BGEA: What is the unpardonable sin? I am afraid I may have committed it.

What is the unpardonable sin? I am afraid I may have committed it.

Many Christians have heard that there is an unpardonable sin and live in dread that something grave they have done before or after conversion might be that sin.

Their fears are unfounded. While there is an unforgivable sin, it is not one that a true believer in Jesus Christ can commit.

The one sin which God cannot forgive is mentioned in Mark 3:28-30 and Matthew 12:31-32. Jesus had been performing miracles, including driving demons out of people by the power of the Holy Spirit. Instead of recognizing the source of Jesus' power and accepting Him as God's Son, the religious leaders accused Him of being possessed by the devil and driving demons out in the power of the devil.

Jesus responded by saying, "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

The sin of the religious leaders, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, was a refusal to accept the witness of the Holy Spirit to who Jesus was and what He had come to do, and then submit their lives to Him. Jesus said concerning the Holy Spirit, "When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment" (John 16:8). They chose rather to reject the Spirit's witness to their sin and to Jesus, and accused Him of being demon possessed!

The point for us is that if we have received Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we have not blasphemed the Holy Spirit; we have accepted His witness. One study Bible explains it as follows: "To commit this sin one must consciously, persistently, deliberately, and maliciously reject the testimony of the Spirit to the deity and saving power of the Lord Jesus." If a person keeps doing that until death, there is no hope of forgiveness and eternal life in heaven.

Once again, the unpardonable sin is not some particularly grievous sin committed by a Christian before or after accepting Christ, nor is it thinking or saying something terrible about the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is deliberately resisting the Holy Spirit's witness and invitation to turn to Jesus until death ends all opportunity.

In order to experience God's peace, we must come to Him, trusting His promises. Isaiah 1:18 says, "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." In 1 John 1:9 we read: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Jesus Himself assures us, "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away" (John 6:37). Our God is a compassionate and merciful God. He desires that no one should be lost, but that all should come to salvation through repentance and personal faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord (2 Peter 3:9; Acts 2:21).

7 Comments

june says 4.15.2013, 6:10 p.m.

For over 30 years, I have lived in fear that I have committed the unpardonable sin. I heard a sermon that anything you say against the Holy Spirit is an eternal sin and having searched my memory I had actually said something that I believed to bethat

msmorgan says 4.25.2012, 4:10 p.m.

Praise the lord for his mercy and grace! How beautiful to know that he loves us so much..

T says 4.14.2012, 9:57 p.m.

Thank you so much for making the unpardonable sin more clear to me. It has given me more hope.

Lybbee E says 1.5.2012, 11:48 a.m.

Thank You this helps so much Seeing as how I'm a born again Christian I know why the devil is trying his hardest to bring Me down but I keep believing and putting My Trust, Faith, and Hope in God I love My Lord and Savior Thank you for this

Pat says 9.27.2011, 09:39 a.m.

I have dealt with doubting being unforgiven and doubting that I am still believing Jesus is still able to forgive me and is still my Lord when I was doubting so much. I thought I had Blasphemed the Holy Spirit and even though I read the word and tried to believe those truths that "All manner of sin could be forgiven except the Blaspheming of the Holy Spirit." At times the "Word" would comfort me and then a hinge of doubt would creep in and I was going through the vicious cycle of doubt again and what I did and how could Jesus possibly still be able to forgive me if I was doubting he was even my Lord since I had doubted.I have tried to hang on by reading the word, but then I feel like all I am doing is trying to reason in my heart and convince myself. It is terrible to doubt the Lord and terrible to believe that he can't still possibly forgive my doubts and unbelief. I hate it that I am doubting again, but even when I try hang I feel like I have doubted God soo much that I am not accepting his truths and so am lost and cut off. I know this is confusing. I Cry out "Lord I believe, Help mine unbelief." but doubting like a double minded man.

Magy says 7.11.2011, 05:30 a.m.

I love Jesus so much and I have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. But I read this passage about blasphemy in Mathew, I was struck with fear then and then my concerns arose. I kind of think the devil has a way to even come attack our understanding of the word of God. What's important is to continue enjoying the truth. Pray for the true word of God to be saturated in our mind and thought pattern. Even the devil can't rise against the word of God. I keep praying for myself and mind to receive the word of God.

Cheryl says 4.12.2011, 5:47 p.m.

I have had this fear at different times in my life. I just want to make sure that I haven't committed this horrid sin.I am encouraged by these words of wisdom. Thank you.