Bible Study

[dgs49]

Who ever claimed that drinking alcohol was prohibited by the bible? They weren't drinking grape juice at the last supper. Hell, Jesus himself turned water into wine.

Although suicide is not defined anywhere as unforgivable, in most cases there is no opportunity to repent before actual death, and Catholics believe that repentance is necessary. I suppose this could be an argument for saying that suicide is unforgivable.

OTOH, if you commit suicide by a slow-acting means (poison, jumping from a high place, etc), then it would be theoretically possible to get right with God before death.

As for having more than one wife, you don't have to even look at a bible to see that essentially all Christian marriage vows include a vow of fidelity. Plural marriage would be the breaking of a solemn vow, taken before God, blah, blah, blah.

I've never heard anyone say that gambling was prohibited in the bible or that it was inherently sinful. If it were, buying insurance would be prohibited.

[MajGenl.Meade]

All sorts of questions can be answered by not looking at the Bible. But when it comes to questions about what the Bible says, it's usually a good idea to take at least a cursory glance or two.

Suicide is a sin (self-murder) but not unforgivable. There is only one unforgivable sin (Matt. 12:31)

Regardless of what Roman doctrine may declare, the Bible trumps it

Meade

[liberty]

All sorts of questions can be answered by not looking at the Bible. But when it comes to questions about what the Bible says, it's usually a good idea to take at least a cursory glance or two.

Suicide is a sin (self-murder) but not unforgivable. There is only one unforgivable sin (Matt. 12:31)

Regardless of what Roman doctrine may declare, the Bible trumps it

Meade

That’s correct general; you would make good Southern Baptist.

[Crackpot]

Trump?

[dales]

You'd better get right with God, Donald (through the atoning work of Jesus the Christ) before you die. You will not take any of your riches with you. None of us will.

[Gob]

But will his hair grow back in heaven?

[MajGenl.Meade]

That’s correct general; you would make (a) good Southern Baptist

Once upon a time perhaps. But I'm married now.

[Gob]

If you're married to your sister you may still qualify!

[MajGenl.Meade]

...shurely not?

[Sue U]

I went to high school with Shirley Knott. She got married to Dewey Ever.

[rubato]

Donny T demonstrates "sphinctering of the lips".

Naturally.


yrs,
rubato

[Andrew D]

What is that one unforgivable sin, General?

All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

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.

(Matthew 12:31-32 (AV).)

What is "blasphemy against the Holy Ghost"? How is it possible for a person to "speak[] against the Son of man" without "speak[ing] against the Holy Ghost"?

What do the (reported) words of Jesus actually mean?

[MajGenl.Meade]

The majority opinion seems to be that the unforgivable sin is to ascribe the acts of the Holy Spirit to the Devil. It appears that one may say anything against Jesus (or indeed God) and yet still remain eligible for repentance and forgiveness. But to maintain that the works of God through the Spirit are in fact acts of Satan is rather a blue.

The main point of course is not for people to worry too much about what is unforgiveable as it is to understand that forgiveness extends as widely as it does. One might lie, cheat or steal and when it comes to the moment of decision understand that those things, as ugly as they are, do not prevent God from reconciling to mankind.

I think it is somewhat akin to worrying about all those people who "have not heard". Stop. Worry about yourself who has heard. Then do something about those who have not.

Meade

[liberty]

I have been a little reluctant to post this because some people are impressionable I would not want to do or say anything that would encourage such a person to act impulsively. But we don’t have a big media foot print; so I will be careful what I say.
I have heard it said that suicide is an unforgivable sin, but I am not even sure it is a sin. We had a friend that was dying of cancer. She was allowed to administer her own pain medication which is the only humane way to deal with such pain. She died but it was not cancer that killed her it was the pain med. She killed herself, but I don’t believe that she committed an unforgivable sin or even a sin. If anyone deserves even it was her.

[MajGenl.Meade]

lib, your final sentence raises two issues which in the context of Christianity have been answered fully and finally by the Bible which is the only authority.

1. No-one 'deserves' heaven; no-one 'deserves' salvation. "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves. It is the gift of God and not as a result of works so that none may boast" Eph 2:8-9

2. Again, in Matthew 12:31 Jesus declares that there is only ONE unforgivable sin. It is not suicide. So whatever you may "hear" to the contrary, what you hear is false.

As to whether suicide is a sin, the argument from one school of thought is that suicide is self-murder; murder is a sin. Presumably sin can only be repented while alive on earth and a suicide, being dead on earth, can no longer repent of that sin. This too contradicts the Bible (Matt 12:31) but then that school of thought has never been particularly shy of producing anti-Christian doctrine.

My own thought is that suicide, as with so many things we humans do, may be a sin but it's not clearly stated to be such in God's word and therefore I leave the matter to Him who is able to keep us from falling, even when we stumble.

Meade

[Sean]

Him who is able to keep us from falling, even when we stumble.

Meade

God, yesterday




Sorry Meade... Couldn't resist!

ETA to add comma.

[Sue U]

Everyone knows that Weebles don't stumble; like unto Jah, they wobble.

[MajGenl.Meade]

As I and I must agree, though they may Wimble or Womble a bit.

Didn't quite get "God yesterday" Sean?

[Sean]

Not a Viz reader Gen'l?

[Andrew D]

... the Bible which is the only authority.

What about the people who decided what would be in the Bible and what would not?