I thought blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was the only thing unforgivable. This is definitely a difficult thing to deal with. I know Bundy accepted Christ before he was electrocuted and Son of Sam has become a Christian. The idea that Christ’s sacrifice covers the most heinous things for those who are truly repentant is a tenet of faith.
Those that hate Christianity are always trying things like this, and the "Church of Everlasting Love" as I refer to it doesn't help the image. I'd even argue that the existence of so many false "Churches" only serves to make it easier for things like this.
Can and does God forgive sins these heinous? Everything in the bible would say so. Is it as simple as "oh yeah just love God and Jesus and regret it a bit and you're good?" I think not. Part of repentance would be acceptance of the worldly consequences. I've often wondered, should a repenting Christian enter a plea of not guilty, for example? You're covering a sin with a lie. Anyway, it's still only for us to judge the man and give fair "worldly" punishment, then forgive move on and leave the eternal part to God.
I've been reading the bible a lot lately, sort of a "clean" reading not like bible study or looking up specific verses, but just reading it almost like a book. It's been interesting as someone who grew up Christian and had never really lost that, but lost interest in "Church."
Part of repentance would be acceptance of the worldly consequences.
This is why Jesus told the thief on the cross "Today you will be with Me in Paradise," not "you know I am the Son of God? Cool, hop down off that cross and go home, dawg!" Forgiveness is eternal, but sin and transgression has temporal effects.
I thought blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was the only thing unforgivable. This is definitely a difficult thing to deal with. I know Bundy accepted Christ before he was electrocuted and Son of Sam has become a Christian. The idea that Christ’s sacrifice covers the most heinous things for those who are truly repentant is a tenet of faith.
Those that hate Christianity are always trying things like this, and the "Church of Everlasting Love" as I refer to it doesn't help the image. I'd even argue that the existence of so many false "Churches" only serves to make it easier for things like this.
Can and does God forgive sins these heinous? Everything in the bible would say so. Is it as simple as "oh yeah just love God and Jesus and regret it a bit and you're good?" I think not. Part of repentance would be acceptance of the worldly consequences. I've often wondered, should a repenting Christian enter a plea of not guilty, for example? You're covering a sin with a lie. Anyway, it's still only for us to judge the man and give fair "worldly" punishment, then forgive move on and leave the eternal part to God.
I've been reading the bible a lot lately, sort of a "clean" reading not like bible study or looking up specific verses, but just reading it almost like a book. It's been interesting as someone who grew up Christian and had never really lost that, but lost interest in "Church."
This is why Jesus told the thief on the cross "Today you will be with Me in Paradise," not "you know I am the Son of God? Cool, hop down off that cross and go home, dawg!" Forgiveness is eternal, but sin and transgression has temporal effects.