This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'Listen! I am going to bring on this city and all the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them, because they were stiff-necked and would not listen to my words.' – Jeremiah 19:15

Today's Scripture Reading (May 31, 2023): Jeremiah 19

What is the greatest sin? Is there really a sin that is unforgivable? Yes, I know. All sins are equal when it comes to our standing in the eyes of God, but is that actually true? Isn't telling a little lie preferable to murdering someone? Of course, there is also a belief that one sin leads to another, and the longer that we practice deception, the larger the deception becomes, and the more sins that become involved.

On the side of the unforgivable sin, that sin is biblically summed up by the phrase "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit." Yet we also celebrate serving a God for whom nothing is impossible. If God can do the impossible, could that erase the possibility of a truly unforgivable sin?

All of these thoughts are interesting, and they are not questions that the theologians of the early church overlooked. A lot of time has been spent on what might be the worst sins of the human race, and the result of those discussions has been a list that we call "The Seven Deadly Sins." That list has gone through several changes over the years, but the current list includes; Lust (including sexual activity outside of marriage), Gluttony, Greed, Sloth (an absence of interest or habitual disinclination to mental, spiritual, or physical exertion), Wrath, Envy, and Pride. It is an intriguing list that contrasts itself with the Seven Christian Virtues. These are the deadly sins and life-giving virtues. Lust contrasts with Chastity, Gluttony with Temperance, Greed with Love and Generosity, Sloth with Diligence, Wrath with Patience, Envy with Gratitude and Kindness, and Pride with Humility.

But they might miss the worst sin of all. It seems that for God and his prophets, the number one sin is actually stubbornness or what the prophets often called being "stiffed-necked." It is the idea that when confronted with our sins, we will not repent of our wrongdoing.

I have always loved the story of the martyrdom of Polycarp, an early church leader. According to historians, late in Polycarp's life, the Saint was arrested and given a chance to reject his faith in his God. Polycarp refused, saying that for "eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior now?" It is a remarkable statement of faith and what we might call Christian stubbornness.

But on the sin side is the story of a man whose bedside I had the privilege to sit beside several years ago. As we spoke near the end of his life and I asked about his spiritual journey, his response was, "I have done without God all my life. This doesn't seem to be the moment that I should change my mind." He was what the prophets would have called stiff-necked. We continued talking, and he passed away soon after I left the room. I have often thought back to our conversation and hoped that maybe he changed his mind before he died, but I have no evidence that that was true. And while the man led an incredible and generous life, the greatest sin was one that he couldn't avoid. He was stiff-necked, and because of his stubbornness, he died without the blessing of God. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 20