And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well.

2 Timothy 2:2 (NET)

Paul’s words to Timothy still apply to us today. The church needs teachers who clearly and fearlessly teach the Word of God. With this in mind, The Bible Teacher’s Guide (BTG) series was created. This series includes both expositional and topical studies, with resources to help teachers lead small groups, pastors prepare sermons, and individuals increase their knowledge of God’s Word.

Hamartiology can be used for personal study or as a six to nine-session small group curriculum, depending on how the leader divides up the topics. For small groups, the members will read a chapter (or chapters) and discuss the reflection questions and anything else that stood out in the reading within their gathering. Or, the chapter can be read before the gathering, with the meeting focusing only on discussion.

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

This book is also available for purchase here on Amazon.

What exactly is sin? Wayne Grudem says, “Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.”¹ Simply, sin is when we fail to look like God and depend on him. Tony Evans said this about sin:

Sin makes us self-centered and self-dependent instead of God centered and God-dependent. The less you need God, the more sinful you have become, because you are trying to function independently of the Creator.²

Though there are eight words used for sin in the Old Testament and twelve in the New Testament, the two primary words used for sin, “chata” (Hebrew) and “hamartia” (Greek), have the same basic meaning which is “to miss the mark.”³ These words were used of someone shooting an arrow and missing the target. What target do people miss when they sin? It is the target of looking like God. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” When God made Adam and Eve in the garden, they were made in the very image of God (Gen 1:27). Image doesn’t refer to their physical makeup, since God is a spirit and does not have a physical form (John 4:4). Image, at the minimum, refers to humanity’s character and function. Adam and Eve were made with a righteous disposition—a desire to honor God and love others. In addition, as a matter of function, they were called to rule the earth, even as God ruled heaven. They were essentially God’s vice-regents. Adam and Eve were to display God’s image and glory to all of creation, as benevolent stewards. When humans fail to do this in thought, word, or action, we miss the mark. We sin by failing to live according to our original purpose as bearers of God’s image.

Another definition of sin is “lawlessness.” First John 3:4 says, “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness.” When people break God’s laws, which are ultimately summed up in loving God and others (Matt 20:37-40, Gal 5:14), we sin.

Sometimes people categorize sins as sins of commission and sins of omission. A sin of commission is when we “commit” a sin by breaking one of God’s prohibitions, such as: do not lie, steal, or covet. A sin of omission is when we “omit” doing something God commands, such as making disciples, going to church, or serving those in need. James 4:17 says, “So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.”

Another aspect of sin that is important to remember is that sin is first of all committed in the heart before it is acted out. In Matthew 15:18-20, Christ said:

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.

Murder, sexual immorality, lies, theft, slander, and every other evil thing first start in the heart. In fact, in Matthew 5, Christ simply taught that if a man lusted after a woman that was not his wife, he had committed adultery (v. 27-28). He also taught that to hate was essentially to murder, since it’s the root of murder (v. 21-22). For this reason, when battling sin, we must battle it first on the heart level so that it never manifests as an action.

God has given people the highest standard: We are called to be holy as God is holy (1 Pet 1:16) and perfect as he is perfect (Matt 5:48), which includes not only our actions, but also our words and thoughts. To fail at this, is to sin—to miss the mark of God’s glory (Rom 3:23).

Reflection

1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
2. What is a good definition of sin?
3. What are the primary Hebrew and Greek words used for sin and what do they mean?
4. What are a sin of commission and a sin of omission?
5. What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

Related Topics: Christian Life, Hamartiology (Sin)

How did Adam’s sin affect humanity? His disobedience affected the human race in at least two ways:

1. Because of Adam’s sin, the human race inherits his guilt.

Romans 5:12, 17, and 19 says,

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned… For if, by the transgression of the one man, death reigned through the one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ!... For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man many will be made righteous.

God promised Adam and Eve that if they ate of the tree, they would die (Gen 2:17). Death really just means “separation.” In physical death, the body is separated from the soul. Eventually, in Genesis 5, Adam and Eve died physically. But there are also two other types of death: spiritual death and eternal death. After Adam and Eve sinned and when God was looking for them in the garden, they hid from him (Gen 3:8). They experienced spiritual death—separation from intimacy with God and his goodness. Now, all people hide from God. In Romans 1:21-23, Paul said this about the ancient world,

For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Like Adam and Eve who hid from God, people know there is a God because of an innate, God-given conscience that all people have (Rom 1:19, 2:15) and also because of creation’s witness. Paul said because of creation people are without excuse for believing in God (Rom 1:20, cf. Ps 19:1-6). However, instead of acknowledging God, people hide from him by ignoring God to focus on themselves, creating idols to worship instead of God, or denying his existence altogether. That is the state of people before salvation—spiritual death. And if people continue in spiritual death without repenting and following Christ, they will eventually experience eternal death—separation from God’s goodness in hell forever. Since God is omnipresent, he is present everywhere, at all times, including hell. However, in hell, he is present only to judge eternally and never to bless. In hell, there will be no grace, mercy, love, or goodness. Revelation 20:15 describes this final judgment when it says, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire.” Because of Adam’s sin, the human race, now, experiences spiritual, physical, and eternal death. The only hope for us is Jesus, God’s Son, who experienced death for us so that we could experience eternal life.

Now what must be noticed in Romans 5 is that even though all people sin and earn death on their own (Roman 3:23, 6:23), we are first of all guilty because of Adam’s sin. Romans 5:12 says because of one man’s sin, “death spread to all people because all sinned.” All people “sinned”—past tense—in and through Adam, including those who have not been born yet, and therefore experience his guilt, including death. Likewise, Romans 5:17 says “For if, by the transgression of the one man, death reigned through the one.” All die because of one man named Adam. Further proof that all people experience Adam’s guilt is the fact that even infants die, though never sinning willfully.

How is it possible that all “sinned” in Adam? There are two primary views:

• One view is called federal head theory. In federal head theory, Adam represented all of humanity before God, even as kings, presidents, and prime ministers represent certain people groups today. As the federal head, when Adam sinned against God, he essentially declared war with God. And because he declared war with God, all his offspring are included in that war. Though this may not seem fair, it’s the same with wars today. When the king, president, or prime minister declares war, the people in that nation are at war, even those who disagree with it. God made Adam our king, and we sinned and rebelled against God when he did. Doctrinally, this act is called imputation. Adam’s sin is credited to our account because of him being our leader; therefore, we all are guilty and experience the resulting consequence, which is death.
• Another view is called realistic theory or natural theory. It is also sometimes called the Augustinian view. Augustine believed humanity sinned when Adam sinned because humanity was in Adam’s loins when it happened. Biblical support for this view is seen in Hebrews when the writer describes Melchizedek’s priesthood as greater than the Levitical priesthood (7:1-10). The author argues based on the fact that Levi was Abraham’s grandson, and Abraham paid tithes to the ancient priest Melchizedek (Gen 14). Levi, though unborn, essentially paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham, as “he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins” (Heb 7:9-10). Therefore, since the lesser typically pays tithes to the greater, the priesthood of Melchizedek is greater than that of Levi. Thus, Augustine believed all of humanity likewise “sinned” in the loins of Adam, and consequently received his same punishment. Though there is merit to the Augustinian view, the federal headship has been more widely accepted throughout history.

Now again, many would vigorously declare, “This is not fair! How can we be punished because of the sin of Adam?” (1) It should be remembered that though we all die because of Adam’s sin, we all sin like Adam and therefore deserve death. Again, unless we die as infants, we all rebel against God in our thoughts, words, and actions. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and Romans 6:23 says, “the payoff of sin is death.” Apart from Adam’s transferred guilt, we earn death because of our own sins. (2) Another thing we must consider when trying to understand Adam’s sin being imputed to us is Scripture’s teaching that when we repent and follow Christ, his righteous life is imputed to ours, which is why God saves us from the penalty of our sins. Romans 5:19 says, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man many will be made righteous.” In this way, Christ is called the “last Adam” (1 Cor 15:45). The first federal head led us into sin and death, but the second one leads us into righteousness and eternal life. If we think it is unfair for Adam’s sins to be imputed to us, we must also consider it unfair for Christ’s righteousness to be imputed to us (2 Cor 5:21). God regards the human race as an organic unity under Adam, and Christians—those who repent and believe in Christ—as an organic unity under Christ.¹

How else did Adam’s sin affect humanity?

2. Because of Adam’s sin, the human race inherits his sinful disposition.

This is often called “original sin” or “inherited sin.”² It is original because it traces back to Adam’s original sin. After Adam’s sin, he then had a sinful disposition—a sin nature—and all his children inherit it as well. R. C. Sproul describes original sin this way:

Original sin describes our fallen, sinful condition, out of which actual sins occur. Scripture does not tell us that we are sinners because we sin; rather, it affirms that we sin because we are sinners. We have a fallen, corrupt nature, out of which flow the actual sins we commit. Original sin, then, describes the fallen condition of the human race.³

Though people tend to think of humanity’s sinfulness as a product of environment—something learned—that simply is not true. Scripture says we are born with this sinful tendency. In Psalm 51:5, David said: “Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.” From conception, in the womb, children are sinful. They are born as little tyrants—wanting their own way. As they become toddlers, they cry, scream, yell, fall on the floor, and hit if they don’t get their way. They don’t have to be taught to do wrong. They discover that on their own. They have to be taught to do good. Likewise, Psalm 58:3 says, “The wicked turn aside from birth; liars go astray as soon as they are born.”

Total Depravity

The effects of sin on human nature are widespread and total in scope. Sin has affected every aspect of humanity, including the mind, will, and emotions. This is called the doctrine of total depravity. “Depravity” simply means “corruption.” In Romans 7:18, Paul said: “For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it.” Often in Scripture, our sinful nature is called the “flesh” or the “old man” (Rom 8:5, 6:6). In the flesh, there is a continual inclination to sin against God and others. Galatians 5:19-21 describes this:

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

Likewise, Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV) says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” In fact, sin has affected the human mind and emotions in such a way that people, apart from God’s grace, cannot understand God’s Word or submit to it. Romans 8:7 says, “the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.” Also, 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Because the effects of sin are so debilitating on the human will, God must do a supernatural work in a person’s life for him or her to be saved at all. In John 6:44, Christ said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” And, Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.” Since the flesh—our natural disposition—is hostile to God and cannot obey him (Rom 8:7) and the fact that our unredeemed minds cannot understand or accept God’s Word (1 Cor 2:14), God must act to save us. Salvation is by grace—unmerited favor—and includes God giving people faith to be saved (Eph 2:8-9, Phil 1:29). Paul rightly described unbelievers as “dead” in their “transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1). As dead people, they cannot respond to spiritual stimuli. God must act by drawing them to himself and giving them faith to positively respond to the gospel message (John 6:44).

Total depravity essentially means three things:

1. Because of humanity’s sin nature, the mind, will, and emotions of every person have been corrupted. Again, in Romans 7:18, Paul said, “For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.” This taints everything one does—thoughts, words, and deeds.

2. Because of humanity’s sin nature, people can do nothing that pleases God, apart from grace. This is taught in various texts: Isaiah 64:6 says, “We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight.” Even our good deeds are tainted by sin before God. This is because, though humans do many good deeds, their heart motives in doing them are corrupt. For example, Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please” God. Since unbelievers are not trusting in God nor seeking to bring him glory by what they do, they can’t please God. Also, in John 15:5, Christ said that by abiding in him, we’ll produce much fruit, but apart from him, we can do nothing. Again, this means people, apart from Christ, can do nothing pleasing to God. It’s our being attached to Christ which makes our works acceptable. Therefore, total depravity means that people, apart from saving and sanctifying grace, can do nothing that pleases God or earns merit with him.

3. Because of humanity’s sin nature, people can do nothing to save themselves. Though humans are free to make choices, their choices are driven by their nature. Again, in Romans 8:7, Paul said, “the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.” Apart from God graciously drawing us to himself and equipping us to respond, nobody will choose God. Like animals, humans always act according to their nature. If you offer a lion steak or salad, 100 out of 100 times he will choose steak because of his nature. Likewise, our sinful nature causes us to reject Christ and choose sin. Therefore, to be saved, God must graciously act by choosing us, providing an opportunity to hear the gospel, and giving us faith to respond to it (cf. Rom 8:29-30, Eph 1:4, 2:8-9, Phil 1:29). Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.” Because of the total depravity of our nature, people cannot contribute to their salvation, unlike what most religions teach, including Roman Catholicism. Salvation must be completely by grace—unmerited favor from God.

With that said, total depravity does not mean everybody is as bad as they could be. Wayne Grudem’s comments on this are helpful:

This inherited tendency to sin does not mean that human beings are all as bad as they could be. The constraints of civil law, the expectations of family and society, and the conviction of human conscience (Rom. 2:14–15) all provide restraining influences on the sinful tendencies in our hearts. Therefore, by God’s “common grace” (that is, by his undeserved favor that is given to all human beings), people have been able to do much good in the areas of education, the development of civilization, scientific and technological progress, the development of beauty and skill in the arts, the development of just laws, and general acts of human benevolence and kindness to others.²

All people, including unsaved ones, (1) are made in the image of God (Gen 1:27), (2) have a God-given conscience, though imperfect, which convicts them of sin and affirms their good deeds (Rom 2:15), and (3) are recipients of God’s common grace, as God provides many good things for them—life, breath, sunshine, rain, etc.—so that they will seek him (Acts 17:5, Matt 5:45). Therefore, people have a tremendous capacity to do good, and have done so; however, apart from God’s saving grace which gives them a new nature, they cannot please God or have ultimate victory over sin.

Reflection

1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
2. What were the effects of Adam’s sin on the human race?
3. What are the federal head theory of sin and the realistic/natural theory?
4. What does the term original sin mean?
5. What is total depravity and what are its implications for the human condition?
6. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

Related Topics: Christian Life, Hamartiology (Sin)

What are the unpardonable sin (or the blasphemy of the Spirit) and the sin resulting in death? We’ll consider the unpardonable sin first. In the context of the Pharisees declaring that Christ was doing miracles through the devil’s power, Christ said:

For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Matthew 12:31-32

What is the blasphemy of the Spirit, which can never be forgiven? There are numerous views on what this actually means:

1. Some believe the blasphemy of the Spirit is something that can never happen today. They focus on the context of the Pharisees declaring that Christ’s miracles were done through Satan instead of the Holy Spirit. Since Christ is no longer physically on the earth doing miracles, that sin cannot happen anymore.
2. Some believe the blasphemy of the Spirit is unbelief. Those who persist in unbelief and therefore reject Christ as their Lord and Savior will never be forgiven. Certainly, this is true, but it doesn’t seem to clearly reflect the context in which Christ said this.
3. Some believe the blasphemy of the Spirit is a sin only certain unbelievers can commit. It is the sin of those who have experienced tremendous, repeated exposure to the witness of God’s Word and his Spirit but continually reject it. They typically profess faith in God and associate with a body of believers but are not truly saved. Their repeated exposure to the truth and rejection of it eventually hardens their hearts to the point where they cannot repent, and consequently, they will never be forgiven by God.

It seems that the third view is to be preferred, when considering the context and other similar Scriptures. The Pharisees not only heard God’s Word through Christ, but also studied and taught the Mosaic law, as Israel’s spiritual leaders. Also, as Christ mentioned, their “sons” (other Jews under their leadership) even cast out demons (Matt 12:27)—presumably by the same Holy Spirit that Christ cast them out. However, though the Pharisees had great exposure to God’s Word and God’s Spirit, they still rejected God and therefore hardened their hearts to the point of no return.

This seems to correspond to how Christ responded to the Israelites, whom the Pharisees represented, in the next chapter of Matthew. In Matthew 13, after the leaders of Israel rejected Christ’s ministry, Christ changed his method of teaching. Instead of clearly teaching God’s Word, he started to teach in parables, which hid the truth from the hearers. After this change, the disciples asked him why he was teaching in parables. Christ said this in response:

He replied, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend. For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Matthew 13:11-15

If this corresponds with the blasphemy of the Spirit, which it seems to because of the context, the Pharisees’ sin had to do with receiving God’s revelation and continually rejecting it. Christ says, “For whoever has will be given more, and will have abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (13:12). Then, Christ quotes Isaiah and how Israel would become dull of heart, hard of hearing, and blind, so they would not repent and be saved (v. 14-15). They would not be forgiven because they would not repent. Israel and their leaders had seen Christ’s miracles, heard his Word, and some had even taught God’s Word and possibly done miracles, yet they still rejected the Spirit’s work. Consequently, they had hardened their hearts and blasphemed the Holy Spirit; therefore, they would never repent and never be forgiven.

Many also connect the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit with the difficult passage of Hebrews 6:4-6. It says,

For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt.

The Hebrew Christians, in this context, were being tempted to reject all they had learned and experienced in Christianity to return to Judaism. The writer warns them if they reject Christ after tasting God’s Word, experiencing the Holy Spirit and his miracles, it will become impossible for them to repent (v. 6). Though some believe this text refers to believers actually losing their salvation, the whole counsel of Scripture seems to indicate that is not possible. For true believers, God gives them “eternal life” (John 3:16). Christ puts them in his hand and God’s hand, and nobody will be able to snatch them out (John 10:27-29). Christ came to do the Father’s will and his will is that those given to Christ by God would not be lost but raised up on the last day (John 6:38-39). To do this, Christ not only holds believers in his hand, but he also prays daily for them so he can save them to the uttermost (Heb 7:25). Therefore, if a professed follower turns away from God, it proves they were never truly saved. Like Christ said, though they may call him, “Lord, Lord,” he will say to them, “I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!” (Matt 7:23).

If the professing Christians in Hebrews 6 did in fact turn away from God after all they had experienced (God’s Word, his Spirit, the powers of the coming age, etc.), they would be just like the Pharisees and the Jews in Matthew 12 and 13. They identified with God’s people, professed him, served him, learned his Word, taught his Word, and possibly even did miracles like casting out demons, but because they never truly repented, their continued rejection of God hardened their hearts, making it impossible for them to repent. They had blasphemed the Spirit.

Because of this, it should be understood that if a person thinks that he somehow committed the unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, but still desires to repent and follow God, it means that he has not committed this sin. A person who committed this sin will not want to repent, which is why he will never be forgiven (Heb 6:6).

Another potential example of blaspheming the Spirit is the apostle Judas. Christ gave him power to heal and cast out demons (Lk 9:1). He preached the gospel in various villages (Lk 9:6), and yet throughout his time following Christ, he continually stole from the disciples (John 12:6) and eventually betrayed Christ (Lk 22:47-48). Though Scripture never says he committed the unforgivable sin, the characteristics mentioned in Hebrews 6:4-6 are true of him. He had been enlightened, partook of the Holy Spirit, tasted of the heavenly gift, the word of God, and the miracles of the coming age, and yet committed apostasy. Though he professed Christ and served him, Scripture teaches that he never was a true born-again believer and actually calls him a “devil” (John 6:70). No doubt, his continual exposure to and rejection of the things of God only further hardened his heart—hindering his ability to ultimately repent (Matt 13:12, 15, Heb 6:6).

The Sin Resulting in Death

Several passages also describe something called a “sin resulting in death.” For example, John 5:16-17 says,

If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that. All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death.

Also, James 5:19-20 may be referring to this, when it says,

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

The sin resulting in death refers to God allowing unrepentant believers to die early as a form of discipline. An example of this is seen in the story of Ananias and Saphira. In Acts 5:1-10, this married couple sold their land and gave the proceeds to the apostles as a gift. However, they lied and said they gave all the proceeds when they had really kept back a portion of it (even though they were under no pressure to give any of it). Because of this public sin, probably inspired by pride and their desire to be revered by all, God struck them dead. Also, in 1 Corinthians 11, the believers were taking the Lord’s Supper in a dishonorable manner, with drunkenness and division (v. 20-22). Because of that, God judged some by taking them home. First Corinthians 11:30-32 says, “That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead. But if we examined ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world.”

The sin resulting in death is a form of God’s discipline, in which he corrects believers and helps them become holy. Hebrews 12:5-6 (NIV) says,

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

In these verses, “discipline” seems to be a general word for how God corrects his children, and “rebukes” and “chastens” seem to be two of the methods. When we are in sin, God rebukes us through his Word, often given through other saints—seeking to turn us away from sin. Then, if we don’t respond, eventually he chastens us, which literally means “whips” or “spanks.” Because of continued rebellion against his rebukes, God brings whippings, often appearing in trials to turn us away from wrong attitudes and actions. At times though, if we continue to persist in sin or commit a specific sin which is particularly grievous, the “whipping” may be as severe as taking one of his saints home. This is the sin resulting in death.

Reflection

1. What stood out most in the reading and why?
2. What are the various views about the unpardonable sin? Which view do you think is correct and why?
3. What is the sin resulting in death? How should the reality of this sin and its discipline affect us and how we relate to others in sin?
4. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

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