If the only unforgivable sins are denying Christ or blaspheming the Holy Spirit, how can those who claim....?

Question

...to be 'ex-atheists' possibly be saved?

Unforgivable is unforgivable - right? And they certainly denied Christ while they were still atheists...

(((Wallaby eater)))

Answer 1

Repentance is a wonderful tool, but God will know if its real, so its possible that they won't be saved no matter what, however the same can be said about everyone.

Answer 2

You have to remember who kept on putting trap questions to J'esus most of the time: the Pharisees. Sometimes, Herodians and Sadducees too. You see, they did not believe J'esus was a rabbi which was a title of honor given to a teacher of the Mosaic Law. They knew that Christ claimed the right to interpret the Law (see Mt. 5:20-48) but as he wasn't one of their sect (in the sense of religious school or group) they wouldn't concede any such right to Him. So the title "rabbi" given him by the lawyer/Pharisees is insincere. Now, to answer your question, you have to remember that the Holy Spirit is the third Divine person of the Trinity. "Ultimately, all sin is against G-d. Sin against the Holy Spirit is serious because the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts us of sin. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can't be forgiven. Conviction preceded repentance. Without the convicting Spirit, we can't find forgiveness. Blasphemy against the Spirit is the willful and blatant act of attributing to Satan that which is clearly the work of the Holy Spirit. This terrible sin occurs when a person consciously rejects the truth, believing Satan rather than G-d. G-d won't forgive such blatant rebellion. The nature of the problem is debated. Has the heart become so hardened the person can't distinguish good from evil or can't repent? Or does G-d of His own free choice close the door to any possible repentance? Some have attempted to give a catalog of "unforgivable" sins, but the New Testament doesn't list any other sins beyond forgiveness. We must be cautious not to apply the doctrine in the wrong way. People who feel such a yearning for salvation may be sure the Spirit continues to work in their lives. Where the Spirit works, grace for forgiveness is available. Some people in desperation or anger shake a fist and complain to G-d. They are simply repeating the actions of many of the psalmists. They aren't guilty of the unforgivable sin. The doctrine of the unforgivable sin is a warning against overconfidence and religious blindness, not a temporary wrongdoing." * And you don't need a degree to answer this, you just need a good commentary of the Gospel.

Answer 3

It is impossible for an atheist to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, because to commit that act, they would have to witness a miracle of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit, then attribute that miracle to the power of Satan. Atheists don't believe in either God or Satan, so they don't qualify for this sin. Neither does anyone else not living at the time when Christ was performing those miracles, which God gave through the Holy Spirit in testimony of Jesus being the Messiah. Check the context.

Edit:

Note to Lion Jester. Um, I noticed you didn't give a reference for John including blasphemy against Christ as an unforgivable sin. The reason for that is there is no such reference. Now, if we are to follow your directions to not listen to purveyors of falsehood, well, doesn't that have implications for your message as well?

As for God or Jesus not wanting conversions, your statements here also seem "truth-challenged." Jesus specifically spoke of Peter's conversion as a desirable thing, even though he was a good Jew already. See Luke 22:32. And if testimony to outsiders via missionaries and evangelists was not an approved method of God, what was Jonah, chopped liver? And why did Jesus send out the seventy with the distinctly evangelistic purpose of proclaiming the Kingdom? You do know that Jesus Himself taught the absolute necessity of conversion, don’t you?

“… Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3.

With such obvious defects in your research, can we trust your analysis of the more complex issues of textual transmission and doctrinal development? I think not. But let the reader decide.

Answer 4

When Jesus casted out a demon, He declared that the source of His power was from the Holy Spirit (Mat 12:28). But the crowd offered another explanation: "He is out of His mind" (Marc 3:21). They tried to discredit Jesus by saying that He was just mad. His enemies, the scribes, said: "He has Beelzebub" and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.” (Marc 3:22). Their words were not so much about Jesus, than against the Holy Spirit. They were incapable of considering the miracle as from God, so they would never be able to accept Jesus as their savior and obey the Gospel (John 20:30-31; 10:38).

During all the life of Jews and their history, they turned their ears away from God to listen to His voice. They were doing the same with Jesus as they were comparing His word to that of Satan. Basically, all that was good seemed evil to them (Isaiah 5:20). This is the blaspheme against the Holy Spirit which render any forgiveness impossible. When a man cannot recognize what is good when he sees it, therefore he doesn’t know that he sins. If a man reach to that point where he rejects all the power of God and His Word, then repentance is impossible (the evil wins and the good cannot overcome). It is not God who closes the door, but himself that closed the door. Because God wills that all be saved and come to repentance (John 3:16).

This proves two things:

1) The man that says to himself, "I hope I have not committed the blaspheme against the Holy Spirit" as not reached that point.

2) The only way that you can be sure that you never reach that point is to draw always nearer to Christ.

Therefore, even atheists can be saved once they turn from their unbelief and believe and obey the living God. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb 11:6).

Answer 5

*steps out of character, since it applies to me*

Well, there is a difference between blaspheming the holy spirit when you know him, and then doing it when you don't know any better. Blaspheming in that sense means to say "I hate god" not that the doesn't exist. Plus, that is not the only unforgivable sin. It is perfectly forgivable, if done during one's lifetime. According to the New testament, however, Jesus died for our atonement. The whole blasphemy thing was OT.

*steps back into character*

I'm too old to think tonight, will someone bring me a vanilla vodka?

Answer 6

Penguin Darling, I am ever so glad there is no such thing as sin. The whole thing is too preposterous for me to think about anymore. The Christians in the Lutheran church tried to scare the sh it out of us as kids wearing red and blue uniforms and reciting Luther's small catechism, and I bought the whole thing because I was terrified of going to hell.

I bought into the whole unforgivable sin, and blasphemy thing. The truth is that right now, I have such a resentment against that religion for scaring me as an impressionable little girl. I wish it would go away permanently.

Answer 7

Peter denied Christ three times. Christ himself forgave him. Not accepting Jesus Christ is the unpardonable. The "Holy Spirit" must have moved them then they accepted. How about Thomas who doubted Christ when the resurrected Christ was right in his face. He had to actually feel his wounds to believe. Christ himself forgave him. Let us remember we do not judge what is what. Jesus died to cleanse everyone's sin. Read about The Apostle Paul. He was a man who actually persecuted Christians for a living. He denied and denounced Christ. God saved his soul. And He was the biggest contributer to the New Testament. Lose your anger towards atheist. God loves them too.

Answer 8

there is much debate as to what "blaspheming the holy spirit" actually entails, and i don't claim to understand it myself. forgive me for answering anyway. no where in the bible does it say it is unforgiveable to deny christ. as far as i know, it only says that without christ, you cannot be saved. which is entirely different.
as far as blaspheming the holy spirity...i'm not a bona-fide theologian or anything, but i would bet, anyone who questions whether or not he has blasphemed the holy spirit and is worried about it is probably not guilty of the sin. it seems to be a rather permanent set of mind.

Answer 9

The only unforgivable sin is final despair at the very last moment of your life. It is preceded by pride which refuses, at that moment, to accept forgiveness for those above sins mentioned herein.

Answer 10

By reading some of the responses here it leads me to believe that I could basically do whatever I want and claim to be an "unsaved believer" and end up in Heaven, right?

I guess that's a way to have my cake and eat it, too. Kewl.