<> Ask the Pastor The Rev'd Walter P. Snyder Q: There's been a lot of talk of forgiveness in the news lately. I talked with a friend about the Sunday sermon at my church. The point was that people underestimate the seriousness of sin, not realizing that it took the death of the Son of God to pay for the sins of all mankind. It's not our confession or contrition that forgives, but it is what God has done for us in Jesus Christ's death on the cross. He asked me: Why did God require the death of His Son to forgive the sins of rebellious mankind? Why did He do it THAT way? From the Bible, I showed sin's consequences and that there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. I mentioned C. S. Lewis, who stated that only God could provide what Mankind owed; He did this by invading human time and history in the person of Jesus to do just that. I also pointed out that in the death of Jesus, God showed how sin was so offensive to Him that his justice and wrath required such a precious sacrifice and also in this same death He showed His love for humanity in that He provided the sacrifice for us. He said my answers were very good, but I still wonder if I did not answer the theoretical "why" part as well as I had wanted. Could you please provide a better answer for him coming from that angle? A: Ultimately, God's "reasons" are hidden in his own nature. This nature is never fully revealed, even to the angels and the saints in heaven. You have highlighted some of the major things that God does tell us about himself: He is holy, to a perfect extent that we cannot fathom: He is both totally sinless and deeply and completely hates sin. He is also gracious: His love for sinners born dead in their trespasses is complete and wondrous. To attempt to determine God's "why" outside his revealed word is to put oneself in the position of judging God. It is also folly to choose an attribute of God (e.g., holiness, righteousness, omnipresence, grace, et al.) and then predict or explain God's behavior. Above all else, God is God. His thoughts and ways are beyond our comprehension. Explanations and predictions based upon anything less than full knowledge of the mind of God will fail. God calls us not to understand but to believe. He reveals himself in Christ, in Scripture, and in sacraments. "Why" is a question of human reason. Scripture leads us to place reason as a servant to the faith, not to master it. God did it this way because he established the way of salvation from eternity. As you said, he made the demands, which, as God, he had the right to do. He bound himself to his Word and would allow no exceptions. Yet because he desired an exception---life instead of death, all to be saved instead of all condemned---God provided a way of salvation that was not in conflict with his Word and will. Beyond that, we are wise to stop speculating and instead focus on the gift of salvation in Christ Jesus. More would be less as you talk with your friend. Q: Could you please comment on Mk. 3:28--29; Mt. 12:31--32; Lk. 12:10---the Unforgivable Sin? Is it dying without Jesus Christ as you Savior? I heard a pastor say the only way you can go to hell is to die without Jesus. A: Theologians through the ages have wrestled with this. I'll spare you and the other readers all the references and will summarize the consensus of orthodox Christians. Johann Gerhard [17th century] defined the unpardonable sin as "intentional denial of evangelical truth connected with a bold attack on this truth and voluntary blasphemy of it." It may belong both to the apostate (one who abandons the Faith) and to those who never outwardly confess the truth, yet still wickedly oppose it. In this latter camp are the Pharisees and others who challenged Christ and his teachings, yet were at least partially convinced by his works that he was of God. Some call this the Sin Against the Holy Spirit, not because it attacks his person, but because it is the Spirit's office to reveal divine truth and work through Scripture to bring people to faith in Christ. Thus, this is a sin against the special work of the Spirit, who calls, gathers, and enlightens the Christian Church. God's isn't unwilling to pardon but a sinner may wilfully reject this pardon. This sinner willingly persists until the end of his days in actively rejecting the grace of God in Christ Jesus, forgiveness, and new life. Thus, St. Augustine calls it Final Impenitence. Anyone who worries that he has made this transgression may benefit from these words of Franz Pieper: "One who is worried about his sins and fears that they are an indication of his having committed the unpardonable sin, while at the same time his heart is filled with the longing not to be excluded from the remission which Christ has purchased with his blood---in him the Holy Ghost is carrying on his mighty work, as is clearly attested by this worry and this desire. He is a believer." In other words, if this concerns you so deeply, you are not guilty of it. Jesus likewise reassures one who is so worried, "Whoever comes to me I certainly will not cast out. (John 6:37)" That's it for now. You can submit questions by mail to "Ask the Pastor," PO Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or just stop me on the street. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches in Jasper and Woodville, Texas and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1998 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.