Is Unbelief A Sin?

[tyndale1946]

This is not from my pen but from the pen of the Puritan John Owens... I have read his books on Death Of Death In The Death Of Christ and also his discourse on The Work Of The Holy Spirit... Here is what he says... The Father imposed his wrath due unto, and the Son underwent the punishment for either:

1. All the sins of all men?
2. All the sins of some men?... Or
3. Some of the sins of all men?

In which it may be said:

a. That if the last be true, some men have some sins to answer for, and so none are saved.
b. That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the elect in the whole world and this is the truth.
c. But if the first be the case, Why are not all men free from the punishment due to their sins?

You answer, "Because of unbelief"

I ask, Is this unbelief a sin or not?... If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it or he did not... If he did why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which he died?... If he did not, then he did not die for all their sins!"

Romans 11: 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Brother Glen

 

[JonC]

Yes, unbelief is a sin. It is a sin that we committed before we believed. If it is somehow excluded from forgivable sins then nobody would be saved.

The passage in Romans is speaking of the Jewish nation. God concluded them in their unbelief. Another way of looking at this is branches were cut off and other branches grafted in.

Did Christ die for the sin of unbelief (which is essentially rebellion against God)? Yes.

 

[DaveXR650]

1. All the sins of all men?
2. All the sins of some men?... Or
3. Some of the sins of all men?

Owen was trying to refute Universalists. I'm not sure, maybe someone else can help here, but I think by universalists he was referring more to those who believed in a universal atonement for everyone.
@tyndale1946 , Where are you going with this? Owen's work is an excellent defense of a particular atonement but he did not teach a justification from the time of Christ's death or from eternity past. He wrote some stuff refuting that and I can help with references if you want.

 

[JonC]

Owen was trying to refute Universalists. I'm not sure, maybe someone else can help here, but I think by universalists he was referring more to those who believed in a universal atonement for everyone.
@tyndale1946 , Where are you going with this? Owen's work is an excellent defense of a particular atonement but he did not teach a justification from the time of Christ's death or from eternity past. He wrote some stuff refuting that and I can help with references if you want.

Owen (and Calvin...and Sproul) wrote that justification is a result of faith, based on Christ's death.

 

[JD731]

The men who were charged with preaching the gospel to Israel and the world began the age not believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ when they first heard about it. I will present the truth of these words.


Mark 16:10-14
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.


14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Here is a second instance of unbelief on the day of the resurrection.


John 20:24-29
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

among the other things that are proven by these statements in Mark 16 and John 20 is the fact that believing the gospel of Jesus Christ and being saved is a prerogative of the will.

Thomas, an apostle of Jesus Christ, having heard from the other apostles that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead said except I see his wounds I will not believe. This means that he set a condition for believing the gospel and afterwards he did believe.

An apostle of Jesus Christ must be also an eyewitness of his Resurrection.

 

[Brightfame52]

Yes unbelief is a sin, and a sin which Christ died for, and redeemed them He died for from it Titus 2:14

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

So its impossible for someone Christ died for to die in their sins in unbelief Jn 8:24

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

 

[MrW]

My answer: Because they have not RECEIVED Christ. John 1:12-13.

Christ died for the sins of the world. Those who receive Him become believers. Those who do not receive Him remain unrepentant of their sins, including the sin of unbelief.

 

[Brightfame52]

My answer: Because they have not RECEIVED Christ. John 1:12-13.

Christ died for the sins of the world. Those who receive Him become believers. Those who do not receive Him remain unrepentant of their sins, including the sin of unbelief.

Christ died for the sin of unbelief, the sin of not receiving Him, thats the point.

 

[kyredneck]

3 For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? Ro 3

 

[Brightfame52]

3 For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? Ro 3

All of Gods elect start off as unbelievers, but since Christ died for them one of the redemptive benefits is the Gift of Faith.to believe. If not for that, Gods elect would continue in unbelief like the non elect who Christ didn't redeem because He didn't die for them.

 

[kyredneck]

one of the redemptive benefits is the Gift of Faith.to believe.

Doesn't mean they're going to exercise that faith.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Heb 4; See Romans 3:3-4

Referring to those redeemed from the House of Bondage by Jehovah, they were preached the gospel that the Land of Milk & Honey was theirs's for the taking, and they rejected the gospel.

Yet, even after all the wickedness Israel had done after God had redeemed them out of the House of Bondage (unbelief, disobedience, murmuring, idolatry, fornication, rebellion, etc.), and even with Balaam wanting so badly to curse Israel, God made Balaam to declare:

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; Neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: Jehovah his God is with him, And the shout of a king is among them. Nu 23:21

Even in unbelief and disobedience they were as righteous as Christ in the eyes of God. (Blessed is the man to whom, the Lord will not reckon sin. Ro 4:8)

But Israel still yet reaped in this temporal realm for their wickedness after being redeemed from the House of Bondage, they wandered for forty years in the waste places when they could have possessed the Land of Milk and Honey, the Sabbath Rest of God, i.e., the abundant life in Christ. Romans 14:17

Yet during all their wandering/chastening in the Wilderness He still yet gave them shade by day and light by night, He fed them manna, gave them water, their clothes never wore out, their feet didn't blister, etc., He was with them always.

So you see, there were only temporal consequences for their unbelief. There were no eternal consequences. Christ's atonement for His own covers the sin of unbelief.

5 to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ: 1 Cor 5

 

[Brightfame52]

ky red

Doesn't mean they're going to exercise that faith.

Yes it does, it ensures believing Phil 1:29

29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

to believe is an present active infinitive, the infinitive indicates the purpose or result of the being given, to believe. Because its in behalf of Christ.

 

[kyredneck]

ky red



Yes it does, it ensures believing Phil 1:29

29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

to believe is an present active infinitive, the infinitive indicates the purpose or result of the being given, to believe. Because its in behalf of Christ.

It was 'given' to the Exodus generation to enter into His rest, and they rejected it, all the while the blood of the Passover Lamb still covered their sins.

 

[kyredneck]

Doesn't mean they're going to exercise that faith.

Yes it does,

To what degree? Matthew 13:18-23

I believe all of these 'grounds' represent His redeemed.

 

[MrW]

Christ died for the sin of unbelief, the sin of not receiving Him, thats the point.

Yes, but they go to hell without repenting, believing, receiving Christ.

Hell will have no lack of human inhabitants, I regret to say, but truth is still true.

 

[Brightfame52]

Yes, but they go to hell without repenting, believing, receiving Christ.

Hell will have no lack of human inhabitants, I regret to say, but truth is still true.

Impossible for one for whom Christ died, to go to hell for unbelief. Christ died for that sin, thats why they are legally saved, reconciled to God even while unbelieving enemies Rom 5:10

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Those for whom Christ died, God doesnt impute any sin on them.

 

[kyredneck]

Yes, but they go to hell without repenting, believing, receiving Christ.

Hell will have no lack of human inhabitants, I regret to say, but truth is still true.

Hell, hell, hell, hell on the brain, what a gross mistake it is to think God chastises only with eternal torment. Shallow it is.

 

[37818]

. . . repenting, believing, receiving Christ.

I have to ask, where's this teaching in the gospel account according to John.

 

[MrW]

All Scripture is to be consulted.

Per the Lord Jesus, and He knows, relative few will not be in hell. His message was all should repent and believe.

John doesn’t mention repentance because belief and repentance are two sides of the same coin. If you truly believe, you will repent—if you truly repent, you will believe.

If you do not repent, you have “believed in vain”.

 

[MrW]

All of Gods elect start off as unbelievers, but since Christ died for them one of the redemptive benefits is the Gift of Faith.to believe. If not for that, Gods elect would continue in unbelief like the non elect who Christ didn't redeem because He didn't die for them.

All are not elect.