Sin Unto Death!

I was watching the above Q&A video in which some interesting theological issues were raised and discussed. The first question asked related to the “openness of God movement,” or “open theism” as it is more commonly known, as follows:

“Does the openness of God movement have any impact on the holiness of God? Does it diminish the concept the holiness of God?”

“Open theism” is a relatively recent theological movement in Evangelical circles that advocates the idea that God’s foreknowledge is limited by our freewill. In other words, since God has created man free to do as he wills, he doesn’t know ahead of time what decisions they will make, or what actions they will take. He is in the dark about that like everyone else, and has to wait to see what happens before deciding what to do next. There is an interesting article in Wikipedia about open theism that does a good job of explaining it. It may be a backlash against the absolute determinism of Calvinism, which has gained momentum within the Evangelical movement, and among Baptist churches during the past few decades—but takes it to the opposite extreme. 

Open theism is not compatible with modern revelation (any more than Calvinism is)—although it has its advocates among Church members. Blake Ostler is an advocate of open theism among Latter-day Saints. He speaks for himself of course. As far as I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not officially expressed an opinion on the subject. If they did, I am guessing that they would reject it. According to my studies, open theism is not compatible with modern revelation. There are many passages in modern scripture that would contradict it. “I know the end from the beginning,” says Jehovah to Abraham (Abr. 2:8); and the great visions of the future that God gave to Nephi in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 11–14), or to Moses and Enoch in the Book of Moses, all contradict that notion.

At 15:16 minutes into the video a question was addressed specifically to John MacArthur, as follows:

“John MacArthur mentioned the sin unto death, and how some Corinthians were dead at God’s hand so the church is spared their wickedness, and they are taken to glory. How do we reconcile these comments with Hebrews: ‘There is a holiness without which no one will see the Lord’? How do we reconcile the sin and the holiness, and God removing them and taking them to glory?”

The Question relates to the following passage of scripture:

1 John 5:

16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

The question lacks clarity because it is in relation to something that John MacArthur had said previously relative to that scripture, which is theologically incorrect. His answer to the above question (skipping the initial part, and starting at 18:27 minutes in the video), is as follows:

“I take it that the sin unto death is some sin, not a particular sin, but whatever sin causes you to die [naturally], whatever sin God uses as a point of judgment. 1 Corinthians 11, it was how they were treating the table of the Lord. They were coming without judging themselves first. They were coming without an appropriate confession of sin, and they were trivializing the table of the Lord; and some of them were weak, and some of them were sick, and some of them were asleep because of that specific thing. And I think there could be a number of different sins. It could be any sin that the Lord says, ‘That is as far as it can go, and it can go no further;’ and I think that is the kind of sin John says that you know, it is really not going to do any good to pray for that, because you not going to get a positive answer. The Lord is going to do what he needs to do to protect his church.”

His answer is that the “sin unto death” is any kind of sin that causes one to die naturally. It is any kind of sin that God determines it would be better for the sinner to be dead rather than be alive, and thus God decides to put an end to their life (in this world). That is his interpretation of 1 John 5:16–17. He teaches that such persons are still “saved,” even though God decides to put an end to their lives prematurely (hence the question being asked). The problem with that interpretation is that it leaves unanswered the question of how would anyone know if someone had committed, or was committing that kind of a sin—to decide whether to pray for them or not? If the only way you would know would be if they dropped dead, then why would you want to pray for them anyway, after they were dead? And if they are still alive, how would you know they had committed that sin, or were committing that sin, to decide whether to pray for them or not? 1 John 5:16–17 teaches that we should pray for those who sin “not unto death,” that God may “give [them] life”. If the alternative is the “sin unto death” (natural death), how would we know if someone had committed that kind of sin, or was committing that kind of sin—in order to decide whether to pray for them or not—unless they were already dead—in which case why would anyone want to pray for them? The scripture suggests that it is possible to know whether someone had committed (or was committing) that kind of sin, and thus to decide whether to pray for them or not.

The correct interpretation of that scripture is that by the “sin unto death” is meant spiritual death, which is the unpardonable sin leading to damnation. The following scriptures suggest that it is possible to know if someone is committing that kind of sin:

Matthew 12:

31 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.

32 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.

Hebrews 6:

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Hebrews 10:

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

2 Peter 2:

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Jude 1:

10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

All of these passages refer to the unpardonable sin, or “sin unto death,” and suggest that it is possible (at least some of the time) to know if someone was committing, or had committed that kind of sin. We may not always be able to tell, or not everyone will be able to tell. It may require a certain kind of spiritual discernment to be able to know for sure. But evidently it is possible to know; and when that is discovered, we are required not to pray for them.

Another relevant question is, How can we tell if someone has committed the unpardonable sin, or the “sin unto death”? What does it entail? How does one commit such a sin, and how can one know if someone has? There is a lot of misunderstanding even among Latter-day Saints about the nature of the unpardonable sin, and what it entails. Some think that to commit the unpardonable sin, one must receive some great vision or revelation from God, and then turn against it. But that is not borne out by the scriptural passages that relate to the subject. For example, Jesus accused the Pharisees of committing the unpardonable sin (or coming close to it), when they accused him of casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. The Pharisees hadn’t received some great vision or revelation from heaven, so how were they committing the unpardonable sin (or risked committing that sin)? Likewise the Book of Mormon informs us that the religious leaders of our time who reject the message of the restored gospel, and declare it to be evil and of the devil, and say that God no longer works by revelation and so on, will be committing the unpardonable sin. Here is a quote:

3 Nephi 29:

5 Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!

6 Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!

7 Yea, and wo unto him that shall say at that day to get gain, that there can be no miracle wrought by Jesus Christ; for he that doeth this shall become like unto the son of perdition, for whom there was no mercy, according to the word of Christ!

There are religious leaders in our day who are doing just that. They are in the same situation as the Pharisees were who accused Jesus of casting out devils by the prince of devils. They are committing, or take the risk of committing the unpardonable sin. If they have not already committed that sin, they are coming perilously close to it, as the Pharisees were. The Book of Mormon gives us more insight into what it entails to commit that sin:

Alma 39:

6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.

It is impossible to commit the unpardonable sin in ignorance, by chance, or by accident. Those who have committed the unpardonable sin know that they have. It is always a conscious, personal decision. So here is the question: What were the Pharisees doing that meant they were committing, or risked committing the unpardonable sin? The answer is that they were accusing Jesus of casting out devils by the prince of devils against their own better knowledge. They had enough scripture knowledge, and knowledge of their own divine Law, and also of the holiness of Jesus Christ whom they observed, and the Holy Spirit that bore witness to it, to know that the accusation they were making against him could not be true. They were ascribing evil to that which was holy against their own better knowledge. And when somebody does that, they come perilously close to committing the unpardonable sin. Once they have crossed a certain red line, there is no way back. They have burned their bridges with God, and their damnation is made sure. Repentance is no longer possible. Praying for such a person would be like praying for the devil. Praying for the devil is not going to do anybody any good, including the devil. Apart from that we are required to pray for everyone, sinners and saints alike.

The same is true of the many Christian leaders, ministers, pastors, and preachers of today who accuse the restored Church of Jesus Christ and the restored gospel to be evil and of the devil, when they are in a position to know better. They are in the same situation that the old Pharisees were. They are speaking and acting against their own better knowledge. They have enough scripture knowledge, gospel knowledge, and theological training to know better. When they go that far, then they are coming perilously close to committing the unpardonable sin—and I dare say some of them may have already crossed the point of no return. Other passages of modern scripture that explain how one may commit the unpardonable sin are as follows:

Doctrine and Covenants 84:

40 Therefore all those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.

41 But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come.

Doctrine and Covenants 132:

27 The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in nowise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord.

These relate more to those who apostatize from the restored Church, rather than those who had never joined it; but the underlying principles are the same. To commit the unpardonable sin, or the “sin unto death,” means to knowingly and willfully turn against God, with the full knowledge of the fact, whichever way one does it—as a member of the Church or as a non-member. It is a higher level of sinning than just breaking God’s commandments. And it always involves a witness of the Spirit that something is true and of God. That is why it is also called the “sin against the Holy Ghost”.

Scripture informs us that fallen man, in his fallen state, is already an “enemy to God” (Romans 8:7; James 4:4; Mosiah 3:19); but that is a different kind of “enmity” compared to someone who commits the unpardonable sin, or sins against the Holy Ghost. In the first instance, it is out of ignorance. Fallen man is an enemy to God because he does not know God. He is completely oblivious to the existence of God, and so does many things that are contrary to the nature and will of God. Someone who commits the unpardonable sin, however, becomes an enemy to God with full knowledge of the fact. It is Satan’s way of being an enemy to God. For the first, there is hope of redemption through faith, repentance, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. For the second there is no hope of redemption, only “a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries” (Heb. 10:27). Praying for the first is efficacious; praying for the second is pointless, if not positively harmful.

“Sin unto death” also negates the Calvinist and Evangelical false doctrine of “once saved, always saved”. The biblical doctrine is that nobody is “saved” until they have “endured to the end,” and have entered into the kingdom of God in heaven. Anytime before that in this life, they can change their minds, commit the “sin unto death,” and go down to hell. Nobody is assured of salvation until they have “endured to the end”.

There is an element of truth, however, in the doctrine of the “perseverance of the saints”. The saints who persevere are assisted by the grace of God to continue, and not succumb to the snares of the adversary (John 17:14–16; Rom. 8:37-39; 1 Cor. 15:57; 1 Pet. 1:5–7; Jude 1:24–25). But it doesn’t work like it says in Calvinism or Evangelicalism. Nobody is predestined to be saved. The choice is still theirs at any time, if they will, to turn against God, “sin unto death,” and be damned. That choice is not taken away from anyone in this life until they are dead. Instant salvation is a figment of the Evangelical imagination. Nobody is “saved” until they are in the kingdom of God in heaven. As long as they are in this world, the option is available to them to “sin unto death,” and be damned.

At 53:31 into the video Sinclair B. Ferguson makes the following comment:

“. . . and if my family were around, because I love my family so deeply; but the thought of parting with them even for a season is as mysterious as the idea that there is no marriage in heaven. That is one of the most mysterious—I understand that text; but if you are married, that is a very—the opposite of the privilege of the love, is the horror of the parting. And I personally found great help in this area in some things that John Owen says about the soul’s movement from this world to the world to come, in the way in which as we progress on the Christian life, at that stage we are actually laying down the things that are most precious to us, and we are brought to what is really a totally new challenge, except to come suddenly to us, that we have to give up wife, and our husband, children, ministry, everything; and the only thing that is going to get us through the period of struggle into glory, is our absolute dependence on Jesus Christ.”

If that is how he feels about his wife, family, and marriage, then he needs to take the restored Church of Jesus Christ a bit more seriously. In the theology of Latter-day Saints not only is there “marriage in heaven,” but also “families are forever”. This does not negate Matt. 22:30; Mark 12:25; but puts a different interpretation on it.

It is also correct to say that in order to be a true follower and disciple of Jesus Christ, one must be willing to give up all that one has, including wife and family etc., and even one’s own life:

Luke 14:

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

 •  •  •

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

But that pertains to this life, not the next. The following verses provide the needed clarification:

Matthew 10:

39 He that findeth his life [in this world] shall lose it [in the next]: and he that loseth his life for my sake [in this world] shall find it [in the next].

Matthew 16:

25 For whosoever will save his life [in this world] shall lose it [in the next]: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake [in this world] shall find it [in the next].

Mark 8:

35 For whosoever will save his life [in this world] shall lose it [in the next]; but whosoever shall lose his life [in this world] for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it [in the next].

Luke 9:

24 For whosoever will save his life [in this world] shall lose it [in the next]: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake [in this world], the same shall save it [in the next].

Just as in order to gain one’s life in heaven, we must be willing to give it up in this world for the sake of Jesus and the gospel; so likewise in order to gain our marriage, wife, family, or anything else that is worth having in this world as well as in the next, we must be willing to lose them, or give them up in this world for the sake of Jesus and the gospel. It doesn’t mean that we will lose them permanently. It means that in order to obtain them and retain them in heaven for eternity, we must be willing to give them all up, or lose them in this life for the sake of Jesus and the gospel if need be.