The Unpardonable Sin, by D. T. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 21, 1874

The Unpardonable Sin,

By D. T. Bourdeau

OR THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST.

This sin stands at the head of the sins of presumption. It is the crowning sin of rebellion against God with a full knowledge of sin and duty, and has no promise of forgiveness. It can be committed only by those who have enjoyed great light and exalted privileges in the service of God. It is not, therefore, a sin of ignorance; neither is it a sin committed through the weakness of the flesh while the mind is opposed to evil; nor is it even one of those transgressions which are common in ordinary cases of backsliding and hardness of heart.

This is a particular sin. By comparing Matt. 12:22, etc.; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-29, which are the principal New Testament scriptures that treat on this subject, we learn that in order for man to commit the unpardonable sin, 1. He must have been once enlightened—must have seen his sins as opposed to righteousness, and understood the plan of salvation. 2. He must have tasted of the heavenly gift; by faith must have taken hold of Christ, the gift of God, the bread of life that came down from Heaven. John 4:10; 6:32; Eph. 2:8. 3. He must have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost in the special sense that the early Christians were when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This implies more than a common blessing. It supposes a physical contact with that holy influence, that mighty agency proceeding from God; a baptism of the Holy Spirit, giving a mighty impetus to the new covenant in the way of righteousness. 4. He must have tasted the good word of God, realized its sweetness and preciousness by making experiments in living it out. 5. He must also have tasted of the powers of the world to come; have been so impressed with the power of the coming kingdom by personal experience in overcoming through the efficacy of the Holy Spirit that the powers and glories of the world to come will have become a living reality. When these blessings have been realized, then to willfully turn away from them, repulse them, fall away, and attribute the operations of God's Spirit to the devil, or to a bad influence, calling the good work of God's Spirit an evil work, would be committing the unpardonable sin.

At the time that the Pharisees were accusing Christ of doing his works by the power of Satan, many who were hearing Christ and had been enlightened and felt the power of his Spirit in their own bodies removing disease, etc., were in special danger of coming under the rebellious influence of Christ's enemies and committing the unpardonable sin.

The more powerfully the Lord works by his Spirit on the earth, the greater the danger of God's children committing this sin, if they give way to a rebellious spirit. The sin of Satan and his angels in rebelling against the government of Heaven and lowering God and his blessings in their minds was irremissible, because they had enjoyed the light, power, and glory, of Heaven, and had been made partakers of the Spirit of God in a special sense. When God manifested his mighty power in delivering ancient Israel from Egyptian bondage, not a few of the children of Israel committed the unpardonable sin; and when God, through a series of trials and by the mighty workings of his Spirit, shall fit up a people for the final conflict with the powers of darkness and for the final deliverance, many will close their probation by sinning against the Holy Ghost.

While we cherish a tender conscience, and a fear of offending God and grieving his Holy Spirit, while we hate sin and love righteousness, while we cherish a love for God's people and delight to see his cause prosper on the earth, we may know that we have not committed the unpardonable sin. These dispositions being the fruit of the Spirit are good evidence that the Spirit of God is still striving with us and has not wholly left us. May that Spirit never take its flight from us for the last time.

D. T. BOURDEAU.