What is the unpardonable sin / unforgivable sin?
Matthew 12:22 - 32
ESV - 22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?
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Asked July 01 2013
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Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
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S. Michael Houdmann
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The unpardonable/unforgivable sin or "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit" is mentioned in Mark 3:22-30 and Matthew 12:22-32. Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every...
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Donald Woody
You must read this passage in Chapter 12:22 - 31, in context with the entire chapter. Jesus' ministry in this chapter shows to be doing many great things on the Sabbath, healings, his disciples plucking grain because they were hungry... and the healing of the demoniac. Here we having fulfilling the law as it was meant to be He was guided by the compassion of His heart to do something that releived the pain and suffering of others; He saw them suffering on the sabbath as well as possibly every other day of the week. This is important to understand because Jesus is ushering in His new adminstration and making the law obsolete. He is not doing away with it He is making it better by place the responsibility of its statutes on the hearts of men that it will jog their spiritual conscience. The pharisees are spiritually dead and totally miss this important point and heartlessly look at it as a way to trap the Lord. The healing of the demoniac was the straw that broke the camel's back. The pharisee's in their sinful legalistic way thought they had finally trapped the lord but He turns the tables on them and exposes a multitude of sins they committed; attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to satan is bad but it is not the crux of the "unforgiveable sin" there is literally no sin that man could ever commit that God willl not forgive save one, (and this one ties God's hands and prevents Him from forgiving us -- the sin of unbelief! This is what is going on hear with the pharisses The are so against the Christ, who he is that they refuse to belief he had any ties to God not to even mention rejecting Him and GOD the Creator in the FLESH. If we refuse to belief that Jesus is God and that He came to us in the flesh died on the cross lay in the tomb for 3 days rising on the third day fully alive then the unbeliever is totally without hope. In chapter 12 Jesus did many things that only God could do, many the pharisees saw many of them and refused to believe falsely attributing Jesus' work to satan and the Lord's commentary in verse 25 and following in chapter 12 explains the illogical folly of their thinking but their sinful "humanistic hearts" caused them to commit the unforgivable. Our unwillingness to believe that Jesus is God and the only hope for a lost humanity put such individuals in a very serious and dangerous position. Belief is the ultimate choice. God will not condemn us for the choice of not believing we do that oursleves in the midst of very very strong evidences. We tie God's hands preventing His help. That is why Believing is the first essential step in God's plan of salvation. You must belief He will save you and there is no one else who can. Refuse to believe that and you are doomed. God can not help you until you believe He will do what He says He will do.
Brian Fisher
There is NOTHING you have ever done that cannot be forgiven. There is one and only one unforgivable sin: not accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. If you go do your deathbed without Him, that ends your chance to receive Him. That's it, the one and only one. Accept Him and you live. Deny Him, and you are forever lost.
L.S. James
Minding the context of Matthew 12:22-32 alone, it reasons that the Lord had his apologia aimed at his audience per se viz. The Pharisees. Period. (Woe betide them!) But of the 613 Laws of the Old Testament called the Mitzvot and 38 Commandments from the four Gospels or 1050 commands via repetition in the New Testament for believers to obey, pray tell which these sins - venial, mortal and all - defines ‘the unpardonable sin‘? What more then of the ‘strange fire’ hailed by the Church since her infancy (Rev 1-3)? Is she any less blasphemous today? Give the Lord His due then, the preservation of the saints rests on the laurels of Christ alone: For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous (Rom 5:19). Christ alone has preserved the pilgrim to present him holy and blameless at the Judgment Seat for an accounting to God and rewards, not condemnation. It is a done deal. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior (Jude 24, 25). But to begin with, the sinner that repents and believes in The Christ of God (Luke 9:20) is saved. Faith alone in Christ alone saves. Otherwise, unbelief shall pale in disbelief at the dawn of its fiery fate. Behold, the unpardonable sin.
Vivian McLemore
The unforgivable sin is people unbelief and or rejection of God the Father and Son, Christ Jesus. It is written in the Gospel of Mark 3:28-29. "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and all the abusive and blasphemous things they say; 29 but whoever [a]blasphemes against the Holy Spirit and His power [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin [a sin which is unforgivable in this present age as well as in the age to come]”— Before Jesus ascended into heaven He left this promise to His disciples and all who believe upon Him. "These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:25-26 The Holy Spirit will come and dwell in your temple is to teach you all things! This is the divine and proper work and business of the Spirit, to teach, interpret, and explain all things which Christ had said to them; to make them more plain and easy to their understandings; to instruct them in all things necessary to salvation, and to be known by them, that they might teach them others: If the Holy Spirit is rejected by an unbelieving heart that heart also rejects Jesus and His heavenly Father who sent Him.
Kenneth Goodacre
SINS AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT The Bible speaks of five types of sin which can be committed against the Holy Spirit. Two are committed by unbelievers only; the other three are committed by Christians. Sins By Unbelievers Only Resistance of the Holy Spirit: Acts 7:51. This is rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ and a rejection of the pre-salvation ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11) through the sin of unbelief Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit: Matt. 12:31,32. This refers to rejection of Jesus Christ during His ministry on earth (during the previous dispensation, the Age of the Jews). Sins by Believers Lying to the Holy Spirit: Acts 5:3. Refers to false motivation, approbation lust sin. Grieving the Holy Spirit: Eph. 4:30. Refers to producing sins from the area of weakness in the sin nature. Any sin in the life of the believer which involves a moral or ethical issue. Quenching the Holy Spirit: 1 Thess. 5:19. Producing human good from the areas of strength in the Sin Nature. Examples: giving, prayer, witnessing for the purpose of gaining approbation. Human good soothes the conscience and keeps the believer from confessing his sin.
Janet Austin
The unpardonable sin is blasphemy. The challenging part is defining blasphemy AND whether or not a person who repents of it is forgiven. When Michael Houdmann or Anthony Clinton wrote about blasphemy as an act against the Holy Spirit, (Mark 3:22-29), I question that because how can one separate the Holy Spirit from Jesus or from God the Father? The three are One. I think we have to look closely at what is said by Jesus in Matthew and Mark about the kingdom of God. In Matthew 12:28, Jesus says ”But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Then in Mark 3:24-25, Jesus says, If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. So, isn’t Jesus talking about the kingdom of our triune God? (Remember, Jesus has the power to forgive sins because it was given Him by God the Father. John 5:24-30). If my interpretation is correct, then I think that blasphemy is against the Biblical triune God. Blasphemy is a settled (sinful) behavior against God – not believing in the Father, Son (Savior Lord Jesus) and Holy Spirit. I also believe that blasphemy, if repented of, is forgiven…just like all sins. Here’s a quote from my Bible study: “Never overlook the absolute need for repentance because there is no such thing as accepting Jesus as Lord without a repentant heart. And always remember that God is a God of redemption and restoration. Nothing you have done is so awful that it cannot be forgiven.” Jesus tells us numerous times that repentance is critical, and without it we die. Likewise, one might say repentance is the switch that flips on forgiveness (Isaiah 59:20) - The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD. Also, Jesus taught us everything He learned from His Father. Luke 17:3-4 is a great example: “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” This is God’s pattern of forgiveness – again and again, He forgives those with a repentant heart. Lastly, this might bring additional clarity: Timothy 1:12-13 reads: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 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. Hope this helps. Always open to feedback. Blessings!
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