03/20/2021 – The 3rd commandment – “Carrying” God’s name into a mortal sin – the unforgivable sin…
https://www.prageru.com/video/do-not-misuse-gods-name/
3rd commandment, translated in my NKJV – New King James version is:
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” So, Dennis notes that the proper translation of the Hebrew bible should be “Carry” , not “take”. When Dennis talks about Hebrew translation, he knows what he is talking about as he has spent his whole life studying Hebrew.
So, if we use “carry”, notice how that connects up to the “unforgivable” sin. Now, here is what is fascinating: Jesus said the unforgivable sin is a sin against the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at it, Matthew 12:32: “Anyone who speaks a word against the Sons of Man, it will be forgiven him, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” I have heard countless questions in Christian bible study groups: “What is that unforgivable sin?” At best, I recall a group answer akin to: “Well, if you are worried about committing it, you don’t have to worry!” In response, let me say, that does not do much for me. Do y’all share this experience with me.
I submit that what Jesus is saying in Matthew 12:32 connects with the 3rd commandment, which if we use the word “carry” instead of “take” appropriately guides us logically to committing mortal sin while “carrying” God’s name.
Who am I to question Billy Graham, no? Well, I am doing just that, check out his explanation of the “unforgivable” sin in the 1st paragraph:
What’s The Unforgivable Sin? Billy Graham Answers
Q. How many sins can you list that God won’t ever forgive? I worry about this, because I know I’ve not been a very good person, and some of the things I’ve done are probably on that list.
“A: Only one sin that can’t be forgiven is on God’s list—and that is the sin of rejecting Him and refusing His offer of forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ. This alone is the unforgivable sin, because it means we are saying that the Holy Spirit’s witness about Jesus is a lie (see Luke 12:10).”
Does this not beg the question? Of course, if I reject Jesus’ substitutionary atonement for my sin, I am not saved by definition. I don’t have to tag it with the “unforgivable” sin to get that result. But if I carry God’s name, by murdering someone in God’s name, in the Christian faith, that is different. Why? Because, God can forgive me for murder, but not if I carry God’s name into it in the process, I cannot be saved. The same act can have completely 180 degree different consequences, unlike Billy Graham’s explanation. Therefore, the proper Hebrew translation of the 3rd commandment connects up with Jesus’ reference to the unforgivable sin. So, the answer back to Sunday school as a kid was: “The unforgivable sin is the 3rd commandment!”, as opposed to: “We don’t know; it’s a mystery!”
Just a question for y’all: I have heard Christians say “sin is sin, all sin is basically the same.” Have y’all as well? Prager is dead on in my opinion: I think we can presume, safe to say, that God has at least as much common sense as we do. Besides, would that be consistent with God’s Word? I cannot get to heaven, without Jesus, unless I lived a completely sinless life, which is impossible of course, seeing how God’s holiness is unfathomable. But that does not mean that all sin is basically the same in God’s eyes either. Let’s not go there. I should not blend it in with the question of my salvation.
Soli Deo Gloria!