Continual Forgiveness of Sins...

[Genesius]

I've read that the early church essentially believed that the forgiveness of sins was for sins committed up until the point of baptism.

There seems to be evidence of a strong debate surrounding this issue within the church in the mid third century.

Emperor Decius had begun persecuting Christians for not sacrificing to the Roman Gods. Those Christians who did not 'betray' their confession, were of course martyred. A real problem arose, obviously, after the persecution ended and many 'betrayers' wanted to re-join the church.

There seems to be some evidence that the Bishop of Rome, Callistus was willing to forgive many sins, to allow believers back into the church. This notion of continual forgiveness of sins seems to be hotly debated in the early church, but I'm not sure if it was strictly between the Montanists and the Orthodoxy.

Note that apostasy was certainly not the only unforgiveable sin, adultery also seemed unforgiveable.

This doctrine seems to be crucial to the Christian faith. Is anyone else suprised that at this point --~200AD-- it was still a hotly contested debate?

Is this still legitimately debated among the church today?

If any insight, please share.

[Soyeong]

And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven (Matthew 12:31).

Jesus did not condemn the adulterous woman and by this verse, apostasy is forgivable as well. The only thing that is unforgivable is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. In the context, the Pharisees had seen irrefutable proof that Jesus was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and had instead claimed that Jesus was possessed by a demon. Since Jesus is currently sitting at the right Hand of God and has not yet come down to Earth to do a miracle for you to make this claim, it is not possible to duplicate this sort of blasphemy. Thus everything is completely forgivable as long as you are in Christ. Therefore, the only thing that is unpardonable is a continued state of unbelief.

[Genesius]

And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven (Matthew 12:31).

Jesus did not condemn the adulterous woman and by this verse, apostasy is forgivable as well. The only thing that is unforgivable is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. In the context, the Pharisees had seen irrefutable proof that Jesus was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and had instead claimed that Jesus was possessed by a demon. Since Jesus is currently sitting at the right Hand of God and has not yet come down to Earth to do a miracle for you to make this claim, it is not possible to duplicate this sort of blasphemy. Thus everything is completely forgivable as long as you are in Christ. Therefore, the only thing that is unpardonable is a continued state of unbelief.
yes, thank you for your response. I was kind of hoping for some more insight into the reason why this doctrine (Matt 12:31) seemed to have escaped the early church.