What a misunderstood topic this is. The unpardonable sin is defined by Jesus as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It is not surprising that this revelation has been swept under the rug and taken for granted. So many people have legitimate questions and concerns about this subject and are confused about the meaning of these scriptures. If they look to Google for answers, they see misguided opinions and wrong interpretations everywhere. The internet is absolutely full of wrong doctrines on this subject, so lets take a careful look at God’s word.
Satan is sneaky, but we mustn’t be ignorant of his devices. Whenever there is ignorance or misunderstanding about the word of God. Satan will use that to bring God’s people into bondage and deceive them. I have met countless people concerned that they had committed the unpardonable sin.
We find references to the unpardonable sin in Mark 3, Luke 12, and Matthew 12. We will be focusing primarily on Matthew’s account for this teaching. It is the most complete. This account gives us the proper context to interpret this passage.
First of all, to establish something as a sound, biblical New Testament doctrine, you must have a scriptural precedent. You also need a scriptural type in the Old Testament. These will both be provided in this teaching.
What the unpardonable sin is not.
A common teaching about the unpardonable sin is that a true Christian can’t commit the unpardonable sin. Another belief is that denying Jesus is the only unforgivable sin. Yet another doctrine declares that only people alive when Jesus walked the Earth could commit this sin, therefore it is not relevant for today. These are all false teachings.
You will see that ONLY a professing Christian can commit such a sin. I will clarify this in the following paragraphs.
First, let’s look at the entire passage in Matthew that puts this whole thing in context. (All scripture will be from the New King James Bible unless noted otherwise.)
A Kingdom Divided
One of the basic principles in warfare is “divide and conquer.” Division causes weakness and creates vulnerability. The same principles apply in spiritual warfare, and the Devil knows it.
Matthew 12:25-37 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
This entire passage starts off with the Pharisees questioning the authority by which Jesus is doing His mighty works. They said that He cast out devils by the prince of devils. He had just healed a demon-possessed, blind, and mute man. The miracle was undeniable, so they questioned the authority that Jesus was under to perform such healing. They knew that true power only comes from authority and they refused to believe that His authority came from God.
The unpardonable sin is the main topic of this whole passage. Jesus starts off talking about a Kingdom divided. Therefore, we know that the unpardonable sin has to do with a divided Kingdom.
Notice that the context of the unpardonable sin is sandwiched between His explanation of “a kingdom divided,” and His exhortation to “make the tree good.” In verse 31, immediately following the explanation of a kingdom divided, Jesus says “Therefore I say to you…” In other words, Jesus is saying, “Because of what I just told you, I also say this about it,” and He proceeds to tell them about the unpardonable sin.
In verse 33, He follows right into the parable of the good and bad trees, which is instruction on how to prevent a divided kingdom. This tells us that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is clearly a matter of having a divided Kingdom in our heart. So let’s break this down.
The unpardonable sin involves not submitting to the authority of the Holy Spirit inside us, not allowing Him to rule and reign in our lives. We have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of the Lamb. We are not our own. Submission to the Spirit of God is not just expected. It is required if we are to be saved and considered a true disciple.
The Church at large, especially in America, has reduced the gospel to merely “praying a prayer to go to Heaven,” instead of focusing on new life and transformation. It is a dangerous deception that will ultimately cost many their eternal salvation.
Salvation is NOT a single event, it is a journey that must be walked out with a living faith. It must be “worked out” with godly fear and trembling.
Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
The Kingdom of God is sown in our hearts like a mustard seed. It starts out small and grows with every act of obedience. It grows every time we water it with His word. It expands each time we bear the fruit of the Spirit. It grows with every righteous act. If we neglect that precious seed, or stop watering and feeding it, it will bear no fruit. This brings a reproach on Christ. It insults the Holy Spirit within us, and our salvation is no longer guaranteed.
Matthew 13:31-32 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.
The Greek word for blasphemy is; blasphēmía. It comes from ( blax, “sluggish/slow,” and phḗmē, “reputation, fame”) – blasphemy – which literally means, slow to call something good (that really is good). Blasphemy also means to insult or speak against.
Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
We tell God we believe in Jesus and ask Him to save us. This act makes us a new creature in Christ with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. However, if we deny Jesus as Lord of our lives, by denying The Holy Spirit’s right to influence and direct our lives, we then trample the Son of God underfoot. We count His blood a common thing and insult the Spirit of grace. There must be evidence that we are a Christian. There must be some righteous fruit being produced in our lives or we blaspheme of the Holy Spirit.
Look at the parable of the talents. Consider what happened to the one who did nothing with what He was given.
Matthew 25:24-31 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Luke 19 gives us the same account using minas, but look what he says in verses 26 and 27.
Luke 19:26-27 For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.
Luke makes it clear that he is talking about Christian believers who don’t allow Jesus to be Lord and King. They only want Him to be their Savior. If He isn’t Lord of our life he is not our Savior. We can’t ask Him into our hearts and refuse to let Him reign as King. If we do, we are considered His enemy.
It goes even further than that. If we start well by making Him Savior and Lord, our salvation is initially secure. Still, if we turn our backs on Him and stop serving Him, the situation changes. Returning to the bondage we were delivered from and denying Him will eventually cause us to lose that security. Look at the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
These ten were all virgins. They all had oil at one time. Nonetheless, five were foolish and let their oil run dry.
Are you full of the Holy Spirit? Have you grown weary in doing well? What fruit have you been bearing lately?
Matthew 24:45-51“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The Pharisees that Jesus was talking to were NOT believers. The instruction He was giving them was not about them, but about Himself. Jesus was simultaneously correcting their wrong thinking and explaining the unpardonable sin. They were not capable of committing the unpardonable sin. This is why He said in verses 34 “How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Jesus was telling them that they weren’t even capable of speaking faith because of what was in their hearts.
It is when we speak against the Holy Spirit in us that blasphemy occurs. Only a believer who has prayed and asked God for forgiveness and salvation can blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
We blaspheme the Holy Spirit when we refuse to obey Him. We deny His redemptive work in us. We also prevent Him from transforming us. This is blasphemy. We make a commitment to follow Christ but deny His Spirit. This is blasphemy and if it is prolonged it is unforgivable.
The Holy Spirit is given to us so that we can have an intimate relationship with the Father. This is our privilege but it is His right because He bought us with an immeasurable price. The blood of Jesus. If we deny Him the right to have a relationship with Him we commit the only unforgivable sin.
1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Israel’s blasphemy
One Old Testament example of the Unpardonable Sin is Israel wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. They did not enter the Promised Land. This is just one of many examples in the Old Testament. It shows blasphemy and the consequence of not being forgiven in this world or the next. They were delivered from the bondage of slavery with a promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. They began the journey to the Promised Land. However, their unbelief, constant complaints, and desire to return to Egypt led to their judgment. They never entered into the fullness of what God had promised them. They never received their reward, even though it was promised. Why? The Bible says that their words were stout against God. (blasphemy)
Malachi 3:13-14 “Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the Lord, “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts?
Israel started out strong and confident. They had great expectations. But when hardship arose or it seemed to take too long, they cast away their confidence. They spoke against the promise.
This is a clear picture of the present-day church. Christians are faced with the same dilemma today.
Galatians 4:6-10 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
Just like Israel, some Christians will want to turn back to the slavery of sin.
1 John 1:5-7 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we keep walking in darkness after God has given us His Spirit, we blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
Once saved, always saved is a doctrine of devils that has infiltrated the Church at every level. Those who teach and preach grace apart from transformation are false teachers. They are tools of the enemy, perpetuating a terrible deception. We have a responsibility in our relationship with God. We must yield to Him. We should allow His amazing grace to change us. It can shape us and transform us into everything he paid for us to be.
Depart from Me! The scariest words we can hear.
Matthew 7:21-27 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
The journey of salvation must be one of a living faith. It should not be one of complacency. Instead, it should be one of continual growth and transformation. We must resist the temptation to revert to old ways. Instead, we should walk steadfastly in the light that the Spirit has placed within us. Let us strive to be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. We should ground ourselves in the teachings and will of our Father. This way, when the storms of life come, our faith remains unshaken.
The New Testament is clear that there is an inseparable bond between faith and works. Faith lays the foundation of our spiritual journey. We manifest our true beliefs through our works of faith. We are justified before God by these actions. It is not enough to say we believe. We must prove it with corresponding works.
James 2:14-24 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
A dead faith will not get you to Heaven. When we receive salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit inside us. We become God’s house swept clean of all evil, and our lives should become an ever-growing expression of God’s love. Love is His divine nature.
Matthew 12:43-45 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
The Holy Spirit works in our hearts changing how we think, speak, and behave. He changes our desires and gives us a hunger and thirst for God. When we resist the Holy Spirit, denying God’s right to be master over His own house, our justification is incomplete. Instead of Jesus being king, we are king. God’s new house is a house divided. The kingdom of God within us is divided and a divided house will not stand. Claiming salvation without works of repentance results in spiritual death.
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Luke 16:6-9 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.”
In this parable, we are the fig tree. The Holy Spirit is the vineyard’s keeper. The man seeking fruit is the Father. This parable shows that if we backslide or fail to produce fruit after praying for salvation, the Lord Jesus will advocate on our behalf by the Holy Spirit. He asks Him for more time to help us change and bear the fruit of the Kingdom of God in our lives. The time frame in this parable is up to 4 years. That is God’s mercy. It also points to Blasphemy being a process rather than a single event.
Consider the parable of the prodigal son. He was once abiding with the Father but left. This is a type of backsliding. The son that remained with his Father complained about all the fuss being made over the prodigal son, but the Father makes this remark.
Luke 15:32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”
He was dead and is alive again! So, there is always hope where the Father is concerned.
James 5:19-20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
John 15:5-6 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
If we hold on to our old life, we will lose it. We must have evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. If not, when we meet the Lord, He will be forced to say, “I never knew you.”
If you are not convinced by now take a look at Romans 1.
Romans 1:18-32 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
This passage is a perfect picture of what is happening in the Church right now!
There are many more scriptures, parables, and examples that give weight to this doctrine. Please seek God and study for yourself.
Our assurance lies not in empty declarations. It is in a life lived by following God’s will, which bears the fruit of true fellowship with Him. As we await the return of our Savior, let us be vigilant and active in our faith. May we all be found ready, our hearts and lives bearing the fruit of His divine nature within us, steadfastly awaiting the glorious day of His return.
JESUS IS COMING! BE READY!
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