Truth Magazine

By Charles G. Caldwell Jr.

In Matt. 12:31, 32, Jesus said, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

Down through the years, this passage has been the occasion of great concern to devout, God-fearing people. This concern is the result of a gross misunderstanding of what our Lord was actually saying. It is the sequel to a perversion of His teaching and is productive of the usual effect of such perversion in depriving men of the peace, contentment, and happiness of soul and mind, and the joy that God intends for us to have in Christ. It would, in the very nature of the case, be impossible for one to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4) if there was the slightest possibility of his having sometime inadvertently committed a sin that could not be forgiven.

All Sins Forgivable

John said in 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another {He with us, and we with Him, CGC), and the blood of,, Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” I do not consider this passage to be in conflict with Matt. 12:31, 32. Nor do I consider Matt. 12:31, 32 to set forth an exception to John’s promise. In order to the forgiveness of sins — all sins — there are certain conditions, divinely ordained, that must be met. If a sin — any sin — is not forgiven it is because the conditions have not been met. One may fail to meet the conditions either because of his unwillingness to do so or because he is unable to do so. Both of these reasons might be involved and it is my contention that such is the case with all those about whom our Lord spoke in Matt. 12. It is possible for one to reach such a state of depravity that he has no willingness to accept the truth and be governed by it, no matter how strong the evidence, and sink so low in the mire of degradation that he is unwilling and even unable because of his degenerate attitude to submit to that which is right.

Anyone, therefore, who is interested in truth and righteousness or who is concerned about his soul’s well being has not committed the “unpardonable sin.”

The Case in Context

An understanding of the passage under consideration is dependent-as is almost always the case–upon the context in which it is found. Jesus has just healed a man possessed of a demon which caused the multitudes to marvel and be amazed. But there were others of the Pharisees and Scribes who heard of it and being unable to deny that a miracle had indeed been performed sought to explain it away by attributing the- power by which it was accomplished to “Beelzebub”. The claim was made by them that Christ was not exercising divine power but rather Satanic or diabolical power. Christ then proceeded to disprove their contention with a number of arguments which are irresistible:

Argument Number 1: First, He showed that which is evident on the surface, that Satan would not work against his own interest because in doing so, he would destroy himself and be brought to an “end.”

Argument Number 2: His next argument to disprove their contention was based upon their purported claim that their disciples, “sons,” cast out demons. If it was true that they did cast out demons (which Christ did not admit) and that demons were cast out only by “Beelzebub,” then it would follow that their “sons” exercised diabolical power. This He argued to show the absurdity of their contention from their own premise.

Argument Number 3: He next submitted that since He could not possibly be casting out demons by the power of the Devil, it must of necessity be by the power of God and that such exercise signaled the arrival of the kingdom of God.

Argument Number 4: His final argument in this regard was to the effect that He had entered Satan’s house (the body of the demoniac) and had spoiled Satan’s goods (the evil spirit in the man) and, therefore, instead of being in league with the devil, He had contested him and defeated him. The conclusion based on these arguments is that these Scribes and Pharisees were wrong in their charge that Christ was working miracles by the power of Satan rather than by the power of God. Their charge was not against the power of God, the Holy Spirit, but rather against Christ — that He was in league with the Devil and not with the Holy Spirit. This, Christ disproved and sought to correct their misconception.

Misunderstanding the Charge

Contrary to popular opinion and acceptation, Christ did not say that these Jews had committed the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, but He did say in substance that they had blasphemed against Him and He emphatically says that such will (or can) be forgiven. The circumstances surrounding the incident, however, do suggest to the mind of Christ a need for a warning to these people of the danger of the course they are following. They had said that He was casting out demons by the power of “Beelzebub” (the Devil). If they persisted in this contention and in the light of all the evidence became convinced that the power exercised was of God but nevertheless was still evil because it worked through Christ, whom they hated and refused to accept, then they would become guilty of the sin against which Christ warned. In this they would be charging the Holy Spirit with being a devil or being equivalent to the Devil. Certainly, they were not now saying that the Holy Spirit was a devil or that He was as bad as the Devil. They were not denying that the Spirit is holy or affirming that the Spirit is evil. They were simply denying that the Holy Spirit had anything to do with Christ’s miracles.

If they were affirming that the Spirit of God was not holy but rather was as evil as the Devil, this would, of, course, have been blasphemy against the Spirit and there would have been no point in Christ’s having attempted to correct them by presenting the arguments that He did. They would have been beyond argument and beyond the hope of correction. They were getting on dangerous ground, however. They were approaching the point of no return. They were getting near to a condition of heart and mind which would damn their souls and Christ was simply warning them to stop before they had gone too far; not to allow their hatred and their contemptuous attitude toward Him to cause them to defame the Spirit of God. To take that step and affirm that the Holy Spirit is not holy but is evil and only evil continually, that He is a devil and on a par with Satan is to sink beyond all hope. Such a frame of mind on the part of anyone would be beyond all correction. Thus, the conditions of correction and forgiveness given by the spirit have no place in the man’s heart.

The Good Tree

Jesus said, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt” (vs. 33). If the product of the working of the Spirit is good, the Spirit, Himself, is good and holy, “for the tree is known by his fruit.”

Truth Magazine XXI: 49, pp. 781-782
December 15, 1977

By Irvin Himmel

All kinds of religions have sprung up and new ones are making their appearance. If someone decides to go shopping for a “church,” as he might shots for an automobile or house, he will find a wide variety from which to make his selection. And this is exactly the approach that some people use! One person prefers a religion in which there is much emotional display. Another looks for a religion that offers social and recreational activities. Some are influenced by doctrinal emphasis, such as miraculous healing or millennialism. Others want a religion that is liberal enough that no restraints will be placed on their worldly practices. People proceed on the assumption that whatever pleases them should please God. One likes a lot of pomp and ritual, and he supposes that God likes pomp and ceremony. Another likes organ music in worship, so he is confident that God approves it. Still another likes shouting and hand-clapping, and he thinks God likes shouting and hand-clapping.

While every human being has God-given freedom of choice, no one has the right to expect God to be pleased with anything and everything that may suit the whims and fancies of frail humanity. The ancient Israelites liked it when they were lying on beds of ivory, stretching themselves upon their couches, eating mutton and beef, drinking wine, singing, and plying instruments of music (Amos 6:3-6). But God detested what they were doing! He said, “I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces” (Amos 6:8).

God found the religion of the Israelites to be repulsive. When they oppressed the poor, left off justice, and disobeyed divine law, He said, ‘Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them” (Isa. 1:13,14).

The people who urged Aaron to make the golden calf at Mt. Sinai liked it. They rose up early to offer burnt offerings, and they “sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play” (Ex. 32:5,6). But God was strongly displeased and threatened to consume them in wrath. Moses had the Levites to slay 3,000 men who were involved in this unauthorized religious festivity (Ex. 32:26-28).

Before I conclude that God should be pleased with whatever I like in religion, I must realize that God does not think as I do. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8,9).

How can anyone really know what God likes? There is a sure way to know what God approves. He has revealed in the Scriptures the course that He wants us to follow. By careful and prayerful study of the eternal word we can learn the will of God. One who through faith conforms to the Bible will not need to shop around.

Truth Magazine XXI: 49, pp. 780-781
December 15, 1977

By Donald P. Ames

Having just come in from shoveling out my driveway for the third time in as many days so far this week, I decided to put into print several thoughts going through my mind regarding sin and snow. Now, you may be wondering what in the world these two items could possibly have in common, but I do believe we shall be able to see some interesting parallels as we study together.

Beauty Vs. Ugly

I must admit there are few scenes that are as appealing as to awaken and see a fresh coat of snow covering everything around. It is a beauty that invites camera bugs to jump out of bed and go picture snapping before breakfast. Everything looks so clean and lovely that you desire to preserve such beauty in whatever form you can. Indeed, this reminds us of the statement made in Isa. 1:18 by the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be white as snow.” David says, “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psa. 51:7). Such beauty and freshness is what was in the mind of these writers.

But let that snow lie there for several days to collect all the pollution in the air, the slush from the dirty roads, and tracks from everyone slopping through it; and the picture changes. The beauty becomes tarnished, ugly and unappealing. There is no desire to get out and go picture taking and no “ah’s” as you look at it. Sin can do the same thing to even the purest of souls. Children are born into this world in purity and innocence-souls as clean as any can possibly be. But let that beauty become dirtied up with sin later in life, and it loses its attractiveness. It even forces God to turn away from such (Isa. 59:1-2) until we “wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16) and return them to the purity they once possessed (Matt. 18:3).

Fun Vs. Disgust

Snow, especially at the beginning of winter, is fun. My youngest son can hardly wait for a snow storm so he can play in it. It appeals to new adventures, and “like the cold of snow in the time of harvest . . . refreshes the soul . . .” (Prov. 25:13). Sin also appeals to us for new adventures and pleasures. Paul spoke of Moses refusing the “pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:25). Especially in its early stages, sin can appeal to many. This accounts for the alluring ads and appeals of social drinking, mixed swimming, dancing, bingo, etc.

But snow in large quantities loses much of that appeal. When it blocks traffic (like the blizzard ,of ’67and today), or accounts for vast gas, work and crop shortages (as the record cold and snow of this winter have), suddenly we begin to wish for less. News of more on the way is greeted with groans. And, yes, sin in larger . quantities also loses its appeals. When drunkenness replaces social drinking, it is not nearly as appealing. When fornication, full-scale gambling, crime in the streets, drug addicts, homosexuals bragging on TV, etc. are seen in their end results, sin turns us off rapidly. We read of such conditions as Rom. 1:26-32, 1 Cor. 6:9-10 and Gal. 5:19-21, and we do not find it very attractive grouped together as sin. The fun has vanished with heavy doses.

Shoveling Again, and Again

Likewise, as I look out at my drive-shoveled out completely less than 2 hours ago and already drifting back in rapidly, with radio reports of “four more inches coming,” I realize quickly there is a lot more shoveling to be done. Unfortunately, once done, the job is not finished for all time regardless of how clean I may have done it the first time. And likely, as future winter snows come, it will have to be shoveled again, and again, and again!

The same is true of sin. Although we may have rendered obedience to the gospel and freed our souls from sin (Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:7), we are not going to keep sin out completely (1 John 1:8). Though we are not to allow it to reign (Rom. 6:12; 1 John 3:9) — any more than a shoveled driveway was shoveled to allow new drifts to be formed — the fact remains Satan will seek every opportunity to re-introduce sin to us again (1 Pet. 5:8). When such occurs, we must re-shovel, we must repent and seek forgiveness that we may be cleansed again (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9). If we do not seek forgiveness, but choose to ignore God’s provisions to be cleansed, the drifts will settle back in and all the efforts will be wasted as we become bogged down in it (Heb. 3:12). Thus, again and again we must appeal for the blood of Christ to cover our short comings and mistakes as we repent and press on toward His perfection. There is no such thing as a drive once shoveled always being shoveled (or, once saved, always saved) in a snowstorm of sin.

And, now if you will excuse me, I will go out and again shovel out those drifts so I can get the car out again. (Now watch this article get caught in snow weather and fail to turn up in .the magazine until midsummer scorchers of about 95 degrees! Oh well, the point is still worth noting!)

Truth Magazine XXI: 49, pp. 779-780
December 15, 1977

By Lewis Willis

An article in the Amarillo Daily News, December 16, 1976, reports an absolutely startling statistic. A psychiatrist in the Boston area has done some research into suicides among children ages 6 to 11. During the grade-school years, a time usually considered as the carefree and happy years, there is an alarming increase in suicides. In 1958, there were only three (3) suicides in this age group. In 1973, the last year that figures were available, there were 75 listed incidents of suicide among these children.

Several reasons are given for this increase. They are “to call attention to a very desperate situation, usually to a loss of a loved one,” such as in death, separation or divorce; to “get back at someone” with whom he has had an argument; to react to emotional disorders such as alcoholism; to counter states of depression in their parents; and because of personal depression, an ailment psychiatry did not recognize in children until about 10 years ago. The profession is trying to figure out if children are predisposed to depression or if it is a behavior-trait borrowed from the conduct of their parents. While recognizing the measure of parental influence toward depression, it is not presently possible to discredit the child’s own tendency toward depression. Depression was a major factor in the suicides of 25,683 Americans in 1974. Doctors cannot simply discount depression as a cause for increasing suicides among the children of Americans.

Fundamentally, the principles of psychiatry are Bible based. The God-revealed purpose for man is sound, leading us away from such conduct as produces the tendency toward suicide, instead of leading us toward suicide. The very things that are missing from our lives that make them seem so useless and hopeless, causing men to think that suicide is the only answer, are fully supplied by God in the Divine Revelation. It might seem extremely difficult to define that for which we are searching but it is not so elusive as to defy discovery.

Who among the race is not seeking “the good life?” What other explanation can be advanced for the constant exercise of our pleasure-seeking instincts? We are looking for something that is missing in our lives. We seek peace of mind, true and lasting happiness, a better tomorrow, a comfort in trials, illness and financial reversals, and something to which we might moor ourselves against the ever-present realities of death. It would be hard to imagine the multiplied millions of dollars that are being spent to provide these things. The pseudo-security which such provides is, however, soon swept away as we are faced with other crises which necessarily will come. In alcohol, drugs, recreation, work, houses, cars, clothes and other materialistic pursuits, we search for that which will serve as an anchor for the soul against the tribulations of a turbulent life. Yet, in frustration, we discover that we have not found the answer. Some, supposing the answer cannot be found, turn to suicide. And, now we are told, so are their 6 and 7 year old children!

The peace we seek for ourselves can be realized if we are at peace with God (Rom. 5:1). True and lasting happiness can be ours if we are in Christ Jesus, producing the fruits of the Spirit (Phil. 4:4; Gal. 5:22). The comfort that is so desperately needed with which we might face the trials of life is to be found in God (2 Cor. 1:3-4; Rom. 8:28). Tomorrow has to be better if we clothe ourselves in the spiritual blessings that Heaven bestows (Eph. 1:3). And, death can be faced if we have made ready for eternity (Phil 1:21-24; 2 Tim. 4:6-8). These things will not be found in carnal attachments. They are spiritual; they satisfy the deepseated longings of the soul and they are abundantly supplied by God, and only by Him. We must learn to seek them in the proper place to avail ourselves of stabilizing perspective.

The urgency of the search is compounded when we realize that not only do we desire and have need of these avenues of contentment, but our children are recognized to need them also. And, they are looking for this security and expecting it to come from Mom and Dad. We parents had better find it and share it with our children. Moments of harried clamor had better give way to moments of prayer and meditation. Else, our children will turn to the wrong sources to satisfy the desires of their souls. They need the wisdom and direction which parents can impart to them. In fact, we parents are under Divine Orders to give this direction to our children. “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). The judgment will reveal how well we have kept these orders. Or, to our dismay, we might find out while still walking this vale of tears. It does not always happen “to someone else.”

Truth Magazine XXI: 49, pp. 778-779
December 15, 1977