[Ping-Pong]

1 John 5:16-17 : 16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

Isn't this sin John is speaking of the one found in Luke?

Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

The next two verses tell us when that "unforgivable sin" can happen. My understanding is that only the elect would be able to commit that sin. If this is true then all other sins could be forgiven.

[Mad Dawg]

I think that your suggestion is also possible. Furhtr AGAINST my proposed ocnstruciton and in favor of yours is that the FLAVOR of what St. John syas sure sounds like the sins that leads to death is maybe not worth praying for. The perp is toast.

[Forest Keeper]

Isn't this sin John is speaking of [1 John 5:16-17] the one found in Luke [12:10] ?

Yeah, it could very well be. I'm not sure, and I admit I'm not rock solid on the whole unforgivable sin thing. What gets me is that when the John verse: "17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death." is matched up to "the wages of sin is death" (I note the singular), I have to conclude that John may be only talking about physical death. In 17, he doesn't even say "equals" death, he just says "lead[s] to". In my mind, the totality of scripture is that sin itself is never excusable in the "eternity" sense. I don't see how God could let some (actual) sins "slip by" and not be dealt with before one of His children enters Heaven. I think that Christ has dealt with each and every sin committed by one of His children.

The next two verses tell us when that "unforgivable sin" can happen. My understanding is that only the elect would be able to commit that sin. If this is true then all other sins could be forgiven.

I'm not sure I'm following. If an elect could commit an unforgivable sin, or let's say if he ever DID commit an unforgivable sin, then how could he be an elect? In the Reformed understanding, ALL the sins of the elect are dealt with, "forgiven" before they enter Heaven. To us, God's standards would require no less.

I see what you may be saying as quite a contrast to what MD is talking about. Venial sins are, by my understanding of Catholicism, comparatively Mickey Mouse sins, and God might let them slide. However, an unforgivable sin, it would seem to me, would be huge, and never allowed to slide when committed by anyone.