CHAPTER SEVEN

THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

If you are worried about committing the unpardonable sin or that you have already done so, forget it. You haven’t. How do I know this? Because those who commit this sin have no idea they have done it. Read on.

Jesus mentions the unpardonable sin in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, probably in a re-telling of the same story. The Pharisees have just accused Jesus of casting out demons by the Prince of Demons, that is, Satan. You must remember this when reading Jesus comment, because it was directed at the Pharisees.

Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation—because they said, “He has an unclean spirit” (Mark 3:28-30).

Jesus told them that every sin could be forgiven that humans do except one. Blasphemy against God Himself or even His Son can be forgiven. But blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven.

So what is the “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?” It is what the Pharisees have just done. They called the works of Christ the works of the devil. They called good evil. Their value system and their consciences were so messed up that they didn’t know right from wrong.

That’s why the sin couldn’t be forgiven, not because God couldn’t forgive it, but because they couldn’t recognize it as a sin. If you think you are doing good, but are really doing evil, do you repent and ask forgiveness? No indeed.

By the way, note that Jesus did not say they had yet stepped over the line. Rather his rejoinder was a warning they had tread on dangerous ground. Beware calling the works of God the works of the devil. Do not call good things bad.

Some things it is not…

1 – It is NOT a sexual sin of any sort. Jesus said all sins will be forgiven, which includes sexual sins. He forgave the woman in John 8, for example..

For some reason these sins leave us with guilt that’s hard to get rid of.

2 – It is NOT failing to accept Christ. In a recent sermon my pastor said as a child he had heard this explanation the most often. So had I, but it’s not so. As long as you DO accept Christ, the years you rejected him are forgiven. Even the thief on the cross called out to Jesus in the last hours of his life and was assured he would be with him in Paradise.

3 – Your security does NOT depend on FEELING saved. Salvation has little or nothing to do with how you feel. A better question to ask is, “Am I following Jesus now?”

Note: some people with obsessive-compulsive disorder have trouble being absolutely one hundred per cent sure that they did everything exactly right to be saved. That worry is the OCD talking, not the Holy Spirit. If you are worrying about it, you haven’t done it!