment. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matt. Christ’s comeback was captivating to me, “I tell you the truth,” He said, “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. He pointed out that the Pharisees, who were eye-witnesses of the encounter, attributed Christ’s exorcism to Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Just when I thought he was finally finished, he began telling the story of Christ’s encounter with a demon possessed man. I sat impatiently in my pew as the pastor droned on endlessly about the Pharisees and their encounters with Christ. For further information or similar articles go to: ![]() ![]() This article first appeared in the Questions and Answers column of the Christian Research Newsletter, volume 9, number 1 (1996). ![]()
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