Unforgiveable

In the late 1980s I returned to the church after getting sober and turning to God with my life. It was a wonderful experience. I began to hear sermon after sermon on topics that had previously seemed to be all about God's Judgement. I joyfully heard these same sermons and discovered that they were really about God's Love.

We have been given a sweet, sweet Gospel. It is such Good News!

However... I knew where I'd been... I knew what I had done... And one topic preyed on my mind:

Jesus had spoken about the "unforgiveable sin" of blaspheming the Spirit. Oh, how I trembled at the thought! There were very few stones I'd left unturned when it came to sin. Had I committed the unforgiveable sin?

Had I gone too far? Yes!!!

Had I done something that could never be forgiven? Was it too late? I just didn't know! It tore me up.

Finally, one day I had to know, so I approached my pastor and asked Him, "I'm afraid I may have committed the unforgoiveable sin. How do I know? What do I do?"

He said, "I can say with certainty that you haven't committed the unforgiveable sin." That surprised me. (He was certain! Hallelujah!!!)

His reasoning was this:

1) People only come to God because God calls and draws them.

2) When people commit the unforgiveable sin, God ceases to toil with their hearts.

3) I was concerned about my salvation because God was drawing me to Him.

4) If I had committed the unforgiveable sin, I wouldn't be drawn toward God.

He said that the greatest evidence that a person has committed the unforgiveable sin is that they don't care that they have have committed the unforgiveable sin."

If I had committed the unforgiveable sin I wouldn't have been in his office asking whether I had.

`Pretty good answer. In the intervening twenty plus years I have come to learn so much more about God's Amazing Love and today I know that my question was kind of silly in the face of a Love this Great.

But back then I didn't know. That answer was really, really important to me. It gave me peace...

For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:10-11 NIV