The Unforgivable Sin
During last Friday’s CF meeting, an interesting issue was brought up regarding the unforgivable sin, namely the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. For centuries, this has haunted many well-meaning Christians who start to worry whether they have committed a sin that they can never be forgiven. However, I believe that this is an error in thinking. When we look at the whole plan of God in the context of Scripture as a whole, He is a loving and compassionate God, forgiving everyone who repents and turns back to Him, even those who have committed the worst sins. There is no reason why blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven if one repents. The context in Scripture here I believe is a matter of interpretation. Consider the verse, Ask and you shall receive. In the Greek, it actually means, keep on asking and you shall receive, it is not necessarily an immediate promise. In the same way, if we keep on blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, we will be guilty of an eternal sin. Reading some other versions might help us understand better in comparison to the NIV, as follows:-
New International Version22And the teachers of the law who came down from
23So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
30He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
The Message
28-30"Listen to this carefully. I'm warning you. There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders against God's Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing off the branch on which you're sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives." He gave this warning because they were accusing him of being in league with Evil.
Amplified Bible
29But whoever speaks abusively against or maliciously misrepresents the Holy Spirit can never get forgiveness, but is guilty of and is in the grasp of [i]an everlasting trespass.
Before Jesus Christ came down to earth as the Son of Man, eternal condemnation had not yet come upon men. They would die because in their sins in this life of course, but they were not yet condemned to eternal death in hell. That is why, as written in the book of Peter, it speaks of Jesus preaching to the spirits who sinned a long time ago during the days of Noah. Those spirits who believed in Him would also receive eternal life! In the Old Testament, there is hardly a reference to hell at all, but once Jesus came, the danger of hell becomes very real, and is frequently mentioned as a dreadful warning.
Once Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again, the way to salvation is now clear. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus. He has sent His Holy Spirit into the world to convict the world, and all who harden their hearts and do not listen to the Holy Spirit will be guilty of sin leading to eternal death. How much more dangerous will it be for those who call the work of the Holy Spirit that of the devil?
Therefore, it is important for us to keep a close relationship with God and soften our hearts to listen to what the Holy Spirit may say to us or convict us all our lives. Before we condemn any miracle, we need to seriously seek God, pray and test the fruit in humility, lest we actually hinder a work of God.
In conclusion, all sins are forgivable if we repent and turn back to God, but if we persist in any sin, it is resisting the Holy Spirit, and it will ultimately lead us to eternal death.
God bless,
Jason
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