Past Redemption Point

Millions of people have made a fatal mistake in their lives by drifting past the redemption point. This can happen to the professed Christians as well as to the unbelievers and even to the children. There are several examples in the Bible of the people who could not be saved anymore. In this case we should not even pray for them anymore. “There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” 1 John 5:16.

Satan

“Understanding the character of God, knowing His goodness, Satan chose to follow his own selfish, independent will. This choice was final. There was no more that God could do to save him.” DA, p. 762

The most blinded being that has ever existed is Satan. The high position, so close to God; his great wisdom and knowledge did not save him. Little children understand the truth often better than people with high intelligence, and education. While still in heaven Satan sinned against the Holy Spirit. Many while still in the church do the same. And normally in the time of shaking, only people who have sinned against the Holy Spirit will be shaken out.

Felix

“A ray of light from heaven had been permitted to shine upon Felix, when Paul reasoned with him concerning righteousness, temperance, and a judgment to come. That was his heaven-sent opportunity to see and to forsake his sins. But he said to the messenger of God, ‘Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.’ He had slighted his last offer of mercy. Never was he to receive another call from God.” AA, p. 427.

Many make a similar mistake as Felix. They delay their obedience to a later time and without realizing, they pass the redemption point. The Bible message is, “Today if you hear My voice, harden not your hearts.”

“The most common manifestation of the sin against the Holy Spirit is in persistently slighting heaven’s invitation to repent.” DA, p. 324. Delay in obedience may close heaven to us forever.

Uzzah

“And when they came to the Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.” 2 Sam. 6:6-7.

“The fate of Uzzah was a divine judgment upon the violation of a most explicit command… The Philistines, who had not a knowledge of God’s law, had placed the ark upon a cart when they returned it to Israel, and the Lord accepted the effort which was made. But the Israelites had in their hands a plain statement of the will of God in all these matters, and their neglect of these instructions was dishonouring to God. Upon Uzzah rested the greater guilt of presumption.” PP, p. 705-706.

No time was given him for repentance nor confession of his sin. It was too late, he had passed the point of redemption.
The knowledge of the will of God makes us responsible to follow it explicitly.

Ananias and Sapphira

“Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” Acts 5:3-4.

“In pretending that they had given all, Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Ghost, and as a result, they lost this life and the life that is to come. The same God who punished them, today condemns all falsehood. Lying lips are an abomination to Him. He declares that into the holy city, there shall in no wise enter… anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie… He who utters untruths, sells his soul in a cheap market.” AA, p. 75, 76.

Many times this happens that in order to accomplish their purpose a lie is spoken. Jewish leaders, even the high priest had to bring false witnesses against Christ in order to condemn Him. Because of their one lie they sinned against the Holy Spirit and lost their salvation forever.

The Bible is clear that liars will not inherit eternal life. Yet people take this warning lightly and continue to speak lies in the committees, in the churches, and among their brethren; not realizing that a heavenly watcher is recording all these lies and in the day of judgment these lies will condemn them. If we hear a lie spoken and do not immediately correct it, we become liars by our silence. And the same condemnation will be against us as came upon Ananias and Sapphira.

Judas

The weakness of Judas was the love of money. Because of his covetousness he committed an unpardonable sin. When Jesus was washing his feet he still had a chance of repenting but after he left the company of Jesus and the other disciples his chance of salvation was too late. He had drifted past the redemption point. Instead of enjoying the newly gained money he was in a terrible torture of his guilty conscience.

“As the trial drew to a close, Judas could endure the torture of his guilty conscience no longer. Suddenly a hoarse voice rang through the hall, sending a thrill of terror to all hearts: He is innocent; spare Him, O Caiphus! The tall form of Judas was now seen pressing through the startled throng. His face was pale and haggard, and great drops of sweat stood on his forehead. Rushing to the throne of judgment, he threw down before the high priest the pieces of silver that had been the price of his Lord’s betrayal… ‘I have sinned,’ again cried Judas, ‘in that I have betrayed the innocent blood’… Judas saw that his entreaties were in vain, and he rushed from the hall exclaiming, It is too late! It is too late! He felt that he could not live to see Jesus crucified, and in despair went out and hanged himself.” DA, p. 721-722.

When Judas lost the Holy Spirit by his sin he also lost his happiness and joy. For this reason also the lukewarm Laodicean angel is wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked; even that they claim to be rich and increased with goods. There cannot be a happy life without the Holy Spirit.

Nadab and Abihu

“Next to Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu had stood highest in Israel. They had been especially honoured by the Lord, having been permitted with the seventy elders to behold His glory in the mount. But their transgression was not therefore to be excused or lightly regarded. All this rendered their sin more grievous.” DA, p. 359.

Sins committed by leaders are much more grievous that the sins of the laymembers. Many in the congregation may have committed greater sins than the sons of Aaron, but were not punished so severely. Many continue to do sins because the punishment does not always fall upon them immediately.

1888

The Seventh-Day Adventist leaders had come to the conference in Minneapolis. To this conference God sent two young men to proclaim to them the Christ Righteousness message. That could have saved the church from apostasy and rejection, but the majority of the leaders rejected this message and sinned against the Holy Spirit.

“They began this satanic work at Minneapolis. Afterward, when they saw and felt the demonstration of the Holy Spirit testifying that the message was of God, they hated it the more, because it was a testimony against them. They would not humble their hearts to repent, to give God the glory, and vindicate the right. They went on in their own spirit, filled with envy, jealousy, and evil surmisings, as did the Jews. They opened their hearts to the enemy of God and man. Yet these men have been holding positions of trust, and have been molding the work after their own similitude, as far as they possibly could…” Test. to Min., p. 80.

Here we learn that often the leaders of the church of God have committed sins against the Holy Spirit. Here the leaders had no chance of salvation any more but yet they remained in the leading positions for the following 26 years. When the Reformation finally came into existence, not one of them joined in it but became bitter enemies of God’s people.

The same happened in the Old Israel. Often the king introduced the idol worship into the nation and remained in this position for many years. Jewish people were the church of God and yet they killed the prophets and persecuted the messengers that God had sent to them.

This is Satan’s plan to destroy the church of God by bringing in false brethren to the church in order to cause disturbance and divisions among the people.

“Satan has his specious devices through which he purposes to crowd false brethren into the church, through whom he can work more successfully to weaken the cause of God.” Evang., p. 313.

It is scary to think even that some of the leaders in the very church of God may have passed the redemption point, yet controlling the work according to their own ideas.

Antediluvians

“Had the antediluvians believed the warning, and repented of their evil deeds, the Lord would have turned aside His wrath, as he afterward did from Ninevah. But by their obstinate resistance to the reproofs of conscience and the warnings of God’s prophet, that generation filled up the measure of their iniquity, and became ripe for destruction.” PP, p. 97.

If Noah had preached to the people another 100 years, no one else would have been saved. They all had passed their redemption point. The whole world had passed the line of no return. One by one they had committed the unpardonable sin. This is happening in our days also. When mercy does not linger any more then the whole world have committed sin that cannot be forgiven.

May the Lord help us to see the danger of crossing the line of salvation when all will be too late. People with greater knowledge of the truth have greater danger of committing sin with knowledge than the people who are ignorant of the truth.
AMEN

Timo Martin, Canada