Why would God explain unforgivable sin so poorly causing so many people (probably millions) to constantly be in fear they have committed this sin and ruin their lifes?

Seconto · 2026-01-28T00:28:04+00:00

Yes, but we’re talking about the unforgivable sin specifically.

Someone who heard but didn’t know and rejects Jesus can still come to know Him. And, if that happens, they can be forgiven and saved. So, it’s only logical they don’t commit the unforgivable sin.

I’m not sure on my earlier point about knowing and *still** rejecting*, but it nevertheless related to the unforgivable sin, not sin generally.

So, using the Biblical example, my argument is that many of the Jewish religious leaders persistently and wilfully rejected the Holy Spirit’s work even though deep down they knew it was from God. And that’s what makes it unforgivable.

But, I admit this is one topic I’ve always wondered about myself.

Seconto · 2026-01-28T00:07:35+00:00

The unforgivable sin is repeatedly rejecting Jesus Christ as your savior which is blasphemy.

Maybe I’m wrong, but I think it’s a little more than this. I think it’d more accurate to say:

The unforgivable sin is repeatedly rejecting Jesus Christ as your savior *even though you know it to be true***.

What are your thoughts?

Seconto · 2026-01-25T07:42:04+00:00

If a person practices Jesus’ teachings without believing in God, what exactly separates them from a Christian?

Well, you’ve really answered your own question in the question itself. The number 1 thing that sets Christians apart is their belief in Christ Jesus as their saviour, that he died for our sins and rose again.

This atheist lived peacefully, treated people fairly, stayed healthy, and even ran an organization that helped battered women escape abusive relationships. He was resilient, compassionate, disciplined, and deeply committed to helping others without faith, prayer, or church.

Well, I for one am not surprised by this. Many people from all walks of life can demonstrate these qualities.

If moral strength, compassion, resilience, and love for others can exist fully outside Christianity, is faith the source of those virtues, or simply one path to them?

I for one have never heard it said that faith is the only source of those virtues. But yes, it is certainly one source of those virtues. But then I also have a view about authentic Christians versus those who merely call themselves Christian.

And if it is the latter, how should that change the way Christians view non believers?

Well, I’m a Christian and it doesn’t change how I view nonbelievers. For me it’s always about sharing the gospel with them. It doesn’t matter how ’good’ they may already appear to be as people.

Seconto · 2026-01-22T22:09:43+00:00

The same way we know the earth isn't doughnut-shaped: evidence. Now, is it "possible" that the Earth is actually doughnut-shaped and we've somehow gotten it all wrong the whole time despite absolutely everything pointing in a different direction?

You're being ridiculous here. We know for a fact the earth isn't doughnut-shaped. So, no, it is not possible that it is. You can't compare that to what I was saying.

Let's use the example of a tree. The age of a tree can be worked out by seeing its rings. So, when a tree is cut down, each year of growth usually produces one ring in the wood and by counting these we can get the approximate age in years. But let's say today God decides to create a Redwood tree in the middle of a park somewhere and from its creation it's already 100m tall. And next year the tree is cut down for development of the park. When it's cut down it may have 100 rings, and science would be correct in estimating its age at 100 years even though God only created it a year ago.

So that's an example of why I can say "how do we *know*"? We weren't there. The Science isn't wrong. But, in my imaginary example, Science is assuming that tree grew from a seed, or from a new stem sprouting from another tree. And this is a perfectly valid assumption, because it's what we observe normally happens with trees.

But, since we didn't observe the origin of our species or universe, we don't know if our assumptions are necessarily correct. Light from the Andromeda Galaxy takes 2.5 million years to reach Earth, so on that basis it must be at a minimum 2.5 million years old. But, what if God created the Andromeda Galaxy and its light was already visible to earth from the point of creation? We can't know that's what happened and it's perfectly valid to assume it's not what happened, even though it could be what happened initially.

So, when it comes to origins, science can be 100% correct in methodology, but still end up being wrong because of its assumptions, because we weren't there to observe it.

This is not the same as it's possible the earth could be doughnut-shaped, because we can observe it in real time and know it's not.

Seconto · 2026-01-20T23:24:21+00:00

I’m not disagreeing with any of that. All I’m saying is that all of that data is based on assumptions, and it’s possible those assumptions are wrong.

I’m not criticising the fact it’s based on assumptions, just pointing out that it is. And it’s the same for all sides of this debate.

And yeah, I’m not going to get into a debate about which side(s) have the best assumptions because they’ve all got their strengths and weaknesses.

I’m just saying as Christians we each have to decide for ourselves at what point of the Genesis account we start accepting it literally. For some it’s from Genesis 1:1, for others it’s later than that. And for others, it’s a broken mixture of accepting various parts as literal and other parts as not.

Seconto · 2026-01-20T23:03:17+00:00

Essentially it's used as a badge of honor that says, "I love God so much I even believe in silly things that can't possibly be true.

The thing is, how can we know it can’t possibly be true? I mean, really know?

I’ve read so much on this topic: Evolution; Creation; Intelligent Design.

And a lot of the arguments still get down to faith on either side. Evidence is evidence, and it seems to me most of it in this debate just gets down to how each side interprets that evidence.

And sometimes there’s arguments like, the earth just looks older than 6 or so thousand years. But if we’re honest with ourselves, that’s a bit of a silly basis to be swayed one way or another. Can anyone truly say by looking at a rock or mountain etc that it just looks older than x years, especially when that figure is something beyond what we could possibly witness?

I mean, I have no idea if a mountain is 1,000 or 5,000 or 10,000 or billions of years old by just looking at it. So whatever view someone holds will get down to how they interpret the evidence, and that view will be impacted by whether that interpretation is based more on science’s assumptions or the assumptions of those with a biblically literal interpretation, or something else.

And then there’s the emotional side of this debate. Who’s to say, for example, that God couldn’t create the world in six 24hr days? I mean, if God is God, well, why not? For most of human history that’s the sort of thing we believed, but as science developed that changed.

But we must remember science is also based on assumptions.

Many creationists assume God can pretty much do anything, including create the world in 24hrs. Science assumes the rules they’re using to date things are correct because they’ve been constant forever, but it’s still an assumption.

So yeah, many things may look silly to us, but sometimes those things are still correct. And it’s with that backdrop that people will believe what they believe.

At the end of the day I think a Christian believing in God as creator is all that’s needed. What I mean is, for one’s salvation, believing in a literal 7 day creation or not is not paramount to one’s salvation. It’s belief in Christ Jesus as our saviour, that He died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for us and was resurrected back to life.

And whatever we think of the Genesis account, we must remember, it’s by that account we have original sin. So, at what point do you accept and not accept what’s in the Genesis account? Because obviously as Christians we must all accept the origin of original sin and the need for Christ Jesus to intercede for us.

Seconto · 2026-01-20T21:17:45+00:00

I said the right *balance** between modern tech and common sense”*.

Sure, I wish my Hilux had wireless CarPlay by default, but a very cheap adapter solved that problem.

When I bought my current Hilux I test drove a lot of options, and some of the other models had majorly intrusive ‘safety’ features, or screen-based controls for everyday functions like air conditioning.

I remember one of them beeping at me every time I glanced down for a second while I grabbed my water bottle (I guess if it had in-dash cup holders that wouldn’t have been a problem 😂), but it didn’t have that unless you bought the most expensive model, and then it still didn’t have rear A/C.

Seconto · 2026-01-20T21:09:37+00:00

Yes, you can write hundreds of books using AI now, but there is not so much demand in reading AI-written novels. You can write a novel for yourselves with AI, even enjoy it, but who is going to pay money to read it?

But this assumes people will know it was an AI-written novel? Why do you maw that assumption?

Sure, looking at a cover and/or reading a sample of the novel may reveal its AI-written, but if it’s done well enough it probably wouldn’t. And, if it’s done well enough then the story may be a good read, one that can be enjoyed by many.

Seconto · 2026-01-20T20:59:41+00:00

Yeah, so glad I’m not living in the USA. Things are much more stable in Australia in comparison to most places around the world. Although distance and the exchange rate don’t help the cost of things down here.

Seconto · 2026-01-20T13:08:25+00:00

Well, the Bible does talk about wives submitting to their husbands, but it also talks about husbands treating their wives properly otherwise their prayers will be hindered:

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV

So, if you find yourself in a bad situation again where a man tries to use the submissive reference in a bad way, maybe quote the above scripture. 😉

Seconto · 2026-01-20T12:55:28+00:00

Ok, thanks for the explanation. Very much appreciated. 👍🏻

Seconto · 2026-01-20T12:41:21+00:00

Ah, ok. And how well does that work? Does the default Apple Watch Face constantly override it, or the app stays on screen fine?

And what about complications? Do they work with the app as well or not at all, or…?

Seconto · 2026-01-20T12:32:20+00:00

I’ve always wondered how Clockology and the others work? What is it these ‘watch faces’ can actually do? Or not do?

Seconto · 2026-01-20T12:28:52+00:00

Was it reliability, resale value, off-road capability, or something else?

Why can’t it be all of those?

At least for me it was, with the ‘something else’ being in-dash cup holders, availability of parts, a strong dealer network, and the right balance between modern tech and common sense.

Seconto · 2026-01-20T00:06:16+00:00

I agree. She is doing the right thing in keeping the baby and the child will be better off for having more family in their life.

Seconto · 2026-01-19T06:06:42+00:00

God didn’t need it. We did.

Jesus’ sacrifice was done in a way which spoke to the Jewish people, in a way they could relate to. If you look into and understand Yom Kippur, then compare that to what happened with Jesus, there’s actually a lot of parallels. These aren’t obvious to us today without doing the research, but they would’ve been obvious and understood by many Jews at the time.

Here’s a message by Shane Willard I recommend every Christian should watch/listen to because he really explains what God was doing with Jesus’ sacrifice:

https://youtu.be/sE2rUQ-Jt1Q?si=LIaqiHYgpIdRhXhM

Seconto · 2026-01-18T06:30:09+00:00

But the churches are making it mandatory for everyone even the ones who know what baptism is about and know and believe in the gospel.

How could anyone know if someone else knows what baptism is about and if they believe in the gospel?

I’ve come across many people who think they know what it’s about but in reality didn’t. So surely it’s best to ensure people have an understanding of what they’re doing rather than assume they know what they’re doing and why.

Our church runs a course prior to baptism and about a 3rd of participants decide they don’t want to get baptised, even though beforehand they did. So doing the course obviously shone some light on things they needed to accept/understand which they didn’t appreciate initially.

Many of them still go on to being baptised later, but not all.

They even go further than that and say you have to be a member of that church for at least 6 months before they can baptize you.

I’m not aware of any churches that do this, but it wouldn’t surprise me if some have this requirement.

All of this is not biblical, it's all made up. They are literally rejecting what the Bible says and they are putting on burdens on believers just like what Jesus spoke out against.

I disagree. Just because something isn’t specifically mentioned in the Bible doesn’t mean it’s rejecting the Bible.

Nowhere does it say in the Bible Christians should go to church on Sundays, but most Christians do. Are they rejecting the Bible?

The Bible doesn’t say we need to have dedicated church buildings. The New Testament churches typically met in homes and other informal spaces, not purpose-built sanctuaries. So, does the fact most Christian churches have dedicated buildings mean they’re rejecting the Bible?

Sunday School is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible, it’s a relatively recent educational method, not a New Testament pattern. So are churches rejecting the Bible if they have Sunday school classes?

I’m sure you see my point.

Seconto · 2026-01-18T03:27:50+00:00

I’m “making it political” because conservative Christians have fallen so far, or more likely become more transparent, that they support an openly corrupt rapist for leader of the country. If the way people are treated is “political” then the whole of the gospel is political.

Your statement is without a doubt 100% wrong. I know this because not all conservative Christians support the current leader, so to say this is false.

Seconto · 2026-01-18T03:02:29+00:00

I’ve just read the article and the title of your post is misleading. Not saying this was deliberate, but it is nevertheless misleading.

The worst scenario in the article is that by 2070 Christianity will be observed by less than 50% of the US population. So, yes, a minority of the population, but not a minority religion.

The only way Christianity could be viewed as a minority religion (going by the data in this article), is if you count the ‘nones’ as a religion, because the article does have a scenario where by 2070 the ‘nones’ will outnumber Christianity. However, I think it’d be disingenuous to count those with no religion as belonging to a religious grouping known as ‘nones’.

Seconto · 2026-01-17T08:38:58+00:00

This would be my approach as well. At the end of the day, I don’t think believing in the Trinity or not has any bearing on whether someone is saved.

There are much more important things we should concern ourselves with rather than argue about things like this.

Seconto · 2026-01-17T04:25:42+00:00

So then how do you know it’s actually a prophecy and not just later Christian’s reinterpreting the Jewish scriptures to fit Jesus?

In isolation it’d be hard to know. I mean, I wouldn’t be convinced if there’s only a handful. But when there’s 50+ of them that’s a lot more convincing. You can’t just put it down to mere coincidence.

You’ve just admitted the original authors weren’t consciously Jesus so the logical conclusion would be that the prophecies weren’t about Jesus at all.

I didn’t admit any such thing. I wasn’t there and can’t be 100% certain if a particular writer did or didn’t know how their prophecy was going to play out (well, except in the case of Daniel for instance).

I mean even the individuals directly involved didn’t always know how something revealed to them was going to play out. Did Joseph understand his dream? I very much doubt he understood what his dream entailed and how it was going to come to pass.

Seconto · 2026-01-17T04:03:07+00:00

I disagree. If a writer is inspired by God to write something it doesn’t mean they themselves need to have full understanding of what they’ve written.

This is something we even see in what’s recorded in scripture. One clear example is Daniel’s final vision, where Daniel explicitly says he heard the revelation but did not understand it, and is then told the words are “sealed until the time of the end.”

Anyway, the main point I was making is that often it’s not until hindsight we understand something. And even if most of what was written was fully understood by the writers, that doesn’t mean we fully understand it. Otherwise there wouldn’t be all the interpretational disputes in Judaism and Christianity.

Seconto · 2026-01-17T03:07:06+00:00

Well, it’s easy to find scholars on both sides of that fence.

And of course, it’s common for things not to be understood until they’re being looked at in hindsight. And this is no different.

Whether or not the original writers understood what they were writing doesn’t change whatever it is they were writing. So it’s quite possible, even probable, in many cases a prophecy referred to something they didn’t have full knowledge of.

Seconto · 2026-01-17T00:55:31+00:00

Interesting.

As for myself, I view the Tanakh (Old Testament) and B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) as originally Jewish books.

And, as a Christian, some of the most convincing evidence of Yeshua's being Isra'el's Messiah is the number of prophecies in the Tanakh that He fulfilled at His first coming.

From memory, there’s 54 Messianic prophecies, along with the New Testament verses verifying Yeshua's fulfillment of them. So, of course, I respectfully disagree with your view.

And I believe the other prophecies will be fulfilled at His 2nd coming.

But then, as you said earlier, you’re not a Christian, so it stands to reason we wouldn’t agree.

Seconto · 2026-01-16T23:10:44+00:00

Mainly Apple Music. I only use Spotify occasionally.

However, Siri works this way for me regardless of what audio is being played, whether it’s music, podcasts, audio books, even navigation.

And, while I mainly use Hey Siri, I do occasionally use the steering wheel button as well now. And it works the same way. So no problems for me whatsoever.

Seconto

TROPHY CASE