Added: 07/10/2006 |
The Unpardonable Sin: Is There An Unforgivable Sin?What is the unpardonable sin? Mark 3:29 says: "But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation." Matthew 12:31 says "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men." These verses clearly state there is an unforgivable sin. Yet many verses in the Bible state the free gift of forgiveness. I John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Are these verses in contradiction to each other? If not, what is the unpardonable sin and how can a person avoid committing it?
It is important when studying Scripture to look at the context of the verse being studied. In both the Mark and Matthew passages where the unpardonable sin is mention, Christ is speaking to the Pharisees after having cast out a demon. The Pharisees accused Christ of being in league with Satan and his demons. The Pharisees had had the opportunity to observe the only Son of God on earth living a sinless life. They had observed his teaching and miracles, and they had the audacity to charge Him with working with Satan. They had, in effect, charged ultimate goodness with being ultimate evil. This is the context of Christ's teaching about the unforgivable sin.
But what is the unpardonable sin? How do we know if we have committed it? Well, the verse states that the unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in humanity? The Holy Spirit is the person of the trinity whose role is to convict men of sin and draw them to the person of Christ. However, God has given men a free will, and we have the choice to accept God's gift of salvation and forgiveness, or reject it. Many theologians feel that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the continued rejection of the Holy Spirit's convicting work. It is certainly impossible to be forgiven if one does not repent! According to theologian Larry Richards, it is the person who rejects what the Holy Spirit teaches about Jesus who has committed the unforgivable sin.
However, very few people accept the gift of salvation upon the first time they hear the gospel. So when is the line crossed from not being ready for salvation and committing the unpardonable sin? Let's look to the book of Romans for further discussion. Romans 1:26 states that God gave people over to "vile affections" after repeated refusal to recognize His holiness and repent of their sin. Clearly from this passage there comes a point where the Holy Spirit no longer convicts a man of sin. The conscience becomes dead to His conviction after multiple rejections of it. When God gives this person over to his "vile affections," the sensitivity to sin is weakened. This gives the person less of a chance of repentance.
When does this occur? Only God knows for sure, and we are not able to completely understand Him or the way He works. However, it is important to realize that once a person has accepted God's gift of salvation, it is impossible for salvation to be removed. Many sensitive Christians read about the unpardonable sin and fear that they have in some way offended their Savior to the point where they cannot be forgiven. This is impossible! Isaiah 55:6 says "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." If a person's conscience has been touched by their sin, then they have not reached the point of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Once a person has committed this unforgivable sin, the Holy Spirit ceases to convict. So conviction is a sure sign that the Holy Spirit is working in your life. The Bible also teaches that salvation cannot be taken away from the Christian. John 10:28 attests to this fact: "And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." What a beautiful promise!
The Bible clearly teaches there is an unpardonable sin. This sin appears to be the continued refusal to accept the conviction of the Holy Spirit. There comes a point where God chooses to give a man over to his own sinful desires. At this point the conviction of the Holy Spirit lessens and the person welcomes the sin into his life. This is the unforgivable sin. The Christian needs not be afraid of committing this sin, for the Bible promises once a person has come to Christ for salvation, it can never be taken away!
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