ACC ~ Matthew 12 v32

CONTINUING IMPENITENCE AFTER BAPTISM

AUGUSTINE: Against this unmerited gift, [1] against this free grace of God, the impenitent heart may continue to murmur. So it is unrepentance that is a blasphemy against the Spirit. [2] It is not forgiven either in this world or in the next. Think of a person whose sins are entirely forgiven in faithful baptism and whom the church has welcomed. [3] This is the very church commissioned to remit sin, in which whatever sins it remits are promised to be truly remitted. You are speaking a very evil, utterly graceless word against the Holy Spirit, you are speaking it in thought or out loud, if when the patience of God is beckoning you to repentance, you harden your impenitent heart. By doing so you store up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and of the revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to us all according to our works. [4] This is the impenitence that is called both by the name of blasphemy and speaking against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. This is the flagrant impenitence against which both the herald [5] and the Judge [6] cried out when they proclaimed: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” [7] It is the same impenitence against which the Lord opened his mouth to preach the gospel. He preached against it when he foretold that the gospel itself was to be preached in the whole world; when he said to the disciples after rising from the dead that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead on the third day; and for repentance and the forgiveness of sins to be preached in his name throughout all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. [8] Yes, this refusal to repent has absolutely no forgiveness, neither in this age nor in the age to come, because repentance obtains forgiveness in this world in preparation for the next. SERMON 71.12.20. [9]

[1] Of the Holy Spirit, for previously Augustine has been speaking in this sermon about perfect love as the gift of the Holy Spirit, by which sins are cast out, and the people of God gathered together in unity. The unclean spirit struggles against this gift. NPNF 1 6:324-25.

[2] Augustine takes exception to the interpretation of Chrysostom (see note 28). By irremissible sin Jesus means the desperation caused by the refusal of repentance. In fact, Augus-tine believes, every sin is remissible. Thus the only irremissible sin occurs when a person despairing of salvation does not repent, thereby remaining in the grasp of sin.

[3] To the Lord’s table.

[4] Rom 2:4-6.

[5] John the Baptist.

[6] Jesus Christ.

[7] Mt 3:2; 4:17.

[8] Lk 24:46-47.

[9] PL 38:455-56; WSA 3 3:258**; NPNF 1 6:325 (Sermon 21).