The unforgivable sin.

Q: What does the Bible say about the unforgivable sin?

The Bible teaches that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin, as mentioned in Matthew 12:31-32. According to Matthew 12:31-32, all manner of sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This unforgivable sin is described as a constant hardening of the heart and a willful rejection of the truth revealed by the Holy Spirit, attributing God's work to Satan rather than acknowledging it as divine. The Pharisees exemplified this sin by repeatedly attributing Jesus' miracles, which were manifestations of the Holy Spirit, to the powers of evil, demonstrating a conscious and persistent rejection of God's truth and authority.

Q: How do we know blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is true?

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is understood through Jesus' teachings in the Gospels, particularly in Matthew 12 and Mark 3. In the Gospels, particularly Matthew 12 and Mark 3, Jesus explicitly states that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. This teaching provides a clear understanding of the nature of this sin as a deliberate, ongoing rejection of God's truth. The Pharisees, who were heavily influenced by jealousy and pride, consistently attributed the miraculous works of Jesus to Satan, putting themselves in danger of eternal condemnation. Their actions serve as an example of the unpardonable sin, and the persistent nature of their blasphemy underscores the seriousness of willfully turning away from the light of truth.

Q: Why is understanding the unforgivable sin important for Christians?

Understanding the unforgivable sin reassures believers that anxiety over having committed it often indicates they have not done so. For Christians, comprehending the concept of the unforgivable sin is crucial because it helps alleviate fears that may arise when they feel unworthy or anxious about their salvation. Understanding that the unpardonable sin involves a willful and persistent rejection of God's truth offers reassurance. If a believer is concerned they have committed it, that very concern reflects the operation of the Holy Spirit within them, indicating they have not hardened their hearts as the Pharisees did. It encourages believers to receive God’s grace, reminding them that all who genuinely repent and turn to Christ can find forgiveness.

Once again with the help of the Lord I'd like you to turn with me to the Gospel according to Matthew chapter 12 and the text you'll find in verses 31 and 32. 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. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

As those who have been with us over the last few months will know, we have been looking in the morning at the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ and the way by which the Lord Jesus purposefully dealt with those who came before him, not only to heal them, but also to teach his disciples, his apostles, things about himself and so every miracle that is recorded in the scripture about the Lord Jesus Christ not only has a teaching of the initial miracle that has been done but also it has the backdrop by which that miracle is taking place and those backdrops, the context of that miracle has also a lot to teach the apostles, the disciples and the believers of the Lord Jesus.

And so the miracle that was taking place here was a man that had a blind and a mute spirit. He was possessed with the devil and we have looked at the way that the Lord Jesus came and he had that authority over the kingdom of darkness and there were those many who in the time of Christ were possessed with the devil and the Lord Jesus came and they knew who the Lord Jesus Christ was. they were able to recognize the Lord Jesus, Jesus the Son of the Most High God and they confessed who Christ was and Christ had that power and authority to cast them out and not only did he have the power and authority over the kingdom of darkness but also over all sickness and we see the many illnesses that were healed and dealt with by the Lord Jesus that he spoke a word and it was done. And here we have the devil being cast out and we have the blind, the man who was blind and mute, he was healed. And we see the reaction from the people round about him.

There are those that acknowledge this is the son of David or is not this the son of David? and there were those that were round about him who says that he has a devil, that the work that the Lord Jesus Christ was doing was being done by the power of the kingdom of darkness.

They were attributing the work of the Lord Jesus Christ not to the work of God but to the work of Satan. And so this is the background by which the Lord Jesus now begins to teach his disciples a very difficult truth, a truth that has caused the many in the church great upset, a truth that Satan uses so often to discourage the people of God that they have committed the unpardonable sin. There are many who would say, I can't come to the Lord Jesus because I think I've committed the unpardonable sin. But as we look at the context of this miracle, as we look at the context of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will notice that it is not one particular sin that a person commits. but it is a constant hardening of the heart in the light of the knowledge of the gospel. It is a hardening and a rejection of the truth and saying that that truth is the work of Satan.

As we see these two groups of people that are around the Lord Jesus, one confesses, is not this the son of David? Is this not the one that was promised to King David, the one that would sit upon his throne continually? But the Pharisees, those who were meant to be the teachers of the law, the religious leaders of the day, looked at the Lord Jesus and through jealousy and envy, hated him and said that the work that he is doing is being done by the power of the kingdom of darkness. And this, Jesus says, is the unforgivable sin. And so the context is key. As we look at a picture, often we put a frame around a picture to enhance that picture, to draw ourselves, to draw our eyes to the image. And so the context is the frame. by which this text is being spoken about. And verses 23 and 24 are the ones that set the foundation for the doctrine that Christ is speaking.

And all the people were amazed and said, is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, this fellow does not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. Beelzebub, the literal translation is Lord of Flies. And this word has been attributed to Satan. It was a God in the Old Testament times.

And so they looked at the Lord Jesus and the miracle that he was doing and the miracles that he did and said, this man is not a man of God. This man is not the son of David. This man is not the anointed of God. This man is a worker of Satan. And it's not the only time that they attributed the work of Christ to Satan. You see, it was an ongoing accusation. They continually accused Jesus of being in league with Satan and using the satanic powers to cast out the kingdom of darkness and to do healings.

In Matthew chapter 10, verse 24, tells us there, the disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his own household?' And so it was a continued accusation that the Pharisees, so filled with jealousy and envy, multiplied hatred in their hearts and accused him of being in league with Satan.

And so it was an ongoing rejection They saw Jesus as a great threat. The Bible tells us and the Lord Jesus tells us that the Pharisees were filled with pride, that they delighted in having the attention on themselves. They delighted in praying in public so that people would say what wonderful prayers they were and how godly and how holy they were. They delighted in having the upper rooms in the feasts so people could see how important they were. And so when they saw the Lord Jesus, they saw him as a threat.

As people began to follow him, as people began to take notice of him, they had to find something to turn the people away from the Lord Jesus. And so in their hatred, in their jealousy and envy, they accused him of being in league with Satan. And Jesus gives them a statement, a really a two-edged sword.

He says, I'm either one or the other. I'm either in league with the kingdom of darkness or the kingdom of God has come to you. Matthew 16. verse 13 it tells us there and they said some say or sorry verse 13 and Jesus came unto the coast of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples whom do men say that I am. There back in our chapter Jesus says to them I'm either of the kingdom of darkness or I'm of the Kingdom of Light. I'm either in league with Satan or the Kingdom of Christ has come unto you, the Kingdom of God has come unto you. Who do men say that I am?

And they say, some say thou art John the Baptist, others Elias and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. And he says unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven.

And so the question is put, who do men say that I am? Or who do you say that I am? That's the question this morning. We're either saying that Jesus Christ is not who he says he was. And if he's not who he says he is, then he's from the kingdom of darkness. He's a liar. He's a false prophet.

But if we are saying, like Simon Peter, that thou art the Christ, the son of the living God, then Jesus says, you are blessed because you have not come to this understanding by human knowledge or intellect. You have come by this, by the aiding power and influence of the Holy Spirit, that the Father which is in heaven has revealed these truths to you. So who do men say that I am? The Christ. And what does that mean, the Christ? It means the anointed one of God. Jesus Christ is the anointed of God, is the one that God chose. He anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power.

In the Gospel according to Matthew, when the Lord Jesus Christ is baptised, in chapter 3, in those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea. and saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his path straight. This same John had his raiment of camel hair and a leather girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey. There at the beginning, John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ, waiting for the Messiah to come.

He sees the Lord Jesus Christ, behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. And as he baptises the Lord Jesus Christ, we see the Holy Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove. lighting upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And it says in verse 16, And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. and lower voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And so we see with the Lord Jesus Christ, as he comes up out of the water, he is now being anointed with the Holy Spirit, a visible representation of the Holy Spirit lighting or landing upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

And here he begins his ministry, his earthly ministry. In Luke chapter 4, we read there, and verse 18, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted and to preach deliverance to the captives and the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. As he quotes that prophecy spoken by Isaiah, he says, the spirit of the Lord is upon me. As Christ comes up from the water, the spirit of God descends upon him. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. As he enters into the synagogue and he begins to take the scriptures and he unfolds the scriptures and he reads this portion of the scripture, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One of God.

And it was the the anointing of the Spirit of God upon the Lord Jesus Christ, as he says, that he has anointed him to preach the deliverance to the captives, the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And so the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ, he is anointed above measure. with the Holy Spirit.

He's anointed above his brethren. Although he is fully God, he's also fully man. And so through the aiding power and influence of the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus Christ manifested himself to those people that were round about him at that time, doing those wonderful miracles. The Lord Jesus being completely without sin.

Right from his birth, the Bible tells us that he was conceived in the womb of his mother by the Holy Spirit. It was right from his conception, the work of the Holy Spirit as he is conceived in the womb of his mother, as he grows in stature and wisdom and in favour with God, aided by the Holy Spirit of God. that he is without sin and so the Holy Spirit was actively involved in the work and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and that work of the Holy Spirit was clearly seen by all people around about him and as some testified the son of David As Peter testified, the Messiah, the anointed of God, are the Pharisees. constantly affirmed what they were seeing was not the work of the Holy Spirit, was not the work of God, but they attributed that work to the work of Satan, that the Lord Jesus Christ was not God manifest in the flesh, he was not the Messiah, but he was someone who was in league with the kingdom of darkness.

In Mark chapter 3, it tells us there that the reason why they said what they were saying, Mark chapter 3 and verse 29. Or we'll go from verse 28. Verily I say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemy whatsoever they shall blaspheme. But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost shall never, has never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation, because They said that he has an unclean spirit. So Mark gives us now the reason why they were speaking. Jesus, they are accusing him of having an unclean spirit, that he is in league with the kingdom of darkness, a worker in the kingdom of Satan.

What does it mean to blaspheme? The Bible tells us, thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Thou shalt not use the name of God in an empty way. Really, blasphemy is speaking evil of God, of His name, of His honour, to insult Him. And so what Jesus is saying as he is God and that those round about him are witnessing the power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity and they are blaspheming that work, they are speaking evil of that work and they are claiming that that work is being done through the power of the kingdom of darkness and so they were blaspheming God. They were blaspheming the Holy Spirit in a greater light. So if you was looking up at this yesterday, the Lord Jesus says that blasphemy against the Son of Man can be forgiven. So where it says, and whosoever speaketh the word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him.

But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. In other words, it will never, ever, ever be able to be forgiven. A constant rejection of the truth. And so he says that those who speak against the Son of Man, that is, someone who speaks against the Lord Jesus Christ, having not a full knowledge of who he is, there is forgiveness to be found. If they turn from their sin and acknowledge who the Lord Jesus Christ is, that he is the anointed one of God, there is forgiveness. But if somebody who persistently comes face to face with the truth of God's word and attributes that truth to the kingdom of darkness, they will never, ever, ever be able to be forgiven.

Their heart is willfully rejecting the revealed truth of God. And so this shows us that it's not a sin that you can commit by mistake. It is a willful sin, a willful rejection of the truth that continues over a period of time. And so it's not something that you could slip up one day and you could say something.

Can you think, oh, I've blasphemed against the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I can never go to heaven. I can never be forgiven. That's what That's what Satan will tell you, that's what he will tempt you with, that you can never come to Christ because you've committed the unpardonable sin. If you are concerned that you have committed the unpardonable sin, then you can be sure that you have not committed the unpardonable sin, because if you are concerned about it, that shows that you would not have committed it. because the unpardonable sin is a sin where the person willfully rejects the truth, constantly pushing it away, just like these Pharisees.

They were seeing the work of the Lord Jesus. They were seeing manifestations of the Holy Spirit and him healing and bringing people to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus. And they said, this is not of God. this is of satan and they continued to be in that mindset therefore that Jesus says to them they can never ever be forgiven so it's not a sin you can slip up it's not a sin you can sin by mistake it's a willful ongoing rejection of the truth and a hatred of God of Christ of the Holy Spirit and his word So Jesus Christ, anointed above measure with the Holy Spirit, was crucified upon the cross at Calvary. But he rose again on the third day. The Bible tells us he rose again by the power of the Spirit. Jesus says, it is needful for me that I go away. so that the comfort of the Holy Spirit, he will come, that he will come to you.

And so the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are partakers in the rewards that Christ won by his resurrection and ascension into glory. They are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that enables somebody to be born again. It is the Holy Spirit that enables somebody to believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit that shows somebody their sin and their need of the Lord Jesus. And therefore, if you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God, then you have never, ever, ever committed the unpardonable sin. because you will remain in the kingdom of darkness until the day that you breathe your last and you will be cast from the presence of God for all eternity. And so the Spirit of God, He indwells with each of His people.

He grants them spiritual strength. Without the Holy Spirit of God, we would not be able to live a Christian life. We would never be able to overcome the temptations that are placed in our pathway. We would never be able to overcome the weaknesses of our flesh. It is only by the Spirit of God that we are able to be strengthened, to persevere on the narrow way that leads to life. It's the Holy Spirit that gives us guidance.

It's him that prompts us from within to seek and to determine the will of God. It's him that speaks and prompts us from within. It's him who gives us the assurance of our salvation. It's him that enables us to continue trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ through much opposition and persecution and hardship.

Otherwise, we would just walk away. Without the Spirit of God, He is the seal, the down payment that Christ has given to us to know that we have a place in heaven. And we can witness His behaviour in our lives, in the putting to death of the lusts of the flesh.

As we grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, as we shine forth the fruit of the Spirit, as our old sin nature is suppressed and that nature of Christ is seen in our lives. He gives us that union with the Father. Jesus says, I will be with you. with the Spirit of God indwelling within the believers, the Spirit of Christ, which shows us we are united to Father, Son and Holy Spirit and we're called to walk in the Spirit. Romans 8, it tells us there, Romans 8 verse 14, it says, for as many are For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit. that we are the children of God and so the Spirit of God is the seal by which we have been sealed in Christ Jesus, the down payment, the evidence that we belong to the Lord Jesus and we are led then by the Spirit of God. As sons of God, united in Christ Jesus, we can come to God and we can call him our Father. such as the relationship, that adoption process that Christ has done, we can approach God as our heavenly Father. But Jesus Christ was without sin. He was anointed with the Spirit above measure.

We have the Spirit of God in us. we are housed in a sinful body and therefore there is conflict between our regenerated spirit and our body and there is conflict where we can grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We can, as it were, suppress the the great benefits that we have in Christ Jesus by grieving the Holy Spirit because of our sin, almost like making someone that we love dearly sorrowful.

That should cause us some grief. If you truly love somebody and you hurt them, when you see them that they are hurt, that also makes you suffer pain. And so when we understand that we have grieved the Holy Spirit because of our sin, if we understand that if we grieve the Holy Spirit, then we grieve Christ and we grieve our loving Heavenly Father, that brings the believer to pain, to sorrow, to a desire to repent and to restore that relationship that the Spirit will not be grieved. And we can grieve the Holy Spirit by sin, by gross external sin, by explosive anger, by evil thoughts.

Know how our minds are so imaginative. and where we should be meditating upon Christ and meditating upon his word, meditating upon our relationship that we have with the Father. Yet we can be so distracted even in the service and our minds can be taken off and we begin to spiral a thought process that is evil. And we can grieve the Holy Spirit of God by our thoughts, by our sinful behaviour, and we can lose the blessedness of what we have in Christ, that true union.

And there can be that coldness and that lukewarmness within our hearts, but also neglect of the means of grace that God has given to us. The Bible, which is the word of God, which feeds our spirit. We neglect the means of grace, prayer, attendance to the house of God, and attendance to the Lord's supper. We grieve the spirit. We lose that life, that strength, that enabling. but also guidance.

We can grieve Him as we disobey, as we are called to walk in the Spirit and we willfully turn away from the pathway that we've been prompted to go to. We can walk in darkness because of our sinful behaviour. We can walk in darkness because of our willful rebellion against what the Spirit is prompting us to do.

But those rebellions, those grievings of the spirit can be restored by turning again unto the Lord. When the Christian, the believer in Christ Jesus understands that he is grown cold, when he understands that he's grieved his beloved spirit, he's wounded his Christ, he's offended his loving heavenly father, he turns from his sin. and he comes in repentance and faith again to the Lord, asking for that forgiveness. It's like, David, wash me, cleanse me, make me whiter than snow.

So maybe you have been tempted this week, that you have committed the unpardonable sin. Are you in constant rebellion against Christ? Are you willfully rejecting what you know to be true? If you are concerned about it, then you can be sure that you have not committed that unpardonable sin, that there is still hope for you to turn from your sin and to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, because He says there is forgiveness to be found. for those who turn from their sins. And maybe you are a believer and you know that you have grieved the Holy Spirit. You know of a particular sin. You know of a particular place where you've been rebellious. You know there's a particular area where you are cold and lukewarm. You know that you've drifted off and you feel that grievance of the Spirit. Well, turn then and come again to the Lord Jesus for he will receive you. and he will cleanse you and wash you from your sin.

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. And whosoever speaketh the word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Amen. Lord help us that we close this service by singing hymn number 105 from Hymns of Worship to the tune 482. Would you say our next service is at three o'clock. Jesus, sovereign Lord of all, at thy feet we humbly fall. Lift our hearts and eyes to thee, send, O Lord, prosperity.

Hymn number 105 from Hymns of Worship to the tune 482. O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? ♪ There's a love in praise and praise alone ♪ O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? Oh ♪ God of children and sons ♪ ♪ Carefully sing thy praise to Thee ♪ ♪ Sound thou, Lord, prosperity ♪ ♪ Sound thou, Lord, prosperity ♪ Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you each now and forevermore. Amen.

The unforgivable sin.

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the unforgivable sin?

How do we know blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is true?

Why is understanding the unforgivable sin important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

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The unforgivable sin.

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the unforgivable sin?

How do we know blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is true?

Why is understanding the unforgivable sin important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About James Gudgeon

Comments

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