When a man to-day reaches the comprehensive state of mind that he is
going to reject Jesus _over any and all evidence,_ he has gone into the
house, shut and locked the door and thrown away the key. God can not
reach him. Such a man will be let alone by the Spirit of God. That Paul
understood this condition to be unpardonable, we read in Heb. 6:4-6:
"But as touching those who were once enlightened, and tasted of the
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted
the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fall
away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they
_crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh_, and put him to an open
shame." Paul says it is impossible to renew such a one to repentance.
Why? "_Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh_." That
is, they have reached the same state of mind the Pharisees had who
_crucified him the first time_. Men can commit that same act to-day, but
when they do it they lose all concern regarding the consequences. As
long as one has concern, he may rest assured that he has not blasphemed
the Holy Spirit.
_The Fruits of the Spirit_. I have not treated this passage hitherto,
because I do not understand the apostle to be referring to the Holy
Spirit, but to man's spirit.
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