What is the Unforgivable Sin?
Author: Bible Highlighter.
The “Unforgivable Sin” is saying bad words against the Spirit in rejection of God only while as a believer who has tasted the goodness of the Spirit and salvation. As for blasphemy against the Son of God: If a Spirit filled believer says bad words against Jesus, they can be forgiven. However, a believer cannot say bad words to the Holy Spirit after having tasted of the Spirit and be forgiven. So this is not a sin that an unbeliever (who has never tasted of the Spirit) can commit. How so?
Taking into Account Certain Scriptural Points:
- While Paul may not have committed this sin, Paul said, “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” (1 Timothy 1:13) (Note: Why is Paul concerned about being forgiven of these sins?).
- Hebrews 12:17 says, “For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”
- Christ draws all men unto Himself (See: John 12:32).
- Anyone who comes to Christ, he will in no wise cast out (John 6:37).
- Jesus says, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” (John 6:44).
- The Lord is… not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
- Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
- Hebrews 10:26-29 says, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”
Taking Into Account the testimony of the work of God done in your life:
If you thought you committed this sin as an unbeliever. Do not worry. It’s not possible.
Only the true Spirit filled believer can commit this sin. Consider the good things God has done in your life.
A changed heart, new life, forgiveness, peace, love for God, and others you have shown. Please start or continue to make a journal (or record) of the good things God has done in your life. This would include your testimony of accepting Christ, answered prayers, understanding of Scripture, your desire to want to love God and others.
Key Verses of This Study:
Matthew 12:32, Matthew 12:33, Mark 3:29, and Luke 12:8-12.
Point #1. Matthew 12:32 - “Neither the world to come.”
“And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” (Matthew 12:32).
The word “whosoever” in Matthew 12:32 can be used for a specific people group like believers only and not just all people. We see a clear example of this in 1 John 3:15. For 1 John 3:15 says,
“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15).
Can unbelievers hate their spiritual Christian brother? No. Only believers have spiritual brothers in Christ. Unbelievers are not partakers of the body of Christ (whereby they could have true spiritual Christian brothers); They are unbelievers outside the body.
In Matthew 12:32: The “whosoever” is in context to the believer who has tasted of God’s Spirit because it says that this sin can be committed in the “world to come.” The “world to come” is the Millennium or the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ. Everyone will all start out be a Spirit filled believer because Christ will be living and reigning in this time period. So only the Spirit filled Christian who seeks to turn away from God and who speaks bad words against the Spirit will never be forgiven.
Point #2. Matthew 12:33 - “Make the tree good, and his fruit good.”
Jesus says to the Pharisees:
““Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”
(Matthew 12:33).
If these Pharisees were forever condemned by their committing the unforgivable sin here, then why is Jesus telling them to make the tree good and his fruit good? This means that there is still hope for these Pharisees because they said what they did in ignorance like Paul’s actions were done in ignorance before encountering Jesus and His grace.
Point #3. Mark 3:29 - “In Danger of Eternal Damnation.”
Jesus says,
““But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:” (Mark 3:29).
“Danger” is the keyword here to focus on here. If you are in danger, you have a chance to change your course, and be safe and out of danger. If you get a warning of danger by seeing a shark fin in the water, you would swim as fast as you can to safety. If you were in a burning building, you would be in danger of being burned up, unless you got out and or you called the fire department to rescue you. Danger means you are seriously close to a bad thing happening but it does not mean that bad has already happened to you. When we experience “danger” we are receiving a warning or sign that we are very close to disaster, harm, or destruction.
Point #4. Luke 12:8-12 are words spoken to the believer.
“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”
(Luke 12:8-12).
In Luke 12:8-12: It starts out talking to the believer and it ends with talking to the Spirit filled believer (for the passage ends saying that the Holy Ghost shall teach you what you ought to say); Yet, in the middle of this conversation, it refers to how blasphemy against the Spirit can never be forgiven. This implies that only the Christian who tasted of the Spirit can only speak bad words towards the Spirit and it is not referring to the unbeliever here. For obviously if we denied God as an atheist before coming to the faith, that does not mean we cannot accept Jesus later on, and be forgiven. So the blasphemy of the Spirit is only possible for a Christian who had tasted of the Spirit (Especiallly when we look at the whole counsel of God’s Word).
I hope this helps somebody today, and may the Lord Jesus Christ bless you all richly.