What Is The Unforgivable Sin - Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

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Mike Penninga ACTS Seminary August 9, 2004 Matt 12:31-32 (NAS) "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come.”

Introduction: “I think I’ve blasphemed the Holy Spirit and I’m worried that God won’t accept me anymore. How can I know for sure? What can I do to say I’m sorry?” That blunt inquiry from a 13 year old girl raised the ears of the others sitting around a campfire during an informal question and answer time at one of my summer stops as speaker at Christian Camps around British Columbia. It was a question I was not unfamiliar with, and one that was often bundled together in a package of confusion and fear. The question springs out of three passages in the Gospels where Jesus speaks of the so-called “unforgivable sin”; blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What was He talking about? Did He have a specific sin in mind? Can people commit the sin today? Is forgiveness really not possible? What do other passages of Scripture have to say about this issue?

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The issue is a crucial one to understand on several levels. It is important on a personal faith level, because it affects how I live out my faith, whether in fear or confidence. It is also important on a theological level, because it affects how God is to be understood, especially as it relates to sin and forgiveness. I have chosen the topic of “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” for my hermeneutics research paper for several reasons. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I want to know the limits of God’s forgiveness, if there are any, and how to stay away from those limits. As a pastor, I want to be sure that I am preaching the whole word of God, and not just those parts that are my personal “favorites”. I think it’s important to focus not only on the “comforting” passages, but the “difficult” and potentially “disturbing” passages as well. As can be expected, there are varying opinions when it comes to “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”, and the “unforgivable sin”. The following is a list of some of the things people thought the unforgivable sin might be: murder, adultery, masturbation, blasphemy, having an abortion, not going to church, a divorce. Some believe we can no longer commit the unforgivable sin because Jesus is no longer on earth. Others believe we still should be very careful of offending Christ in that way. My goal with this paper is to unpack the key passages that address “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” in relation to the teaching of Scripture as a whole, seeking to determine what Jesus intended to mean when he spoke those words two thousand years ago. The phrase is recorded in three passages, Matthew 3:28-30, Mark 3:28-30, Luke 12:8-10. Because Matthew gives us the most background for the comment, we will focus on his account, taking into consideration the additional material in the other two sections. There are two other secondary passages which deserve our inquiry, as they are

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often connected to the issue of the “unforgivable sin”. 1 John 5:16 speaks of sin that leads to death, and Hebrews 6:4-6 talks about those who fall away being unable to be brought back to repentance. We’ll begin by understanding key terminology from within the important passages, namely the biblical understanding of “blasphemy” and “forgiveness”. Second, we’ll endeavor to understand the text itself. What does it mean? Was there a “specific sin” in Jesus’ mind? If so, were the Pharisees guilty of this sin, or were they innocent because of their ignorance in not realizing that the Holy Spirit was indeed in Jesus? Third, we’ll look at whether people can indeed commit this sin today, and if so, whether it’s a sin only for believers, or unbelievers, or both. Fourth, we’ll examine the issue of blasphemy as it relates to the “object” of the ridicule. Jesus seemed to suggest that it was okay to blaspheme Him, but not the Holy Spirit. Was He talking literally about the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity? Are all blasphemes unpardonable? Fifth, we’ll explore the concept of no forgiveness forever, independent of repentance, dispensation, or God’s unquenchable mercy and grace. Sixth, we’ll investigate the connection with two other Biblical passages, 1 John 5:16 and Hebrews 6:4-6. And finally, we will conclude with its application to our daily life and ministry. How should my understanding of the “unforgivable sin” affect the way I live and minister? Let’s dive in.

Part 1: Overview of Passage & Definitions Matthew 12 tells us the broader context that led to Jesus speaking of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. As was not uncommon during his ministry, a demon-possessed man

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who was unable to speak or see was brought to Jesus to be healed. Jesus did heal him so that he could both speak and see. The crowd was amazed. They wondered out loud whether Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of David. But the Pharisees were not impressed. It appears they were not present for this particular miracle, but when they heard about it, they chalked it up to Satan’s power. Although Jesus didn’t hear them say this, he knew their thoughts and replied: Matt 12:25-32 (NAS) Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any 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 "If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 "Or how can anyone enter the strong man' s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. " He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. 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. The key verses for our inquiry are 31 and 32, and two key terms needs defining; blasphemy and forgiveness. The Greek word used for blasphemy is “blasfeemia” and is defined in Strong’s New Exhaustive Concordance as “vilification; especially against God.”1 “The word ‘blasphemy’ [blasfeemia (NT:98800] properly signifies ‘detraction’ or ‘slander’”2. Blasphemy in the Bible is the act of cursing, slandering, reviling, or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God.3 In the Old Testament, blaspheming

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New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary 3 Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2

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God was such a serious crime that it was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:15-16)4. It was a violation of the Third Commandment, which required that the name and reputation of the Lord be upheld (Exodus 20:7).5 According to the New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, there were three kinds of blasphemy recognized among the early Christians: 1) Of apostates and lapsi (lapsed), whom the heathen persecutors had compelled not only to deny, but to curse, Christ. 2) Of heretics and other profane Christians 3) Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.6 The other key word in this passage is the word forgiveness, which is the Greek word “afetheesetai”. It means literally to “send or let off or away”7. Forgiveness is an integral concept in Scriptures, a theological term that refers to God’s pardon of the sins of human beings. In order for God to forgive sin, two conditions are necessary. A life must be taken as a substitute for that of the sinner (Leviticus 17:11, 14; Hebrews 9:22), and the sinner must come to God’s sacrifice in a spirit of repentance and faith (Mark 1:4; Acts 10:43; James 5:15)8. No religious book except the Bible teaches that God completely forgives sin (Psalm 51:1, 9; Isaiah 38:17; Hebrews 10:17). Forgiveness in the New Testament is directly linked to Jesus (Acts 5:31, Colossians 1:14), His sacrificial death on the cross (Romans 4:24), and His resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:15).

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Lev 24:16 (NAS) “The one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.” 5 Ex 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” NAS 6 New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. 7 New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. 8 Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary Penninga

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By faith sinners are forgiven, which the Apostle Paul calls “justified” (Romans 3:28, Galatians 3:8-9). So if forgiveness in Scripture is meant to be total and complete, what could Jesus have meant when he said anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven? Let’s turn our attention now to understanding the text itself.

Part 2: Understanding the Text The context in which Jesus spoke these words is crucial to understanding His intent in speaking them. He had just performed a miracle, healing a blind and mute man who was demon possessed. But the Pharisees believed Jesus had expelled demons by the power of the prince of demons, Beelzebul. Beelzebul had once been the name of a Canaanite divinity, “the lord of the high place”, but by this time it was used by Jews to denote the ruler of the abyss, the abode of demons9. In other words, instead of giving glory to God, the Pharisees attributed the work to Satan. It was this attitude that Jesus took offense at; attributing to Satan the work of God. Mark 3:30 helps us in our understanding, where it says Jesus was saying this because “they were saying ‘He has an unclean spirit’” (NAS). In his commentary on this passage, Albert Barnes writes: “It consisted in charging him with being in league with the devil, or accusing him of working his miracles, not by the "spirit" or "power" of God, but by the aid of the prince of the devils. It was therefore a direct insult, abuse, or evil speaking against the Holy Spirit-the spirit by which Jesus worked his miracles. . . it was alleging that the highest displays of God' s mercy and power were the work of the devil; and it argued, therefore,

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FF Bruce “Hard Sayings of Jesus” page 89 Penninga

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the deepest depravity of mind. The sin of which he speaks is therefore clearly stated. It was accusing him of working miracles by the aid of the devil, thus dishonoring the Holy Spirit”10. Adam Clarke concurs: “Here the matter is made clear beyond the smallest doubt-the unpardonable sin, as some term it, is neither less nor more than ascribing the miracles Christ performed, by the power of God, to the spirit of the Devil”11. The context of this passage leads us to read nothing more into the text than this: the sin that could not be forgiven involves giving credit to Satan for God’s work. It was this attitude that Jesus called “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”. Having said that, can we go further and say that the Pharisees were indeed guilty of this sin, or were they considered innocent because they were ignorant, not realizing that Jesus was indeed indwelt by the Holy Spirit? Jesus did not outright say that the Pharisees themselves had blasphemed the Holy Spirit. He was laying out a warning about the danger of what they were saying. He does go on in Matthew 12:34-37 to call the Pharisees a “brood of vipers”: Matthew 12:34-37 (NAS) “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 " The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." The question of whether the Pharisees had indeed committed the “unforgivable sin” is not easily answered, because it is impossible to know their hearts and the extent

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Barnes Commentary Adam Clarke’s Commentary Penninga

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of God’s grace and mercy in the midst of our rebellion and opposition. What is clear is that the Pharisees were in danger of stepping over that line.

Part 3: Can People Commit This Sin Today? Having understood some key definitions (blasphemy and forgiveness) and having looked at the specific issue Jesus was addressing in this passage (attributing to Satan the work of God), we come to perhaps the most important question for you and I today: can people commit this sin today? It is here where opinions vary considerably. Some believe it is impossible to commit this sin because Jesus is no longer physically on the earth. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary says; “This was a specific sin possible only during the earthly life of our Lord, when He was ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit. Under those unique conditions a person who attributed to Satan the power of the Holy Spirit, so visibly and openly manifested, was guilty of this peculiar sin. For this reason there could be no forgiveness in the age then present or in the age immediately following (Matt 12:22-32; Mark 3:22-30). Since no such conditions exist in this age, the unpardonable sin is now impossible. An unpardonable sin and the gospel of "whosoever will" cannot coexist. Were such a sin possible today, every gospel invitation would specifically shut out those who had committed such a trespass”12. The internet web site www.gotquestions.org says: “this unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit cannot be duplicated today because Jesus Christ is not on earth but seated at the right Hand of God”13. Radio Bible Class, on their website, has this to say about committing the “unforgivable sin” today; “Technically, this sin cannot be repeated today in the 12

New Unger’s Bible Dictionary

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same way it was committed in Jesus'day. Jesus is not physically with us doing miracles that can be attributed to Satan”14. But can it be committed in principle? Was Jesus intending to mean that “so long as you don’t speak this blasphemy to my face, it’s okay”, or was there a deeper, underlying principle? What if we make irreverent remarks about the Holy Spirit? Are we going to be faced with eternal damnation? These questions lead us to what I believe is the crux of this issue – our heart’s intent. There is indeed a sin that Jesus speaks of, specifically ascribing His miraculous powers to Satan as opposed to God. But the deeper issue is not a power struggle between God and Satan, but a power struggle within the heart of an individual. The Pharisees were stifling evidence that pointed to Jesus’ divine nature. They were refusing to accept miracles as proof of His identity. When a person sees the clear evidence provided by the Holy Spirit and still rejects it, that is blasphemy of the Spirit. Can we “blaspheme the Holy Spirit” today? Absolutely. Who falls into this category? Is it a sin that Christians can commit, or only NonChristians? Again, it is not easy to divide into these neat categories. It would be better to divide between people who want to know God and those who have no desire to know God. Jesus was not speaking to his followers when he talked about “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”, but to the Pharisees, who were his arch-enemies. One thing that is clear among all scholars when it comes to this passage is if one is worried that he or she has blasphemed the Holy Spirit, they haven’t. The reason they give for that is someone who has blasphemed the Holy Spirit would not care about 13

http://www.gotquestions.org/blasphemy-Holy-Spirit.html

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whether they’ve blasphemed the Holy Spirit because they have no regard for the Spirit, whereas one who desires the Spirit could not do so if he or she had blasphemed the Spirit. “Let it be observed that no man who believes the divine mission of Jesus Christ ever can commit this sin”15. Matthew Henry writes: “We have reason to think that none are guilty of this sin, who believe that Christ is the Son of God, and sincerely desire to have part in his merit and mercy: and those who fear they have committed this sin, give a good sign that they have not”16. The reason so many have come to this conclusion comes back to our understanding of God’s realm of forgiveness, as laid out in Scripture. Many passages speak of God’s readiness and eagerness to pardon man’s sins. In the Old Testament, God speaking through the prophet Ezekiel says he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but would rather see them turn from their evil ways and live (Ezekiel 33:10-11) Elsewhere, Isaiah speaks of God’s desire to take our scarlet sins and make them as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18), and to abundantly pardon us (Isaiah 55:6-7). The Apostle Paul calls himself the worst of sinners, a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent aggressor. Yet he was shown mercy as an example for all others (1 Timothy 1:12-16). In his first epistle, John outlines one of the most magnificent truths of all when it comes to God’s willingness and openness to forgive sinful man; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:9-10). So how can we reconcile those truths with this claim of an “unforgivable

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http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/ds/q0602/page4.html Adam Clarke’s Commentary 16 Matthew Henry’s Commentary 15

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sin”? “Its unpardonableness cannot arise from anything in the nature of the sin itself; because that would be a naked contradiction to the emphatic declaration of Matthew 12:31, that all manner of sin is pardonable. And what is this but the fundamental truth of the Gospel?”17 Scripture is clear that the limit on forgiveness is not on God’s part, but on ours. Therefore, the unforgivable sin is not so much unforgivable because of unwillingness on God’s part to forgive but unwillingness on our part to ask for forgiveness.18 “Blasphemy against the Spirit in this context is tantamount to apostasy, the deliberate and decisive repudiation of Jesus as Lord”19. Billy Graham writes in his book “The Holy Spirit”; “When a person has so resisted the Holy Spirit that He strives with him no more, then there is eternal danger. In other words, the unpardonable sin involves the total and irrevocable rejection of Jesus Christ”20. Unbelief is the one sin that the blood of Jesus can not cover. One who continually suppresses the truth God sends will not receive saving grace. Thus, he can not be forgiven. “God’s forgiveness is limited solely by the condition that man must accept it in the proper spirit”21. Those who are anxious that they have committed the sin show in this very fact that their anxiety is groundless. “The one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” John 6:37-38 (NAS). We must not forget that Jesus was not making a sweeping generalization about blasphemy as a whole. As a matter of fact, he said “any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men.” Marianne Meye Thompason, professor of NT interpretation at Fuller 17

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary See further - “Its unpardonableness cannot arise from anything in the nature of the sin itself; because that would be a naked contradiction to the emphatic declaration of Matt 12:31, that all manner of sin is pardonable.” Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary. 19 FF Bruce “Hard Sayings of Jesus” page 92 20 Billy Graham “The Holy Spirit” page 124 18

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Theological Seminary, picks up on this as it relates to the nature of God when she writes: “By setting the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit over against ‘all sins’ and ‘whatever blasphemies’ that can be forgiven, Jesus emphasizes God’s merciful forgiveness rather than God’s eagerness to hunt for and condemn sinners”22. One who desires forgiveness will always find it in God. Let’s take a moment to retrace our steps thus far. We have established blasphemy as injurious or impious speaking or mocking and deriding speech, leveled at God. Forgiveness is God’s act of not holding man’s sin against them, because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The Matthew 12:31-32 text speaks of “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” as a specific sin of attributing to Satan the clear work of God by His Holy Spirit. And it’s a sin that can be committed today, but not by people who genuinely desire a relationship with God, but by those who could care less about such a relationship. No genuine seekers of forgiveness are turned away by the gracious God of the universe.

Part 4: Who is it Okay to Blaspheme? Our fourth area of investigation has to deal with the recipient of blasphemy. In the Matthew 12 passage, Jesus says it’s okay to blaspheme the Son of Man, but not the Holy Spirit. Was He literally dividing up the Trinity, saying it’s okay to blaspheme one part of the Trinity, as long as it’s not the Holy Spirit part? Albert Barnes says the issue is more blasphemy of the “divine nature” than blasphemy of the “Holy Spirit”; “The word "spirit," probably refers here to the "divine nature" of Christ - the power by which 21

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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he performed his miracles. There is no evidence that it refers to the third person of the Trinity; and the meaning of the whole passage may be: "He that speaks against me as a man of Nazareth-that speaks contemptuously of my humble birth, etc., may be pardoned; but he that reproaches my divine nature, charging me with being in league with Satan, and blaspheming the power of God manifestly displayed "by me," can never obtain forgiveness”23. It’s interesting to note that the Pharisees had not intended to speak a word against the Holy Spirit, but against Jesus (Matthew 12:24). And yet Jesus took it as a rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work in Him. FF Bruce writes; “In Jesus’ language (Aramaic), the phrase ‘the son of man’ normally meant ‘the man’; only the context could indicate when he intended the phrase to have the special sense which is conveyed by the fuller translation ‘the Son of man’. . . . So Jesus may have meant, ‘To speak against (a) man is pardonable, but to speak against the Spirit is not”24. It’s one thing to blaspheme Jesus’ earthly nature (his humble upbringing, simple trade, lack of physical appearance that would attract people to him), but it was another thing to blaspheme the divine nature of Jesus at work, as witnessed in his many miracles. The Bible records several occasions where individuals blasphemed and spoke words against Jesus, without any comment about committing an “unforgivable sin” (Matthew 9:3, Matthew 11:19, Matthew 13:55-58, Matthew 26:65, Mark 2:7, Mark 14:64, Luke 5:21, Luke 22:63-65, John 7:12, John 10:33-36). Perhaps all blasphemy was not considered equal in Jesus’ eyes. After all, as he hung from the cross, having endured the worst of all their blasphemy, Jesus asked God to “Father, forgive them; for

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Marianne Meye Thompson “Committing the Unforgivable Sin” Albert Barnes Commentary 24 FF Bruce “Hard Sayings of Jesus” page 92. 23

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they do not know what they are doing" Luke 23:34 (NAS). The key difference appeared to be an awareness of the seriousness of the blasphemy that was being leveled.

Part 5: Will there Ever be Forgiveness? One more issue that must be raised from this passage is that of forgiveness and damnation, whether blasphemy of the Holy Spirit can ever be forgiven, or whether the individual is eternally damned. The question gains more personal appeal when we speak of an individual who at one time, not knowing God, may have felt they blasphemed the Holy Spirit, only later in life to desire a relationship with Him. Jesus is very clear in saying that “whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come” Matthew 12:32 NAS. The Gospel writer Mark puts it even stronger: “whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” (Mark 3:29 NAS). Again, this point is a point of contention among various interpreters. Albert Barnes writes; "It cannot be inferred from this that any sins will be forgiven in hell. The Saviour meant simply to say that there were "no possible circumstances" in which the offender could obtain forgiveness. He certainly did "not" say that any sin unpardoned here would be pardoned hereafter”25. On the flip side, Adam Clarke says there is hope for the sinner in a “new dispensation”; “I think that, though there was no such forgiveness to be extended to this crime as to absolve the man from the punishment of temporal death,

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Albert Barnes Commentary Penninga 14

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yet, on repentance, mercy might be extended to the soul; and every sin may be repented of under the Gospel dispensation”26. The question carries over from our previous discussion on the nature of “unforgiveness”. It’s important to remember that this sin is unforgivable not because God is unwilling to forgive it, but because people are unwilling to come to God and ask for forgiveness. Many sins will not be forgiven, not because God can not or will not forgive, but because the sinner does not repent. Therefore, the issue of time is not a factor. A sin will not be forgiven today, tomorrow, or a thousand years from now if forgiveness is not asked for.

Part 6: Other Relevant Bible Passages We would be remiss in our discussion of “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” if we did not look at two other passages in Scripture which seem to suggest that there is a limit to God’s forgiveness. 1 John 5:16-17 (NAS) “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.” This passage comes at the conclusion of John’s letter, as he speaks of making requests to God. John is encouraging Christians to pray on behalf of other believers when we see them walking in sin, in order that God will restore them to life. But our prayers are only to be made for those whose sin does not lead to death. So according to

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Adam Clarke’s Commentary Penninga 15

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John, there is a sin that leads to death. What is this sin that leads to death? Is this the same sin that Jesus spoke of, “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? One of the key questions is whether this is a physical death or a spiritual death he’s referring to. The Greek word John uses is “than' -at-os”, defined as “death literally or figuratively”27. This would be a sin which “tends” to death, or which would “terminate” in death. The only other use of the word in John’s epistles speaks of a “spiritual” death28. In his gospel, John uses the word primarily to speak of a physical death (particularly as it relates to Jesus’ death on the cross), but on occasion to speak of spiritual death as well (John 5:24, John 8:51-52). The context that we see in this passage appears to speak of a “spiritual death”, and not simply a physical death. There are varied opinions on this passage, and it is difficult to be conclusive and overly confident (dogmatic) in our own understanding. Scholars have argued a case for everything from blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, to sins committed before and after baptism, to sin that might be punished under the criminal code by death29 However we have determined already that “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” can not be committed by a Christian (someone with “genuine” faith), and since John is speaking to believers in this letter (and particularly in his conclusion), it would be improper to interpret this text as speaking of the sin of “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.” Taking into account our understanding of God and forgiveness, it can not be understood to mean that there is a sin that tests God’s forgiveness to the limits, and comes back empty. The conclusion I

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New Exhaustive Strong' s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. 1 John 3:14-15 (NAS) “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.”

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28 See Further – Albert Barnes Notes Penninga 16

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come to is that the sin that leads to a spiritual death is any sin that one refuses to repent of. Again, like “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”, the issue is not God’s inability to forgive, but an individual’s unwillingness to seek that forgiveness. In 1 John 5:16-17, I believe we can understand the sins not leading to death as sins committed by Christians who desire to know God, but walk down the path of sin. Sins leading to death are committed by people who, at one time have known God, but now are abandoning their faith in Him, and refusing to turn to Him for forgiveness. John seems to point in this direction in 1 John 5:17 where he writes: “All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.” It’s as if John is saying “sin is sin, but not all sin leads to spiritual death”. Which brings us to the other passage that needs our attention. Hebrews 6:4-6 (NAS) “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.” Again, this appears to be another position of unforgiveness, perhaps tied in with our understanding of 1 John 5:16. The author of Hebrews is speaking of people who had at one time known God through His Holy Spirit, but have fallen away; “it is impossible to renew them again to repentance”. In their commentary on the passage, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown write; “God' s grace is not limited, as if it were ‘impossible’ for God to reclaim even such a rebel so as yet to look on Him whom he has pierced. The impossibility rests in their having known in themselves once the power of Christ' s sacrifice, yet now rejecting it: there cannot possibly be new means for their

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renewal afresh: the means provided by God' s love they now, after experience of them, deliberately and continuously reject: their conscience being seared, "twice dead" (Jude 12), they are past hope, except by a miracle of God' s grace”30. There is no other means of salvation available, no other means by which repentance is effective, than through God’s Holy Spirit and His Son Jesus Christ. The issue again is not one of God having reached his limit on forgiveness, but that of an individual who has willingly chosen to walk away from that forgiveness. For that person, restoration is not possible.

Conclusion We come to the point where we must make summation and application of what we’ve learned. The three passages which record Jesus’ words on “the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”, when understood in context, bring relief to the worried Christian. Jesus was not speaking to believers when he warned the Pharisees about blaspheming the Holy Spirit, which in that context meant attributing the works of the Spirit to Satan. Christians need not worry today about committing the same sin, not because Jesus isn’t here on earth to blaspheme face to face (as some believe), but because their worry is in itself a sign that they do not desire to abandon the Spirit and His work in their lives. I believe we must use correct terminology when talking about “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”. The issue is not that the sin is “unpardonable” or “unforgivable”, but that the individual who commits the sin seeks no pardon or forgiveness. Christians who are afraid that they have “blasphemed the Holy Spirit” need not worry, because by that very admission, they have shown that their desire is not to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. The

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difficulty arises when an individual comes to a point where they could care less whether the Holy Spirit is at work in Jesus, or whether God would forgive them at all. How has our journey through this difficult passage and two related passages helped us to understand God’s forgiveness and our responsibility in faith? How do I apply this truth to my daily life and ministry? One conclusion I have reached actually surprised me. I was reminded again about the unbelievable depths of God’s forgiveness. There is no limit. We should not live in fear of falling “too far” beyond His grace and forgiveness. In fact, I believe a serious study of “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” will lead the ardent inquirer to a deeper appreciation of God’s forgiveness and love for us, His desire for us to come home. The passages which speak of that abundant love, grace, and mercy far outweigh the few passages which speak about His “unforgiveness” (John 6:37, Romans 10:9, 1 John 1:9). And to remember that God will never turn away a genuine seeker. Godly sorrow always leads to repentance and restoration (2 Corinthians 7:10). We can move forward in confidence that God accepts all who come to Him in genuine repentance, offering forgiveness, life, and peace. To a 13 year old girl sitting at a campfire, that is good news. To a 31 year old pastor sitting at his office desk, that is good news. To a 46 year old convict sitting in jail, that is good news. And to a 76 year old retiree, that is good news.

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Bibliography Anderson, Ken. “Where to Find it in the Bible”. Thomas Nelson Publishing, Nashville, 1996. Barnes, Albert. “Notes on the New Testament: Explanatory and Practical”. Robert Frew, editor. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1949. Bruce, F.F. “Hard Sayings of Jesus”. Hodder Christian Paperbacks, Great Britain, 1983. Clarke, Adam. “Adam Clarke' s Commentary”. World Publishers, New York, 1997. Fausset, A.R. “Fausset’s Bible Dictionary”. Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1949. Felt, James W. “Making Sense of Your Freedom: Philosophy for the Perplexed”. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1994 Graham, Billy. “The Holy Spirit”. Word Publishing, Dallas Texas, 1988. Gundry, Robert H. “A Survey of the New Testament: Third Edition”. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1994. Harrison, Everett Falconer, and Charles Pfeiffer. “The Wycliffe Bible Commentary”. Moody Press, Chicago, 1962. Henry, Matthew. “Commentary on the Whole Bible: Genesis to Revelation”. Leslie F. Church editor. Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1961. Jamieson, Robert, A.R. Fausset and David Brown. “A Commentary, Critical, Experimental and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments”. William B. Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1945. Orr, James. “International Standard Bible Encyclopedia”. Hendrickson Publishing, 1994. “Oxford Companion to the Bible”. Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 1993. Pfeiffer, Charles F. “The New Combined Bible Dictionary and Concordance”. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1965. Scholer, David M. Sins within and Sins without: An Interpretation of 1 John 5:16-17. “Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation”. William B. Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1975. Smedes, Lewis B. Is Suicide Unforgivable? “Christianity Today Magazine”, July 10, 2000 page 61.

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Strong, James and Thomas Nelson. “The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: Classic Edition”. Thomas Nelson Publishing, Nashville, 1991. Thompson, Marianne Meye. Committing the Unforgivable Sin. “Christianity Today Magazine”, June 14, 1999 page 82. Unger, Merrill and Harrison R.K. Unger. “The New Unger’s Illustrated Dictionary”. Moody Press, Chicago, 1985. Vine, W.E., Merrill F. Unger, and William White Jr. “Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words”. Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1985. Young, Robert. “Young’s Analytical Concordance”. William B. Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1975. Youngblood, Ronald. “Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary: Completely Revised and Updated Edition”. Thomas Nelson Publishing, Nashville, 1995. “The Phrase Concordance of the Bible”. Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1986. “The Zondervan Expanded Concordance”. Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1968.

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