The Unforgivable Sin

Over the years one recurring topic of inquiry is the Unforgivable sin. Some of these questions were frivolous, some people really wanted to know, and some were very concerned they had done it. Since this might be one of those questions "you always wanted to know about, but were afraid to ask" here are my thoughts on the matter.

J.C. Ryle wrote, "There is such a thing as a sin which is never forgiven. But those who are troubled about it are most unlikely to have committed it" (Expository thoughts on the Gospels, 2:59) A big reason behind his comment is that committing this sin virtually requires a very hardened and seared conscience / heart. A heart that is concerned about sin is almost always one that is still tender and seeking after God in one way or another.

This concept comes from a comment Jesus makes in Matthew and Mark's record of a specific event, and Luke: "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." {Matthew 12:32} and "And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who , it will not be forgiven him." {Luke 12:10}

The context of both goes a long way in explaining what "blasphemes against the Holy Spirit" means.

Matthew 12 verse 24 tells us what brought about this comment by Jesus "But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, 'This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.'" Jesus' reply to them in verses 25-30 shows how illogical their accusation is, but the final harsh statement in verses 31-32 is not because they have such faulty logic; if that was the case we would all be in serious trouble!

Instead they are in such spiritual danger because they are taking something that is undeniably very good and of God (the miracles and exorcisms Jesus is doing) and attributing them to Satan. Moreover, they forcibly rejected Jesus and the work He was doing in obedience to God the Father through the power of God the Spirit. This reveals a heart that is totally opposed to God and hardened to the extreme. Walter Liefeld sums it up this way, "this oral blasphemy involves not merely careless words but the expression of an incorrigibly evil heart." (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 8, p. 960)

In Luke this incident is recorded in chapter 11 and followed by a series of warnings centering on acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ and God. Immediately preceding this final warning Luke records for us Jesus saying "And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God." {Luke 12:8-9}

Then in verse 10 Luke gives us Jesus warning "And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him." This context speaks to me of a deep persistent hostility toward God: one so deep that it knowingly takes what is of God and attributes it to Satan.

From all three accounts I get the picture of an extremely hardened person that is totally opposed to God to the point of glorifying the enemy Satan.

Ultimately what determines whether a person is right with God, saved, forgiven, and "going to Heaven" is whether or not they have placed their active faith-belief in Jesus Christ, God the Son. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ... He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." {John 3:18, 36}

Walter Wessel sums it up well, "Surely what Jesus is speaking of here is not an isolated act but a settled condition of the soul - the result of a long history of repeated and willful acts of sin. And if the person involved cannot be forgiven it is not so much that God refuses to forgive as it is the sinner refuses to allow him." (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 8, p. 645)

The practical end of the matter is for us to stop fretting over whether we have committed the unforgivable sin and to make sure that we have placed our faith-belief in Jesus Christ, God the Son. Then, maintain a heart that is tender and sensitive to God.

Written by Rev. Daniel B. Baker July 2007



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