Unforgiveable Sin

The parisees were ascribing works of the HS to satan.(see Mt.12:24-32; also Mt.9:33-34) That is blasphemy of the HS. They denied over and over the miracles Jesus performed as being of God.

Here's what the parisees get: Mt.23:13-36 (with emphasis at v. 33)


Sure, if someone rejects Jesus Christ in this age until their dying day, they have no chance at anything other than eternal damnation....I suppose that would be the only way it would be unpardonable........but since Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world, all unbelievers have the opportunity while here on earth, to confess Jesus as the Son of God and repent of their sins, to come to salvation by the Grace of God through their faith in Him.

My humble opinion.
Love in Christ,
Amity

 

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is when a person has been under conviction and rejects the Holy Spirit to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
and dying in their sins.

 

I’ll be glad to wade in on this interesting topic. I think the unpardonable sin is the ultimate, final, willful decision by a non-Christian (while under the special conviction of the Holy Spirit) to not surrender his life to Jesus in repentance and faith.

In contrast to the unpardonable sin, the Bible makes it clear that sins of ignorance (unintentional sins) can be forgiven. Notice the following passages:

“Now when these things have been thus prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle, performing the divine worship, but into the second only the high priest enters, once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.” (Hebrews 9:6-7; NASV)

“And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who goes astray when he sins unintentionally, making atonement for him that he may be forgiven.” (Numbers 15:28)

The apostle Paul said that even his blasphemy as a non-Christian could be forgiven because he “acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13). He was not experiencing the special conviction of the Holy Spirit when he blasphemed. Similarly, when Paul unintentionally sinned after he became a Christian, he said that he was not doing “what I would like to do” (Romans 7:15); rather, “sin which dwells in me” was causing his actions (Romans 7:17). Thus, both Christians and non-Christians can commit unintentional sins.

When Peter addressed the Jews in Jerusalem after the crucifixion of Jesus, he said that the Jews “acted in ignorance” when they put Him to death (Acts 3:17). Jesus said from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Willful (defiant, intentional) sin, however, is an unforgivable type of blasphemy. Notice the following passages that discuss people committing unpardonable sins:

“But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be on him.” (Numbers 15:30-31)

“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.” (Matthew 12:31)

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:26-29)

F.F. Bruce (1910-1990), Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at the University of Manchester, England, and editor of The Evangelical Quarterly, commented on the Hebrews 10:26-29 passage:

F.F. Bruce, “The Epistle to the Hebrews,” The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. F.F. Bruce, vol. 14 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1964), page 124.

Bruce also commented on the Hebrews 6:4-6 passage:

Bruce, pages 118-119.

E.Y. Mullins and H.W. Tribble, former professors at The Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, defined the unpardonable sin:

E. Y. Mullins and H. W. Tribble, The Baptist Faith (Nashville, Tennessee: The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1935), page 47.

Craig Blomberg, a NT professor at Denver Seminary, commented on Matthew 12:31:

Craig Blomberg, “Matthew,” The New American Commentary, vol. 22, ed. David Dockery (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992), page 204.

[ December 26, 2004, 01:32 AM: Message edited by: koreahog2005 ]