The Unpardonable Sin

We all hear the questions:  Have I committed the unpardonable sin?  What is the unpardonable sin?  Is there an unpardonable sin?

The Unpardonable Sin.  This phrase comes from Mathew 11:31-32  Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosover speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, neither in the age to come.

Here Jesus is responding to the Pharisees after they accused him of casting out demons, by Beelzebub the prince (ruler) of the devils, instead of by the Spirit of God.   I doubt that any man of God then or now would ever concede that speaking against the Holy Spirit would be a good idea.  The first three commandments the Lord gave to the children of Israel were about how to honor him. The third one says God will not hold them guiltless that take his name in vain (Exodus 20:7).     When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, the very first thing was to Honor God by saying Hallowed be thy name  (Mathew 6:9-13).  We are all the creation of God through Jesus Christ the visible image of the invisible God, and we are called to Salvation through the Holy Spirit of God.  No person should ever speak anything against any of the God head, but rather should always be reverent and thankful.

Does the passage in Mathew 11:31-32 then mean that if anyone speaking anything against the Holy Spirit, then they are doomed and cannot be saved?  I believe that this side of the cross, the only unforgiveable sin is that of unbelief.  The scriptures say that there is only one way into heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ.  John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.   

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth:  Here Paul tells us that salvation comes from believing the Gospel.  So what is the Gospel?  That is simpler than you might think.  It is to believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God, he died for your sins, and he was raised from the dead and now is at the right hand of God.  Paul’s definition of the Gospel can be found in 1 Corinthians 15: 1 – 4   Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Ephesians 1: 13  In whom (Jesus Christ) ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise.

Romans 4: 5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.  Here Paul tells us that our salvation and forgiveness of our sins is a gift to us from God for believing in his  Son Jesus Christ.  It isn’t something you work for, but a gift from God.

Romans 5: 8 – 9  For God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Ephesians 2: 8 – 9  For by grace are ye saved through faith (taking God at his word); and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Romans 10: 9 – 10  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

We are saved by faith, and faith is believing Gods word.  We can never down play the Holy Spirit and how we would never be saved without the Spirit.  We are all sinners and sin causes us to turn from God and turns the word of God to foolishness to us

  I Corinthians 2: 14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them.  For it is the Spirit that tugs on our heart and calls us to come to God.  Acts 16:14  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God heard us (Paul and Silas): whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.   We need to understand that the whole Godhead is involved in our conversion and salvation.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  We cannot over emphasize the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Romans 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also change your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.    

You can only come to God if the Spirit calls you.  If you have even the smallest inkling to be saved, or the slightest curiosity about God, Christ or the Salvation from Hell, then you are getting that from the Holy Spirit.  And if you are getting that from the Holy Spirit, then you have not committed an unforgiveable sin.   God is calling you.

Because of Adam, we are all born into sin and sin turns us from God and invites in more sin.  Read carefully what God told to Cain before he killed his brother Abel in Genesis 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.  And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.  God tells Cain that if he does well (follow the instructions God gives him) that he will be accepted by God.  And if he doesn’t follow Gods instructions but does his own thing instead, then sin is at his door, and sin will become his desire instead of God and sin will rule over him, when he should be able to rule over sin instead.  All he has to do is follow Gods instructions.  But we know what happened.  Cain as usual didn’t listen to God and let sin take over him.

Les Feldick has an excellent commentary about the unforgivable or unpardonable sin.  Its about 25 minutes long, but it will be the best 25 minutes you ever spent whether you think you guilty of this sin or not.  Please take the time and check out the following audio file.  Click on the link and scroll down to Book 15 lesson 2 program 2.
www.lesfeldick.org