What is The Unpardonable Sin

Matthew 12:22–37
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

Stubbornness has caused a split in Japan’s Stubbornness Club-formed by 20 people who considered themselves obstinate, but wanted to be worthwhile members of society. Their monthly meetings became increasingly heated, and the vice-president has resigned to form a rival Society for … More

Unpardonable Sin

A man is brought to Jesus in who was blind, unable to speak and possessed with a demon. Jesus immediately healed him and the people were astonished (v. 22-23). The Pharisees accused Him of doing this in the power of Beelzebul (another name for Satan) (v. 24). Jesus gave three arguments to answer them:

1. If He cast out a demon by Satan’s power Satan would be working against himself (v. 25-26).
2. The Jews had exorcists who claimed to cast out devils and if this was so, by whose power did they cast out demons (v. 27).
3. He was able to cast out demons because He had first defeated Satan (v. 28-30).

These next verses have been referred to as the unpardonable sin. The big question is - Can it be committed today, and if so how? First of all Jesus made it clear that all sins can be forgiven (v. 31). Then what is blasphemy? It has been defined as intentionally speaking evil against the Holy Spirit (v. 32). But even blasphemy Jesus says can be forgiven just as any other sin when it is confessed and repented of. Then what was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which was more serious? Warren Wiersbe explains it this way. “When the leaders rejected John the Baptist, they were rejecting the Father who sent him. When they rejected Jesus, they were rejecting the Son but when they rejected the Holy Spirit that is the end. There is no more witness.” This means that the “unpardonable sin” is the final rejection of Jesus.

You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces (v. 33). Our words say what is in our hearts (v. 34). Good people produce good things and evil people produce evil things (v. 35). On the day of judgment we will have to give account for every careless word spoken (vv. 36-37).

Application

Do you know anyone who has committed the “unpardonable sin"? Not if they are still alive because as long as a person is rational he can still be forgiven.

Matthew 12:22-37 (English Standard Version)

Warning: MagpieRSS: Failed to parse RSS file. (Space required at line 39, column 24) in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/magpie6-1/rss_fetch.inc on line 230

Warning: array_slice() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/rss/esvLookup.php on line 15

View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »