Is there an unforgiveable sin?
Jesus does refer to an unforgiveable sin, called the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
Mark 3:28-29 – Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.’
Like all verses in the Bible, we need to examine the context to understand their proper meaning and application. The context is critical here. Jesus wasn’t speaking to a group of his followers, or believers, he was addressing a group of unbelievers known as “the teachers of the law” (Mark 3:22) and the “Pharisees” (Matthew 12:24). They were hard-hearted people who were notorious for opposing Jesus and his teaching, and ultimately plotted to have him crucified. When Jesus said those words, in Mark 3, up to this point in his ministry, he had performed some incredible miracles. He had healed a leper (1:42), a paralytic (2:11-12), a man with a shriveled hand (3:5), and a demon-possessed man (1:25, 1:32). These miracles were meant to be unmistakable signs of his divine authority. Yet, in response to all that, the Bible says:
Mark 3:22 – And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
Beelzebul is another name for Satan. So, even though these people witnessed Christ’s healings and his power over demons, nevertheless they attribute his powers to Satan. It is in that context that Jesus says the words about how people can be forgiven all their sins, except for the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit.
So, what is the unforgivable sin, or the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
It is the intentional rejection of God’s gracious offer of salvation despite the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Since it is the activity of the Holy Spirit that convicts people of their sin (John 16:8) and of their need for the true gospel (John 16:13) and for Jesus to save them (John 15:26), if a person rejects that, it is unforgiveable, because they are willfully rejecting their only hope of forgiveness.
The good news, the comforting news of the gospel, is that we can have all our sins forgiven if we turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. The Lord didn’t say that all sins will be forgiven except for murder or adultery or taking God’s name in vain. The apostle Paul did that and was forgiven. He said:
1 Timothy 1:13-14 – Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
There is no sin that you and I can’t be forgiven for if we turn to Jesus for mercy to receive his grace.
If you are so concerned over the state of your soul and whether you have committed the unforgivable sin, that itself (more than likely) points to the fact that you have not.
