What Is The Unforgivable Sin? Series

Jesus gives the scribes and the crowd a solemn warning. This is meant to frighten the comfortable and comfort the frightened.

He begins by saying, “Amen. Amen”. Only the Gospel writers record Jesus starting off his warnings this way. It’s like saying, “Listen up. What I’m about to say is important!”

In Matthew 12, it’s recorded this way:

“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. “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 12:31-32)

There is VERY good news in these verses and there is a terrifying warning.

First, the good news!

ALL sin, slander, and blasphemy can be forgiven! You know what the Greek word for all is? ALL!

We are actually going to come back to this good news in a minute at the end of the sermon.

But now let’s look the bad news. This is serous warning that we need to think through carefully.

Jesus says that all sins can be forgiven but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is an eternal sin and they will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come.

Wow! That is super intense. What is this sin and how do we avoid it?

Throughout the week, I’ve asked people what they thought the unforgivable sin is.

One person said that she was told the unforgivable sin was incest. Another was told that taking communion if you aren’t a member of the church. Another said abortion.

This is why you have to study the Bible in its context.

Let me ask you some questions?

Is the unforgivable sin murder? Obviously not, Moses and David were both murderers.

Is the unforgivable sin adultery? Obviously not, David committed adultery.

Is the unforgivable sin denying Jesus? Obviously not, Peter denied Him three times.

Is the unforgivable sin not recognizing the genius of Barry Manilow? Probably not, but I wouldn’t risk it.

The key to understanding what the unforgivable sin is lies in verse 30:

Jesus said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

What is the unforgivable sin according to the Bible?

Danny Akin writes that the unforgivable sin is the “knowingly, willingly, and persistently attribute to satan the works of God done by and in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Matt Chandler said it this way, “The blasphemy of the Spirit is the knowledgeable, willful, and continued rebellion against the ministry of the Holy Spirit.”

Sam Storms writes, “It is not a careless act but a calloused attitude…it is not mere denial but determined denial, not mere rejection but wanton, wicked, wide-eyed rejection”.

Let’s break this down:

Sin of full knowledge. When Jesus was on the cross He said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

People who commit this sin do it full knowledge of what they doing. It is deliberate.

Ongoing disposition of the heart that resists the conviction of the Holy Spirit