What is the unforgivable sin? You don’t fully understand it and you are afraid that I’ve committed it. How is an unforgivable sin possible since the Bible clearly says that God forgives all our sins? Is it not contradicting itself? No, it’s not. So, what is it exactly? Let’s see what the Bible tells us.
“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.” – Matthew 12:31
Some people just read this verse on its own, and then they don’t fully understand it. You need to read it in its context to fully understand it. To fully understand a certain verse, you need to read it in its context. Who is Jesus talking to and why is He saying this to them? Let’s go back to verse 22 through 30.
22 “Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” – Matthew 12:22-30
It’s very clear that Jesus was not speaking to believers, but to the Pharisees who did not want to believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. The same is true in Mark 3:29-30 and Luke 12:10.
29 “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.” – Mark 3:29-30
“And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.” – Luke 12:10
You need to understand that the Pharisees saw with their own eyes the truth of Jesus. The miracles he did. That he was the Messiah. But hey still rejected him and, even worse, they told Him that His power is not from God, but from the devil. In this context, Jesus is talking about the sin of unbelief. If you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, then you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. You can’t be forgiven that. That’s why you can’t enter the kingdom of God.
The unforgivable sin is more than that though. There are three important things that you need to know here.
1 – a clear knowledge of who Jesus is, and of the Holy Spirit’s power that works through him.
2 – an intentional rejection of the true facts about Jesus Christ that the Pharisees knew.
3 – falsely saying that the miracles and work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus is of the devil.
It shows us the hardness of their hearts because the Pharisees knew who Jesus was. They saw the miracles, the glory of Jesus. They saw firsthand with their own eyes, and they willfully rejected it. Any more persuasion of the truth would not work with them, because their hearts were so hard already.
4 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” – Hebrews 6:4-6
The kind of people that Jesus is talking about here are not those who doubt the facts and truth about Jesus Christ but for those who know it, heard about it, know it to be true, and then still decide to willfully reject it. They themselves that willfully walk away from Jesus is the unforgivable sin.
If you fear or worry that you committed the unforgivable sin, it is very likely that you did not. Because if you did, you would not worry about it. The fact that you’re worrying about it shows that you care, and that you want to be a Christian. A true Christian.
Jesus is talking about unbelievers. Whose hearts are very, very hard. If you committed any sins against God, just ask Him for forgiveness and He will forgive you.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9
Focus on growing spiritually in Christ, stronger every day, until it is your last day here on earth. Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.