The unpardonable sin is unbelief — rejecting the pardon God provided through the cross.
Scripture says the one who believes is not condemned, but the one who does not believe is condemned already (John 3:18). Les Feldick teaches that the sin debt for the whole world was paid at the cross, so the only reason anyone ends up in eternal doom is that they reject that payment by refusing to believe. Even good people can be lost if they have not believed the Gospel.
John 3:18 — Jesus' words, quoted by Les, state plainly that believers are not condemned, while those who do not believe are condemned already.
Hebrews 3:19 — Paul's illustration of Israel at Kadesh Barnea shows that unbelief was the cause of their failure to enter the Promised Land.
John 3:18 states, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Hebrews 3:19 draws the lesson from Israel's history: "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." Together these verses show that the biblical reason for condemnation is unbelief rather than a specific spoken word or a particular deed.
Les places the unpardonable sin squarely on unbelief. He says that every human being has already been pardoned by the work of the cross; the only reason a person does not receive that pardon is that they will not appropriate it by faith (Clip 1). He repeats that the one sin that will put anyone into eternal doom is rejecting the Gospel, because the sin debt has been paid and finalized once for all (Clip 4). Les calls unbelief the worst sin possible, since it is the opposite of faith (Clip 6), and he uses Israel's refusal at Kadesh Barnea as a graphic illustration: they could not enter the land because they rejected God's promise and refused to believe (Clip 5).
Les explains that the work of the cross has already paid for the sins of the whole world. God reconciled the world to Himself and was not imputing their trespasses to them (2 Corinthians 5:19). Since the debt is paid, a person is not sent to eternal doom because of their sins; they are sent because they refuse to receive the pardon by believing. He points to the great white throne, where even good people will appear, and says their sin is unbelief — they could not believe what God said about the work of the cross (Clip 1).
Les acknowledges that the Matthew 12 discussion of the unpardonable sin involves something that is spoken, but he keeps the focus where Scripture puts it: on believing and not believing. For Les, no particular word or deed is the deciding factor; the condemning issue is unbelief. He quotes Jesus' own words that the one who believes not "is condemned already" (John 3:18), and he calls unbelief the worst sin because it is the opposite of faith (Clip 6).
Les uses Hebrews 3 to show Israel rejecting the land of promise at Kadesh Barnea. God had promised to drive out the Canaanites, but Israel said they were like grasshoppers and could not take the land. They rejected God's promise, and the result was that they could not enter in because of unbelief. For Les, this is a graphic Old Testament picture of how rejecting God's offer — not merely committing sins — keeps people out of His promise.
Les says God hates sin but loves the sinner, and that even people caught in the most wicked lifestyles have had their sins atoned for at the cross. The only reason they will go to an eternal doom is if they reject that atonement. Les also notes that when people refuse to retain God in their knowledge, God eventually gives them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28).
The Unpardonable Sin: What It Really Means for Israel
Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Unbelief as the Great White Throne Sin
Even morally good people will face the great white throne; their condemning sin is unbelief — refusing to believe what God did at the cross.
Rejecting the Pardon
Those in the lake of fire are there because they rejected their pardon, not because their sins were unforgiven.
Condemned Already
Les quotes John's Gospel: the one who believes on Him is not condemned, but the one who does not believe is condemned already.
Rejecting the Gospel as the Only Condemning Sin
Because the sin debt is paid, the only sin that puts a person into eternal doom is rejecting the Gospel.
Israel's Unbelief at Kadesh Barnea
Israel's refusal to enter Canaan because of unbelief illustrates how rejecting God's promise keeps people out of His provision.
Unbelief as the Worst Sin
Unbelief is the worst sin possible because it is the opposite of faith, and faith is what pleases God.
God's Offer to Sinners
God hates sin but loves the sinner, and He remains ready to offer salvation even to those whose minds have been given over to reprobate thinking.
John 3:18: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This is the verse Les references when he says the one who believes not is condemned already.
Hebrews 3:19: So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Les uses this verse to show that unbelief — not sin in general — was what kept Israel out of the Promised Land.
2 Corinthians 5:19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
This is the verse behind Les's statement that God reconciled the world and does not impute trespasses.
Romans 1:28: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Les touches this verse when describing those who refuse to retain God in their knowledge and are given over to a reprobate mind.
Based on Les Feldick's teaching, yes. He says the one sin that puts a person into eternal doom is rejecting the Gospel (Clip 4). He calls unbelief the worst sin possible because it is the opposite of faith (Clip 6).
Yes. Les teaches that the sin debt of the whole world has already been paid at the cross; the only reason a person goes to eternal doom is rejecting that payment by unbelief (Clips 1, 4).
They are condemned already, as Jesus said in John 3:18. Les adds that they will stand before the great white throne without a pardon, having rejected the only provision God made (Clips 1, 3).
Les says people end up in the lake of fire because they rejected their pardon. They could have escaped if they had simply believed, but they would not (Clip 2).
Watch the Teaching: The Unpardonable Sin: What It Really Means for Israel