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Fourth is "circumstances of time and place," which make the bad worse—for example, joining sin with hypocritical religiosity in Ezekiel 23:37-39, and involving others in one's sin in 1 Samuel 2:22-24.

Finally, there is the unforgivable sin—such resistance to the light of Spirit-taught truth about the deity and grace of Jesus Christ as rules out all possibility of faith and repentance, hence its lethal consequence. Its nature is evident from Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-30.

We must learn to think of sin clear-headedly, to deal with it in ourselves realistically, and to negate and hate it everywhere wholeheartedly.

J.I. Packer is Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College and an executive editor of Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2005 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Verses cited in this article are available on these BibleGateway web pages.

The Westminster Larger Catechism is available from the Internet Sacred Text Archive.

Earlier Good Question columns include:

Why is the church against euthanasia in instances where people are in terrible pain?

What harm is there in achieving a higher state of consciousness through meditation?

Will we be vegetarians in the new heaven and earth as Adam and Eve were before the Fall?

Why doesn't God cure everyone who prays fervently for healing?

Does God need our help, love, and praise?

Are some people lost "just a little bit" in the same way that others are saved "only as through fire"?

Is Jesus Incarnate Forever?

What does Genesis mean by man being made in the image of God?

What's the difference between Christ's kingdom and paradise?

Is every believer guaranteed at least one spiritual gift?

What role does baptism play in faith and salvation?

How is it that not all prayers for the salvation of others are answered?

If God is in us, shouldn't it be easier to love one another?

What do we gain from a bodily resurrection?

What is the difference between the brain and the soul?

How can I reconcile my belief in the inerrancy of Scripture with comments in Bible translations that state that a particular verse is not 'in better manuscripts'?

Is there a biblical principle behind the punishment of those who break the law?

Is it unscriptural for a Christian to be cremated?

Won't heaven's joy be spoiled by our awareness of unsaved loved ones in hell?

Where exactly do "Oneness" Pentecostals stand in relation to orthodoxy?

Do a man and a woman become married after having sex or after exchanging vows?

How Do You Know That You Have Truly Forgiven Someone?

Who Are We to Judge?

Should We File Lawsuits?

Can We Expect God to Forgive Unbelievers Who 'Don't Know What They're Doing'?

Is the Stock Market Good Stewardship?

Is Satan Omnipresent?

Is Suicide Unforgivable?

Was Slavery God's Will?

A Little Wine for the Soul?

Should We All Speak in Tongues?

Did Jesus Really Descend to Hell?

Take, Eat—But How Often?

Is Christmas Pagan?

Are Christians Required to Tithe?

Is Revelation Prophecy or History?

You're Divorced—Can You Remarry?

If Grace Is Irresistible, Why Evangelize?

Does the 'Bible Code' Really Exist?

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January 2005, Vol. 49, No. 1