Quote:
Originally Posted by Poimen  One attractive explanation is that John is talking about the unforgivable sin: as our Lord explains, the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Thus the sin unto death would be absolute apostasy: an open denial of faith, by the words of the mouth and the actions of the heart or a falling away from the faith. |
I thought this was one accurate description - and aligns with what I have always considered it to be.
I think a subsidiary to this would be to ascribe the work of the Holy Spirit to another source - that is - the devil, man, a natural phenomenon, etc...which enfolds and reveals the sin of our atheistic opponents, whether through explicit or implicit means.