Is There an Unpardonable Sin?

Is There an Unpardonable Sin?

According to Jesus there is no sin, no blasphemy, which God will not forgive:

"Wherefore I say unto you, ALL MANNER OF SIN and blasphemy SHALL BE FORGIVEN UNTO MEN."—Matthew 12:31.

Thank God for this glorious assurance! But then what is the meaning of the following passage?

"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."—Verses 31, 32.

What is this sin against the Holy Ghost that "shall not be forgiven unto men"? One thing is clear: the unpardonableness of the sin does not arise from the nature of the sin itself; for verse 31 emphatically declares that "all manner of sin" is pardonable. And this is the fundamental truth of the gospel, which runs from one end of the Bible to the other. God will forgive the sinner — whoever he is and regardless of what he has done — who comes to Him in faith and true repentance, and who asks for forgiveness in the name of Christ.

1. THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST (Part 1 of 3)

To understand the sin against the Holy Ghost, and why God cannot pardon it, we must first understand the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the plan of God for saving men.

Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus said to His disciples:

"It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, HE WILL REPROVE [or, as the margin says, "convince"] THE WORLD OF SIN, AND OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and of judgment. . . . When he, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, is come, he WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH."—John 16:7, 8, 13.

The Holy Spirit's work is to witness for Christ, to convict us of sin, and to lead us into truth. The Holy Spirit is the master helper of our soul's salvation. He not only convicts us of sin by speaking through our conscience; He also leads us to sorrow for our sins and gives us the desire to repent of and confess our sins. Then He gives us power to live a life of victory from day to day.

You may wish to review this work of the Holy Spirit in NEW LIFE Guide 19.

The one sin God cannot forgive is the sin against the Holy Spirit, and the reason is obvious: Without the Holy Spirit, we would never accept Christ and walk in the light of the Holy Scriptures. Since it is the Holy Spirit who points out sin, it is clear that without the conviction of the Holy Spirit we would never repent of our sins. And only as we accept God's gift of repentance can we receive His healing forgiveness. This is the only way that God can forgive our sins:

"If we CONFESS our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."—1 John 1:9.

"Except ye REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish."—Luke 13:3.

A person to whom the Holy Spirit of God has pointed out sin must repent of that sin, confess and forsake it. Otherwise, he shuts Christ out of his life.

1. THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST (Part 2 of 3)

When Jesus warned against committing the sin against the Holy Ghost, in Matthew 12:31, 32, He was speaking to the religious leaders who were rejecting Him and His message of salvation. From the statements of our Lord in verses 24-30, it is evident that the sin against the Holy Ghost is rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. Gradually, step after step, these religious leaders to whom Jesus was speaking had rejected the voice of the Holy Spirit that had brought conviction to their hearts. They now appeased their own consciences by attributing Christ's work to the devil.

How then does one commit this unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit? By rejecting the Spirit's appeals when He speaks to us, either directly to the heart or through the Word of God. This rejection of the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts usually comes by degrees. It is like a man's failing morning after morning to get up when the alarm goes off, until finally he does not hear it ring. It is the small hole in the dike that finally opens the way for the flood, the tiny scratch on a child's finger that becomes infected and finally causes death. And so it is with sin.

Even Christians can be in danger of committing this unpardonable sin. It can come by neglect, by repeated failure to heed the call of duty. "Every ray of light rejected, every warning despised or unheeded, every passion indulged, every transgression of the law of God, is a seed sown, which yields its unfailing harvest."—The Great Controversy, p. 36. "One sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel."—Steps to Christ, p. 38. The conscience itself becomes hardened like the feet of a barefoot boy, tender at first but by the end of summer like shoe soles, so that he can run across the fields without feeling the stubble. So the conscience becomes hardened against the pleadings of the Holy Spirit.

1. THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST (Part 3 of 3)

This is the sin that grieves the Holy Spirit, that drives Him away; the sin that is not pardoned because the sinner feels no need of pardon. His refusal to follow the Spirit's leading has continued until he hears that small voice no more, because the Holy Spirit pleads no longer. There is no more conviction, therefore no repentance, and therefore no forgiveness.

Sin differs with the individual and with the occasion. To some it may be lying, or stealing, or weakened morals; to others Sabbathbreaking, or maybe evil speaking, or ruining the name and reputation of another.

Why does God not forgive? Because the one sinning has lost his desire to be forgiven. If God cannot get through to the heart by His Spirit, there is nothing more that Heaven can do. Such a person is "holden with the cords of his sins." Proverbs 5:22. He has resisted the Spirit. (Acts 7:51.) He has quenched the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19.) He has come to the place where he actually believes a lie. (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.)

If there is some sin in your life, if there is some truth from God's Word you have not been willing to follow, do not delay; respond to the Spirit of God as He speaks to you. Do not delay one day longer, one hour longer, not even one moment longer.

2. WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO MY CONSCIENCE

The Holy Spirit speaks to us through our conscience.

"My CONSCIENCE also BEARING me WITNESS IN THE HOLY GHOST."—Romans 9:1.

"And THINE EARS SHALL HEAR A WORD BEHIND THEE, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."—Isaiah 30:21.

When we knowingly and willingly ignore the stop signs of life, we weaken our conscience until it becomes too feeble to flash its warning signal.

"Their CONSCIENCE BEING WEAK is defiled."—1 Corinthians 8:7.

"Even their mind and CONSCIENCE IS DEFILED."—Titus 1:15.

Conscience is a true guide only when it is controlled by the Holy Spirit and in harmony with the Bible. A weak conscience cannot be trusted; its signals may be out of order. We may disregard the warning signals of the conscience until eventually red appears green, and we begin to feel that disobedience is safe. Some men are said to be —

"Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their CONSCIENCE SEARED with a hot iron."—1 Timothy 4:2.

There is but one way to keep conscience flashing its signals, and that is to obey when we see or hear its warnings.

Have you heard that still small voice of conscience, stirred by the Holy Spirit, pleading with you to do right and warning you not to disobey God? Has it spoken to you while you have studied these lessons?

Does Satan ever tempt you to look for plausible reasons for not obeying the commandments of God? Does he cause you to worry about losing your employment if you obey God? Does he suggest that your friends will forsake you if you do what God requires of you?

How self struggles in its own defense when the commands of God cross our way of life! Because we are afraid to step out on faith in full obedience to Him, we begin to reason that we will offer God some substitute obedience. But we must remember that Cain's offering of fruits and vegetables — as a substitute for a lamb — was not acceptable to God.

Every time we refuse to listen to the voice of God speaking through our conscience, we make it harder to listen and obey when He speaks again. Like Samuel of old, we should be ready to answer God:

"Speak; for thy servant heareth."—1 Samuel 3:10.

Continual refusal to listen to the Word of God will eventually grieve away the Holy Spirit.

"My Spirit shall not always strive with man."—Genesis 6:3.

How can the signals warn when the eyes have gone blind from sin? How can the conscience be heard when the ears are too deafened with sin to hear any longer?

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."—Ephesians 4:30.

God never turns from anyone who will listen and obey. But we can turn our backs on Him by refusing to listen, and the time can come when the grieved Spirit stops speaking.

3. REPENT WHILE THE SPIRIT SPEAKS

Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. (Luke 5:32.) The apostles preached repentance. (Acts 2:38; 3:19.) Just as forgiveness is a gift, repentance is also a gift of God.

"Him [Jesus] hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for TO GIVE REPENTANCE to Israel, AND FORGIVENESS of sins."—Acts 5:31.

Of our own selves we have no desire to repent: "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." (Romans 2:4.) Without the Spirit of God speaking to us through the conscience, we would never want to change our evil ways. So, when we rebuff the Holy Spirit again and again, we weaken His efforts to put repentance into our hearts.

Esau was a young man who heedlessly ran the red lights of conscience until he finally sold his title to the priesthood. By doing so he squandered his right to be an ancestor of the promised Saviour. One bowl of tasty lentil stew was worth more to him than these spiritual possessions.

Later, with bitter tears, he begged for reinstatement. But it was too late. The heritage that was to have been his had passed to another.

"Esau . . . for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for HE FOUND NO PLACE OF REPENTANCE, though he sought it carefully with tears."—Hebrews 12:16, 17.

The marginal reading for the words "no place of repentance" is "no way to change his mind." Esau had so many times brushed aside the spirit of repentance that even the loss of his blessing could not make him sorry for sin. He was sorry for the result but not for the sin. His mind had so long shut out the voice of God that it was fixed in sin. The Spirit had been grieved away. No voice of conscience was heard inviting him back to God. He had driven God from his mind and heart.

How many so-called Christians will awaken too late to their lost condition because they have stifled conscience so long! The Scriptures describe the agony of such people when they discover that there is no repentance left in their hearts:

"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."—Jeremiah 8:20.

As long as there is a consciousness of sin, as long as there is a desire to repent, there is still hope. God waits to forgive all who yield to the spirit of repentance.

"For thou, Lord, art good, and READY TO FORGIVE; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee."—Psalm 86:5.

Any sin that we sincerely confess and forsake is forgivable. But some people will admit they are wrong and yet will not change. A little girl disobeyed her mother by lifting the lid of the candy jar and helping herself. When found out, she told her mother how sorry she was; but, when asked to give up the remaining candy in her sticky hands, she refused to yield.

God is looking for the honest in heart who will not only admit their guilt but who will give up their sin. Jesus is the penitent sinner's substitute. He bears the penalty of my sin. But He cannot be my substitute if I am not willing to repent, confess, and obey. He cannot do my repenting for me. The only sin that God cannot forgive is the sin that I refuse to confess and give up.

4. WHAT IS THE "SIN UNTO DEATH"?

The Bible speaks of a "sin unto death" and of a "sin not unto death":

"If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is A SIN UNTO DEATH: and there is A SIN NOT UNTO DEATH."—1 John 5:16, 17.

What is the sin that is "not unto death"? It is the sin I confess and forsake.

"But IF THE WICKED WILL TURN FROM ALL HIS SINS that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done HE SHALL LIVE."—Ezekiel 18:21, 22.

No matter how great the sin, no matter how long I have been in sin, if I yield to the spirit of repentance, Jesus will accept my sorrow for sin and cleanse me.

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."—Isaiah 1:18.

Murder is forgivable, and so is adultery. How do we know? Because God forgave David of both. Terrible as these sins are, this great king committed both of them at almost the same time. Yet, when God reproved him and pointed out his guilt, he confessed his sins and turned from them in deep sorrow. His prayer of repentance is recorded in Psalm 51.

"CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and TAKE NOT THY HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME. . . . The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."—Verses 10, 11, 17.

The sin that I will not confess is unforgivable, because I will not surrender it. The Bible calls this willful sin.

"For IF WE SIN WILFULLY after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins."—Hebrews 10:26.

Willful sin is unforgivable as long as I persist in it, simply because I do not find it in my heart to repent of it, and forsake it. Determined to do as I please, I go on and on in willful rebellion until I have passed beyond the reach of the Spirit's invitation to return to God.

The blood of Christ is His guarantee to forgive all who accept salvation. Those who turn their backs on this forgiveness do "despite unto the Spirit of grace." Hebrews 10:29.

5. IS IGNORANCE AN EXCUSE?

Even sins committed in ignorance must be confessed and forsaken when we become aware of them. We should pray always that God's Spirit may guide us into all truth. (John 16:13.) David expressed this attitude when he prayed:

"Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart."—Psalm 119:33, 34.

God will freely forgive the sin of ignorance on the same basis on which He forgives all other sin. When we learn that our course of action is wrong, we are to confess and forsake it. Paul obtained forgiveness for his persecution of the Christians when he realized that in his ignorance he had done wrong, and repented and gave his heart to Christ. He says:

"Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I OBTAINED MERCY, BECAUSE I DID IT IGNORANTLY in unbelief."—1 Timothy 1:13.

Had Paul refused to acknowledge the error of his ways and continued in sin, that would have led to the "sin unto death."

Some people are ignorant of truth, but do not realize their ignorance. Others are willingly ignorant. You may have heard someone say, "I won't read my Bible for fear it will point out something I don't want to believe; and, if I don't know what it says, God won't hold me responsible."

You may have been tempted to stop studying these Bible lessons for fear you might discover some Bible truth contrary to your way of thinking and perhaps even your way of life. Is this a safe course to follow? To be willingly ignorant of truth is to be guilty of sin.

It is true that God does not hold a man accountable for sins that he is ignorant of committing. But those who willfully ignore truth are guilty of sin:

"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."—James 4:17.

6. SINNING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part 1 of 4)

The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and gives us the desire to repent. Persistently He pleads with our hearts. When we repent, God is ready and willing to forgive.

The danger comes when we resist the voice of the Holy Spirit. We neglect light from God's Word. We are convicted of sin time after time, but we fail to repent when the gift is offered. The voice of the Holy Spirit grows weaker and weaker in our ears, and then speaks no more. There is no longer a desire to repent. And God cannot forgive the sin of which we do not repent and for which we do not want to be forgiven.

If we reject or neglect the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are presuming upon God's mercy; we are sinning against the Holy Ghost. David prayed:

"Keep back thy servant also from PRESUMPTUOUS SINS; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from THE GREAT TRANSGRESSION."—Psalm 19:13.

What is presumptuous sin? It is deliberate sin against light. Nadab and Abihu committed it when they offered strange fire before the Lord, even though they knew they were doing wrong. (Leviticus 10:1.) The people in Noah's day rejected what they recognized as truth, and almost a whole generation was lost. (Genesis 6:3-7.) Thousands in these last days will do the same thing. (Luke 17:26.) When we choose our own way instead of God's way, we are presuming that God will forgive us. This leads eventually to the unpardonable sin, the sin against the Holy Ghost. It is dangerous to presume on the goodness of God.

Can anyone know when he has committed the sin against the Holy Ghost? It is clear that some who commit the sin against the Holy Ghost do not realize that they are doing so. Matthew 7:21-23 describes those who will come to the closed gate of mercy and expect entrance, claiming that they have served the Lord, but He will say to them:

"I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."—Verse 23.

6. SINNING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part 2 of 4)

We are told also that many will seek for the Word of God too late. Amos 8:12 speaks of a running to and fro, from the north to the east; people going in fast trains, in automobiles, airplanes — any mode of travel — to seek the Word of the Lord; but they "shall not find it." It will be too late for them then.

One thing is certain: All who come in sincerity now may find salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ will accept them.

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."—John 6:37.

The person whom the Holy Spirit has left forever never again feels concern about his soul's salvation. He never again has a desire to repent. Concern about your own salvation or about the salvation of another is evidence that the Spirit of God has not abandoned you, and is still pleading with you. But beware of procrastination.

If you are not a Christian, and the Holy Spirit is still speaking to your heart, then it is time for you to come. If you are convicted of your sins, God has not given you up. If you have a sincere desire to do right and to serve God and be saved in His kingdom, there is hope for you. All will be saved who wish to be saved, who make the great decision and meet the conditions. Remember, the Lord Jesus Christ tasted death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9.) Yet many men will never benefit from Christ's death because they disregard the voice of the Spirit convicting them of sin, convicting them of Christ's desire to comfort them, to bring them to the experience of the new birth, to dwell in them, to intercede for them, to give them power to witness, to guide them, and to seal them unto the day of redemption.

6. SINNING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part 3 of 4)

If you are a Christian, do not sin against the Holy Spirit by neglecting the Word of God. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. Do not reject the Holy Spirit's conviction when you realize that you have broken God's commandments. Do not turn away from the conviction of the righteousness of God's holy law. Do not neglect the Holy Spirit's conviction of judgment to come.

Dr. Clarence Macartney tells of a trip he took in youthful days down one of America's rivers. He and his friend floated along day after day. Then one day they sought vainly for signs of human habitation as the day began to darken. Mile after mile they sped along, but they saw no light on either shore. It was dark and cold, and a storm was coming up. At last, wet, exhausted, and shivering, they drew their boat up on a sand bar. They groped around in darkness hunting for a few pieces of driftwood. After several attempts they finally succeeded in lighting a fire, but it was just a tiny flame.

How careful they were to protect it from the wind and the rain! They brooded over it, held their hats and coats around it, until at length it began to burn brightly, illuminating their dismal surroundings and warming their cold and weary bodies. Never before had they realized what a friend fire is to man.

After telling this story, the great preacher reminds us that the illustration used by the apostle Paul is that of putting out a fire when he says, "Quench not the Spirit." 1 Thessalonians 5:19.

The Holy Spirit leads you to obey the Word of God, to turn from sin, to surrender your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, to accept His atoning sacrifice on the cross, to be His follower, to obey the commandments of God as you follow the faith of Jesus. "Quench not the Spirit"!

Are you day by day obeying the voice of God's Spirit? Have you repented of all known sin? Have you accepted all the light God has given you from His Word? Do not delay.

6. SINNING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part 4 of 4)

Dear Father in heaven: Have Thy way in my life. Cast me not away from Thy presence and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Send the Holy Spirit into my life to give me true repentance. Forgive my sins — all of them — and lead me step by step every day. Write Thy law in my heart and make obedience the delight of my life. Keep my heart ever open to the pleading voice of Thy Spirit, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.