Todd said:
Many of you are probably aware of or have heard of the BTK serial killer. Well, I was reading the attached article, and would like to pose the same question, but on a broader scale. The original question was, can he be forgiven (and this is from a Christian perspective since he claims to be Christian).
The question I want to pose is, according to your belief or faith, could Dennis Rader (aka BTK) be forgiven, by the God you believe in, for the crimes he committed.
http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/local/12371083.htm
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What is the "unpardonable sin?"[/size][/font]
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[font=Times, Times New Roman][size=+3]A[/font]n unforgivable sin is described in
Mark 3 and
Matthew 12. These passages involve Jesus Christ's repeated and widespread public defeat of Satan and his demons. Many readers and theologians have been confused about the true nature of this sin. As you read these verses for yourself (below), bear in mind part of the purpose of Jesus Christ's ministry was to directly confront darkness with the light of truth in a public battle of pure good versus pure evil. The only being in the universe that is more powerful than the Evil One, is God. He is the only one with enough power to bind Satan himself and forcibly dispossess him.[/size][/font]
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Mark 3:22-30 states,[/font]
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[font=Times, Times New Roman]"And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, 'He has Beelzebub,' and, 'By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.' ...'Assuredly, I [Jesus] say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation;' because they said, 'He has an unclean spirit'" [size=-1](NKJV, emphasis added / Note: The Pharisees made the same charge in Mat 9:34.).
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In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus says to the Pharisees,[/font]
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[font=Times, Times New Roman]"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son 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" [size=-1](NKJV, emphasis added).
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What is the context of these statements, and what is the exact sin described?[/font]
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The Pharisees had long observed the sinless Jesus Christ. They observed him doing undeniable and powerful miracles that were, at the very least, clear evidence of power supplied by God. These impressive miracles were freely given in pure kindness and love to release people from obvious suffering and the oppression of horrible evil.[/font]
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However, the Pharisees had so firmly set their hearts against accepting Jesus as the Messiah that they rejected the obvious truth before them and perversely twisted it to influence the crowds. They publicly credited the most ultimately evil being in the universe with these precious, godly miracles. In other words, they called the precious and holy Spirit of God, the unclean spirit of Satan. In effect, they charged Jesus Christ with sorcery; one who is in league with Satan. These charges are not only appalling and extremely serious, but clearly absurd. As Jesus immediately responded,[/font]
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/unpardonablesin.html
