What is the Unforgivable Sin?

What is the Unforgivable Sin?

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The unforgivable sin, what is it and why do you need to know about it? Have you ever asked yourself the question, “have I committed the unforgivable sin?” Or maybe this question, “can the unpardonable sin be committed today, in this era?“ These are fair questions and today, I am going to help you understand what it is and what it isn’t.

What is the Unforgivable Sin? Have I committed it?

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Post Contents hide
1 Matthew 12, The Unforgivable Sin
2 The Unforgivable Sin
2.1 Does God forgive repeated sins?
2.2 Does this mean that you can willfully sin and be forgiven?
3 What is Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit?
4 The Unforgivable Sin
5 Sins that are not Considered Unforgivable
5.1 When we repent, God will forgive
6 That’s a Wrap

To answer these questions plus some others that will crop up, we need to turn to a few Bible passages that will teach us about the unforgivable sin.

We will use the term “unforgivable sin” interchangeably with

  • unpardonable sin and
  • blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12, The Unforgivable Sin

Matthew 12:22-32 gives a bit of background leading up to the verse that mentions ‘speaketh against the Holy Ghost.’

You know me, let’s keep the passage in context, so we’ll review it together. I could easily give you the answer to this question but I believe that you will remember this much better if we discovered the answer together.

In Matthew 12:1-8, we learn that the Pharisees were keeping an eye on Jesus as he and his disciples were walking through the cornfield plucking the corn to eat (Matt 12:1-2). The Pharisees questioned Jesus that He and his disciples would “work” on the Sabbath. So after Jesus taught them about the Sabbath, he continued on His way to the synagogue.

It was in the synagogue that Jesus healed a man who had a withered hand. Remember, this is still the Sabbath day so you can imagine that the Pharisees were seething with indignation. Matthew 12:14 states that they “went out and held a council against Him.”

Move down to Matthew 12:22 where our text begins. Jesus is busy healing a man from demonic activity. The Pharisees heard this (Matt 12:24) and were saying that Jesus was casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and teaches them that a kingdom divided by itself cannot stand. He was saying that if He, the Son of God, cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God has come to them. And they didn’t even know it.

I know, what does this have to do with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Hold on…it’s coming!

The Unforgivable Sin

He that is not with me is against me, Jesus said in Matthew 12:30 and then he says

  • all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven
  • but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven
  • whoever speaks against the Son of man shall be forgiven
  • but any word spoken against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven. Not now, not ever.

Okay, what do we know?

One, we know that if we sin against Jesus, those sins will be forgiven. Two, if we sin against the Holy Spirit, that sin will not be forgiven.

I’m guessing you have some questions. So, let’s answer them.

Does God forgive repeated sins?

Yes, God forgives repeated sins. Psalm 103:12 reminds us that As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Do you wonder if your sins are forgiven? Satan will deceive you to think that your sins are not forgiven. Don’t listen to that lie!

When you repent of your sins, God forgives you. He will never throw your sins back at you the way the devil does. Your sins are no longer in His presence.

If you want a second verse to confirm that, read 1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This is an incredible promise that you can depend on! God extends His never-ending mercy and grace to you each day, Lamentations 3:22-23. Do you stumble in sin? God will forgive every time you repent of your sin.

Does this mean that you can willfully sin and be forgiven?

When we sin because we like to do it, that is willfully sinning and is not possible for a Christian. Let’s turn over a few pages to 1 John 3:8-9 to get clarification on that.

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

John teaches that those who regularly practice sin is of the devil. Christians, born of God, cannot regularly or habitually, practice sin.

That sin that you do? Are you willfully desiring to do it? Or does it happen unwillingly? Another question to ask is, are you grieved after you’ve sinned? If so, is that the attitude of someone who wants to sin?

2 Corinthians 7:10-11 says it like this, that godly sorrow leads to repentance which leads to being cleared of all wrong. Interesting, right?

So, don’t fall for satan’s tricks to get you to think that your sins are not forgivable. He is a liar and the father of lies and you belong to Almighty God, the God of Truth!

What is Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit?

Let’s head back to Matthew 12:33-37 where Jesus explains about the tree. This is helpful for you to know who you are. As a born again believer, you are a ‘good tree’, producing good fruit. A good tree cannot produce evil fruit. We just talked about that in the section about “willful sin.”

We need to look at this tree in light of Jesus.

Jesus ended his discourse in verse 37 saying that ‘For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.’

Your words will justify you or condemn you. Look back to Matt 12:32 where He said ‘whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world…’

Do you know what are these “words” that is mentioned?

Recall that the Pharisees accused Jesus of delivering the demonic possessed man by Beelzebub. This is the “corrupt tree”, verse 33. The Pharisees equated the Son of God with satan.

Jesus said that He delivered the demoniac by the Spirit of God. Good tree, good fruit.

What does it mean to Blaspheme the Holy Spirit?

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The Pharisees said that Jesus is a bad tree producing good fruit. Remember Matthew 12:24? He was referred to as Beelzebub, bad tree.

Now, look at verse 37, by your words you will be condemned because

the blasphemy against the Spirit is saying that Jesus’ good works (by the Spirit) are the fruit of a bad (demonic) tree.

Jonathan Pennington, The Gospel Coalition, August 13, 2013
Source: What is the Unforgivable Sin by Andy Rau

In a nutshell, the unpardonable sin is explained as giving credit to satan for the works done through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said then and it is still true today, that calling the works that Jesus does through the Spirit of God, demonic, is totally unforgivable.

The Unforgivable Sin

So, can the unpardonable sin be committed today?

Yes, it can still be committed today because what Jesus said in the book of Matthew is still true and never changes.

Can Christians commit the unpardonable sin? No, Christians cannot commit the unpardonable sin. Here’s a quote that supports the verses we looked at:

“If you’re worried that you may be guilty of the unforgivable sin, you almost certainly are not,” Rick Cornish aptly points out in his book Five Minute Theologian. “Concern about committing it reveals the opposite attitude of what the sin is. Those who might be guilty wouldn’t care because they have no distress or remorse over the possibility.”

Lee Strobel, Investigating Faith Newsletter, BibleGateway Blog

So, as long as your heart is tender towards God Almighty, you cannot commit the unforgivable sin. You don’t spend time fretting over whether you have accidentally committed this unforgivable offence.

Have you been thinking about the verses that speak of “grieving” or “quenching” the Holy Spirit? If so, that is a different topic altogether. You can read more about that in this post, 5 Things that Grieve the Holy Spirit, that will be very helpful for you.

There are some other posts about the Holy Spirit that you might find helpful in your walk in the Lord. Check these out!

Sins that are not Considered Unforgivable

In my research, I learned that there are many people, including Christians, who think that certain sins are unforgivable.

Well, there are many who will not extend forgiveness toward others for things done wrong to them. But with God, that’s another story. As we read already, when we repent of sins, God is ready to forgive them and throw them as far as the east is from the west, Psalm 103:12.

Is There More than One Unforgivable Sin?

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So, let’s look at some sins that we may consider unforgivable but are not.

When we repent, God will forgive

  • using His name in vain. The third commandment tells us not to use His name in vain but yet, God will forgive us if we do.
  • suicide. Such a touchy subject but remember this, as a Christian, there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God, Romans 8:38-39. So if a Christian is depressed to the point that he or she commits suicide, God will forgive him/her. God sees the heart. God also knows who His children are and when someone is suffering from depression and isn’t thinking clearly, He knows. And He will forgive them when He welcomes them in heaven.
  • divorce. Yes, God hates divorce, He hates what it does to the husband and wife, what it does to the family. But, you know what? God loves the people in a broken marriage. God loves you even if you are divorced. Just like He loves me when I expected that He would hate me because I left my marriage.
  • murder. God loves His children and when someone commits murder, either premeditated or accidental, God will forgive them. Consequences of the sin will have to be lived out but God will extend mercy and forgiveness.
  • breaking and entry, robbery. Stealing from others what doesn’t belong to you, is forgivable upon repentance. Christians won’t purposefully commit these sins but the unsaved would and they can expect forgiveness when they repent in the sincerity of heart.
  • abortion. While this is unimaginable, there are millions of women around the world having abortions for one reason or another. And again, with a sincere heart of repentance, God will forgive each and every one of them for this sin.

Dear one, if you are still thinking that such-and-such a sin is not forgivable, please reread what Jesus Himself said so your heart and mind will be settled about sin.

According to Jesus, all of these sins and more, God will forgive. Remember, Jesus said that ALL sins are forgivable except for one.

So, are you okay now, knowing that you haven’t committed the unpardonable sin? Can you rejoice in your love for God and be thankful for the Holy Spirit living in you, leading and directing you?

Are you desiring to live a holy life but not sure how to do that? Or maybe you want to know about walking in the truth of His Word? These posts will be helpful:

That’s a Wrap

There you have it. The unforgivable sin explained. You now know

  • God forgives repeated sin and does not throw them back at you
  • Christians cannot habitually and willfully sin against God
  • the unpardonable sin can still be committed today but not by those who are tenderhearted towards God, serving Him in humility and out of love.
  • Christians cannot commit the unforgivable sin because of your love for God
  • blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is crediting the works of God done through the Holy Spirit to satan
  • the unforgivable sin is committed by those who are not the sons of God

What do you think about this? Has this cleared up for you what the unforgivable sin is? I’d love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment below!

If this has been a blessing to you, please share it on Facebook and pin it on Pinterest! Thank you for helping me get the Word out!

What is the Unforgivable Sin? 1

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36 thoughts on “What is the Unforgivable Sin?”

  1. Christine

    Thank you so very much. It’s a wonderful message. It put many things into perspective.
    God bless you and the work you do.

    Reply
  2. Saphronia

    What about being angry with God? Raising your fist to Him and saying things you will regreat later.

    I keep wondering if God will forgive me for all the terrible things i had said to Him because of some delima i was going through. Feeling like He didnt care for me but only used me as a pawn.

    Im very ashamed and i can not feel His presence anymore. I couldnt blame Him for throwing me into the lake if fire.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Cindy

      Hi, Saphronia. I’m so glad you asked that question as I believe it is common for all of us to do that at one time or another. My answer is that that is NOT an unforgivable sin. Upon repentance, God WILL forgive you! Getting angry with God for whatever reason is forgivable.

      Don’t let the enemy steal your peace and joy any longer. Repent before God and accept His forgiveness. It may sound like a difficult thing to do but that is because the enemy doesn’t want you to accept the fact that God will forgive you immediately.

      If you read the post again, there are verses in there that speak of forgiveness that will help reassure you of that truth. Write down the Scripture references and look them up in your Bible. When you have thoughts that maybe God didn’t forgive you, you can then look at these verses and remind yourself that this is TRUTH and not a lie. God WILL forgive you!

      If you need to get in touch with me, you can send me an email at cindy.friendship@gmail.com and I’ll reply to you, okay?

      I will be praying for you!

      Reply
  3. Monica Sanday

    I’ve always been afraid and in question about whether or not I have committed the unforgivable sin especially when at times I no longer feel His presence or when I’m no longer close to Him…
    Thank You very much…
    Reading this has really helped me a lot.
    God continue to bless you and everything that you do. ❤

    Reply
    • Cindy

      I’m very glad that this post helped clarify for you what the unforgivable sin is. When you’re not feeling His presence, ask yourself what just happened, do I need to repent of any sin? If so, repent and I’m sure you will sense His presence again.
      Thanks for your comment, Monica, I’m glad you stopped by today!

      Reply
  4. Melissa Davisson

    What a great Bible study! So many of us secretly question what an unforgivable sin is (and if I’ve committed it!) but your post really spells it out. My take-away quote is “the unpardonable sin is explained as giving credit to satan for the works done through the Holy Spirit.” I’ve never thought of it that way before. Great job!

    Reply
    • Cindy

      Hey, Melissa! Yes, this was/is a great Bible study! I love digging in to see what the Word is teaching us and when we read verses out of context, it sends us down the wrong path. Thank God for studying in context! Thanks for reading and I’m glad you enjoyed this study! <3

      Reply

  5. Pingback: 5 Things that Grieve the Holy Spirit - Women's Tabletop Friendship

  6. Joseph Higgin

    Hello Cindy,
    Just want to correct you on something. Suicide is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. If forgiveness is something that a repentant heart is searching for, in no way shape or form is suicide a form of forgiveness. We are not given to much to bear. As stated in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God will not temp us with misery, but will make a way out of no way. It’s sad to say, but suicide is common among man (both male and female), and it is our duty to cast all care on God, for he cares for us as stated in 1 Peter 5:7. By committing suicide, no matter how we look at it, we have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It’s murder. And if we take our temple and abuse it for our own pleasure, God will not be pleased. When Christ Jesus was on the cross, every weight of sin was lifted off of us and we were given an opportunity to come unto the Lord in any situation except blasphemy of the Holy Ghost and be forgiven. A big example in the Bible that a lot of people know of is Judas Iscariot committed suicide, but if he didn’t, he could have been forgiven if he had repented and stayed away from that way of thinking. It was hard on him, but God had a plan for him, but he still had a chance. God has created us to serve him, and he has the right paths laid out for us. A form of blasphemy is to take the will of God into our own hands, especially when we feel overwhelmed with this world, which we are definitely not supposed to be conformed to. By the transformation of our minds, we are to let our mind be in us that was also in Christ Jesus. No matter what a person is going through, they need to understand that if we make it up in our minds that we need to commit suicide, we have a heavy heart and Christ Jesus has reminded us of the fulfillment of the commandments is two forms. One, as it is written in Matthew 22:37, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” If the heart doesn’t love God, the mind can’t. And if the soul hungers and thirst for God, but the neither the heart or mind is right, God is not going to be glorified. Two, “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” The problem with that, is the pain that is received after a person has committed suicide to family, friends, and even strangers. The time that we are contemplating it, no matter the situation, we must lay aside every weight that so easily beset is and run this race with patience as Paul has written for us to do.
    ‭‭

    Reply
    • Cindy

      Thank you very much, Joseph, for your thoughtful comment.

      I fully understand how you or anyone else could think that suicide is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. I had been taught that as well because how could the person who committed suicide have a chance to repent? It made no sense to me.

      It is true that suicide is common among men and women, even among Christians. It is sad that a person’s life goes so far that he or she feels life isn’t worth living anymore. I have experienced that as well when I was a teenager but thankfully that was not successful.

      I totally agree with you that God is not pleased when we abuse our bodies, whether it is through overeating, drinking alcohol excessively or doing drugs. He’s also not pleased when we abuse ourselves through torture, mutilation or any other method that changes our body from what He designed it to be.

      Yes, I totally agree that Jesus hung on the cross for our sins, carrying it with Him for the sole purpose of giving us the wonderful gift of salvation and eternal life. I praise God for that! Such love!

      You are right that as believers we are not to be conformed to this world but be renewed through our minds by the washing of the Word. And you are right that sin and murder are blasphemy against God. But…

      As I study this subject, which is controversial at best, I come to the same conclusion. The words that Jesus spoke are quite clear to me and that is that every sin we (mankind) can and does do, is forgivable. Can you imagine that? Everything except for one sin.

      Jesus own words say in Matthew 12:31-32: (and also Mark 3:28-29)
      31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

      As I wrote in the post that Jesus explains that attributing the works of the Spirit of God to the devil is the one and only unforgivable sin.
      All other sins, including suicide, are forgivable.

      I wanted to ensure that I wasn’t alone in this conclusion so I did some external research and found this blurb that I thought might be helpful:

      Is Suicide the Unpardonable Sin? People often answer “yes” to this question because suicide leaves no room for repentance; a person enters eternity with unconfessed and therefore unforgiven sin. But nowhere does the Bible say that suicide is an unforgivable or unpardonable sin. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that all sin—past, present, and future—is forgiven through faith in the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
      SOURCE: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/is-suicide-the-unpardonable-sin/

      And this blurb is from another source, Nicolas Davis:
      Suicide is mentioned only six times in the whole Bible, but when it is mentioned there is no moral evaluation given as to whether it is right or wrong:
      1. Abimelech (Judg. 9:50–57);
      2. Samson (Judg. 16:28–30);
      3. Saul (1 Sam. 31:1–6; 2 Sam. 1:1–15; 1 Chron. 10:1–13);
      4. Ahithophel (2 Sam. 17:23); 5. Zimri (1 Kings 16:18–19); and
      6. Judas Iscariot (Matt. 27:5; Acts 1:18–20).

      In fact, the clear and consistent message of the Bible is the complete and full forgiveness of sins (past, present, and future—known sin and unknown sin) through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

      SOURCE: https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/is-suicide-the-unforgivable-sin

      I will conclude with this borrowed statement from Nicolas Davis:
      Suicide is certainly a sin—because it robs a person of the sanctity of life and the full time given to them by God alone. Family and friends of a believer who has committed suicide should never worry about whether their loved one is in heaven. Thankfully, even suicide is not greater than the body and blood of Jesus—broken and shed for the forgiveness of all our sins.

      So, again, thank you for your comment. I appreciate hearing from you.

      Reply
      • Misty

        I like your bible study. I have to disagree on suicide. You have to repent of your sin and if you commit the sin of suicide you can’t repent because you are dead. Thank you.

      • Cindy

        Hi Misty. Thanks for commenting and at one time I thought the same way you do. But, now, I can plainly see from Scripture that Jesus said that all sin is forgivable except for sinning against the Holy Spirit which, as described in the post, is equating the works of satan to the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if Jesus said that all sin is forgivable, then that means that He knows the heart of each of us (which we see through several verses in the Bible) and therefore He knows the heart of those who take their own lives. Let’s leave it with Jesus and trust Him when He says that all sins are forgivable except for one. Besides, who are we to say that Jesus is wrong?

  7. Freedom

    Thank you for this post ,at times felt like being divorced took away my blessings and that God will not answer my prayers but now ,u have really touched my heart

    Reply
  8. Patricia

    Cindy, I can not tell you how blessed I was to find this post today. My daughter for years has struggled with this question and I couldn’t answer her questions she had. All I could tell her is your not committing the sin of blaspheming of the holy spirit. She is 18 now and I can’t wait to show her this post so that her mind will be set free! Thank you for allowing the holy spirit use you in posting this much needed topic of God’s word.

    Reply
    • Cindy

      Hi, Patricia! I’m so glad you found this post and that it has been helpful to you. Thank you for sharing it with your daughter for the truth will set her free indeed!
      Have you thought of signing up to stay in touch with me? You can use this link here to sign up for the Friendship Letters or, if you want, to receive a 3-year Bible Reading Plan called Small Chunks. Hopefully, I’ll see you soon! http://eepurl.com/dI34FL

      Reply
      • Shamonneee crowder

        Is it saying I don’t want god forgiveness blasphemy against the Holy Spirit I been worry I didn’t know about this until July 2 I been worry and I can’t go to church because I’m too young my parents don’t know I have this problem will god forgive me

      • Cindy

        Hi, Shamonneee, thanks for asking this. More than likely, you have not committed the unforgivable sin. If you did, you wouldn’t be asking this question because you wouldn’t care. Since you care, it is safe to say that you have not blasphemed against Holy Spirit. God will forgive all your sins, simply ask Him to forgive you as you repent of them. If there is anything else I can help you with, please get in touch with me, okay?

  9. Angela

    Hey Cindy, thank you for this post. I battle bad thoughts all the time and i have horrible thought God sometimes, i dont want them but i think well why do i still have them. I have thought horrible things against the Holy Spirit and i have them everyday. There are times when i have caught myself saying them not to anyone just under my breath. Like i will have a bad thought and then i change it to the truth but there are a couple of times i have sorta whispered them. Does this mean i have done it?

    Reply
    • Cindy

      Hello, Angela. Thank you for taking the time to comment about what you are going through. Sounds to me like you are under spiritual attack from the enemy to have to commit the unpardonable sin. Remember, thoughts are something that once you realize what you are thinking, you have control over them. You can break those thoughts, just as you have been doing. God sees your heart and knows that those thoughts are not from you but rather from His enemy, satan, and his demons. I say this because you are asking this. If you didn’t love God, then you wouldn’t care enough to ask.

      Since these thoughts are plaguing you daily, you need to do some spiritual battle against them.
      First off, be wearing your spiritual armour from Ephesians 6:10-18.
      Anoint yourself with oil, olive oil will suffice. As you do this, cover yourself with the blood of Jesus. Here are some prayers for you to pray.

      I cover my mind and thoughts with the blood of Jesus.
      I break and renounce all spoken thoughts and words that were and are against the Holy Spirit. These words and thoughts were forced on me by demonic influences which I break and renounce right here, right now.
      I command all demons that claim any legal right to my life through covenants to come out in the name of Jesus. (Remember to send each one to the pit of hell or to the feet of Jesus to let Him deal with them.)
      I rebuke and cast out all spirits of guilt, shame, and condemnation through the blood of Jesus.
      I rebuke and cast out all spirits of slander and accusation through the blood of Jesus.
      I rebuke and cast out all spirits of evil thoughts against the Holy Spirit to come out in the name of Jesus and by the blood of Jesus.
      Let every spirit hiding in me or nagging at me to be exposed and come out in the name of Jesus.
      I stand against and rebuke every wile of the devil (Eph 6:11).
      Lord, let no doctrine of the devil be established in my life (1 Tim 4:1).
      Let me have and walk in an excellent spirit (Dan 6:3).
      Lord, fill me with Your love, pure and clean, and let others see Your love in me. Let me be overflowing with the love of Jesus in me.
      Holy Spirit, thank You for leading me, teaching me, and guiding me, and for showing me what is happening to me in the spirit realm.
      Father, fill me with the peace that passes all understanding.

      Angela, you may need to have someone else with you as you take a stand against the enemy. He may not go without a fight so it will be good to have someone else standing in agreement with you as do you battle against the devil and his forces.

      Let me know when you’ve won the battle! Please send me an email at cindy@215ministry.com
      I’m praying for you.
      Cindy
      P.S. I deleted your other comment since it was a duplicate.

      Reply
  10. Rosanna

    I really enjoyed this post,Cindy! I had never thought about what exactly blasphemy against the Holy Spirit meant, I just knew that is was the unforgivable sin. This simplified it so much. I have a question, though. What about those Christians who spent much of their time posting and reading about the popular teachers and preachers of the day, pointing out that the things they are doing make them heretics. Does this act classify them as committing the unpardonable sin?

    Reply
    • Cindy

      Hello, Rosanna, so nice to hear from you! I’m glad this post about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit helped your understanding of the unforgivable sin.
      As to your question though, we are told by Paul to “mark and avoid” those who teach false doctrine. However, I would be careful with this to ensure our facts are correct. In other words, did the supposed false teacher really say/teach against the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Some people can say things in ignorance while others teach falsely on purpose.
      According to Scripture, teaching a false gospel is not an unforgivable sin. There is only one unforgivable sin and that is “crediting to satan the work of the Holy Spirit.” So someone teaching a false doctrine can be forgiven should they be corrected and repent for their error.
      If this answer is not clear, let me know and we’ll talk about it together.
      Thanks for stopping by today, Rosanna!

      Reply
  11. Marie Alcis

    Thank you for taking the time to write this blog. I’m a little confuse on what you mean by Christians are not able to commit the unforgivable sin. Matthew 12: 31-32 and Mark 3: 28-29 said “whosoever”. Jesus didn’t say nonbelievers or Jews; he was referring to any and everyone. I believe the scriptures are applicable to all. Also, on the subject of Suicide, how will God forgive the person if that person won’t get a chance to ask for it. The Bible said in Romans 10: 9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” The act of confession requires words—written or spoken? Again, in 1 John 1:9 the Bible says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Yes, God knows our hearts, but confession is required. How will the person confess if they died?

    This came to mine after reading your blog on this subject. Again, thank you for sharing! God bless you.

    Reply
    • Cindy

      Hey there, Marie! So glad you stopped by today. Let me answer your questions/concerns as they appear in your comment.

      1. Christians cannot commit the unforgivable sin. Remember that this sin is giving credit to satan anything that the Holy Spirit has done for us. For example, when Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, we do not and would not give credit to satan. When Holy Spirit teaches us truth or reveals an insight into truth found in the Word, we do not give credit to satan. When a person is miraculously healed, we do not give credit to satan. And the opposite of this is true: those who belong to satan will not give credit to Holy Spirit for their evil doings. As well, if a Christian asks the question if they have blasphemed the Holy Spirit, right there, that is an indicator that they haven’t by the very fact that they are concerned that they did. Those who would commit the unforgivable sin would be those who are not children of God and wouldn’t care less. The Pharisees, in this Bible account in both Matthew and Mark, are men of tradition and not believers in Jesus Christ. They claimed to be God followers but in order to be a follower of God, we need to be a follower of Jesus.

      To conclude this, Christians would be grieved if they ever credited the works of the Holy Spirit to satan. It is an unthinkable thing to do so I don’t believe a Christian, who is born again by water and by the Spirit (John 3:5) would ever do that.

      2. Regarding suicide, I’m not sure if you read the post about Will God Forgive the Sin of Suicide or not so I may be repeating some truths here. However, you should read it as I explained this truth quite carefully.

      First of all, since Jesus quite clearly said that “all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, except…”. So, all manner of sin committed against God will be forgiven and that includes the sin of suicide which is murder against one’s own body. Jesus said ALL manner of sin…and the only exception was the sin against the Holy Spirit.

      As for Paul’s teaching in Romans 10:9 is speaking of confession of sins unto salvation. When a person is saved, their past, present and FUTURE sins are forgiven. This is what Jesus died on the cross for. Though the suicidal person doesn’t have the opportunity to confess this final sin, it was already forgiven by the death of Jesus on the cross. Besides, Jesus did say in Matthew 12:31 ALL manner of sin is forgiven…
      Same with John’s teaching in 1 John 1:9. Though Paul wrote much of the New Testament, I must adhere to Jesus’ truth since He is the Son of God and Paul is His disciple.

      3. Your last question, how will the person confess if they died? We do not know the heart of those who are brought to the point of suicide but Jesus does. I often don’t pray out loud and yet God knows my heart, my thoughts and everything I will do next. The same with the suicidal person. God knows his/her heart and their intent and because of Jesus’ death on the cross providing forgiveness for future sins, God forgives this person for their sin of suicide.

      I hope this helps clear up any misunderstanding. If you need to, feel free to contact me by email on the Contact page on this blog.
      Blessings, Cindy

      Reply
  12. Fanny

    Hi Cindy! Thank you so much for sharing this. I was so afraid that God would never forgive me because I can’t resist temptation to do the same sin over and over again. But after reading your post I know that God will forgive me, and now I feel so blessed. ❤️

    Reply
    • Cindy

      Hey, Fanny, I’m so glad this post has been helpful to you in fully understanding what the unforgivable sin is and how it differentiates from our everyday sins. Thanks for visiting today!

      Reply
  13. Isa

    I have a question. If I have thoughts that talk about the Holy Spirit bad like crediting then to satan, but I don’t control that thought , am i committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

    Reply
    • Cindy Barnes

      Hello, Isa,
      It’s hard to answer your question without a face-to-face talk but I’ll do the best I can.

      First of all, know that random thoughts come and go and if you don’t act on them, then those thoughts will die. If you act on them, in other words, say them out loud and continue to say them, then you are actively engaging in those thoughts.

      Your statement “but I don’t control that thought” means that you are allowing that thought to persist. You CAN take control over negative thoughts by refusing to think them any further.
      As a born-again believer in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, someone who is in love with Jesus, it would be difficult to have thoughts that would blaspheme the Holy Spirit. God lives in you so to think anything negative would be going against the grain, so to speak.

      I suggest that you control your thoughts by purposefully refusing to entertain them. Refuse to think of them. Instead, think of God and what He has done for you and begin to praise Him for Who He is. Purposefully focus on God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit through praise and worship. If you can do this, you are in right standing with God.

      Let me end this by emphasizing the importance of repentance. Repent of your thoughts and receive God’s forgiveness for them. Remember that God sees and knows your thoughts and will forgive you.

      I hope this helps in some way.

      Reply
      • Angela Haire

        I’m afraid that I have not casted them down and I have had a horrendous fear that I have said them out loud. In fact i know i have. Not to anyone just to myself out of fear or frustration. Sometimes the more I try not to think or say them the more they come. Sometimes I think I dwell on them so much too. I battle blasphemous thought and was told that I had ocd and was on medication for them but then someone said that it was sorcery to take anti depressants. Sometime I make my mind that I’m not gonna say or think anything bad again then I do and I have a fear that I’m wanting to. Which really scares me because these thoughts sometimes blame God for things and I know they are wrong but I’m scared that as they are coming on I’m gonna give into them and the thoughts are constantly there is just whether or not I go through with them myself. I know that doesnt make sense but that’s the best way to describe them.

      • Cindy Barnes

        Hello, Angela,
        My heart goes out to you! My initial response is to seek the counsel of your Pastor if you have a home church.

        The best way to deal with your thoughts is to read your Bible. Allow the truth of God’s Word to soak in you. Think about His truth and let His Words flow through your mind. It’s easy to react negatively when you are frustrated but remember that you can control your actions and reactions. When you feel that negative thoughts are beginning to form, simply stop them in their tracks and say NO, I won’t think on this anymore. At this point, begin to think about specific Bible verses that God has already led you to or ask Him to give you a verse or passage that will help you at that moment.

        As for blaming God for various things, they are forgivable. Simply repent and receive His forgiveness.

        This is hard to reply to without a face-to-face meeting so I hope you can find a Pastor who will help you through this. I hope this helps in some way.

      • Angela Haire

        Then I feel horrible after wards. I cant sleep and this has been ongoing for about 6 years. And it has repeatedly gotten worse. It’s like every bad thing you dont want to say or think in every way comes to mind. For example if I think that people that do this dont care I’ll have this thought like when I think something bad I will be followed by I dont care. But I do care even if at times I feel numb. I dont want be so wicked. I know God is good and even if I’m doomed to hell…I know that He is wonderfully good but that doesnt stop the thoughts.

      • Cindy Barnes

        Angela,
        I’m so sorry to hear this has been going on for so long! Is there a Pastor or Christian counselor you can talk with about this? They would be much better at helping you than me. It sounds to me like you would benefit from their counsel.

        In the meantime, I will be praying for you because God is near and knows you.

  14. Isa

    I also have a question. If I have said it out loud but without the intention o blaspheming the hilt spirit have I committed it? I have been really scared of commiting it lately and i don’t know what I do.

    Reply

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