Roy Jacobsen on the “Unforgivable Sin.” (See Matthew 12:22-32 for the pertinent passage.) I’ve always figured that the unforgivable sin of speaking against the Holy Spirit had direct reference to the sin that leads to death, and the irredeemability of he who falls away. My Bible Baptist pastor back in Parañaque, when talking about these passages, was always quick to follow up the words “unforgivable sin” with the qualifier, “the sin of unbelief,” driving home his firm stand that the only offense from which one can never be saved is the persistent denial of the Lordship of Christ in the face of the conviction of the Spirit (and perhaps arguing against the Catholic use of this text to distinguish “mortal” from “venial” sin). That leads well into the interpretation of Hebrews 6 as a description of the clearly hopeless apostate — which begs raises the question, if one were to take John at his word, should we then not pray for such a one?

(It also occurred to me that the story of Ananias and Sapphira might be related, but their offense appears to have been more related to lying about their offerings rather than denial of the faith.)