Short post of the Unpardonable sin / the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

[EddieM]

The Unpardonable Sin

Some people believe they have committed the unpardonable sin. They are convinced they are guilty of this sin and it weighs heavily on them (as it can’t be forgiven). There is no more grace; their situation is hopeless — or so they think. Other people make a list of different types of sins and say that if you commit this or that sin, then you are guilty of the unpardonable sin. Some say that ‘as long as you are still worried about what you did, then it proves that you have not committed the unpardonable sin.’

The unpardonable sin cannot be committed today. The only context in which the unpardonable sin is described is in the Synoptic Gospels where ‘this generation’ in Israel blasphemed the Holy Spirit by rejecting the works that Jesus Christ performed (Matthew 12:22-45; Mark 3:22-30; Luke 11:14-26). Jesus was thus not accepted as the Messiah and so the establishment and restoration of the Messianic kingdom on earth was postponed. What happened?

In God’s sovereignty and through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Messianic kingdom will be restored and established on earth when a generation of Jews come to faith in the Messiah, accepting and following the person that God has anointed as king of Israel, Jesus Christ.

According to Old Testament prophecies — see Isaiah 32:15-20; 44:3-5; Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Ezekiel 39:25-29; Joel 2:28-3:1 and Zechariah 12:8-13:1 — ‘all Israel will be saved’ and the Holy Spirit will be poured out over Israel just before the restoration and establishment of the Messianic kingdom on earth. The problem was that many Jews living during the time of Christ’s first coming thought that they would automatically enter the kingdom just because they are physical descendants of Abraham.

Against this Jewish misunderstanding and false teaching that all Jews of all time automatically inherit the age to come (cf. Matthew 3:7-10; 6:33; 12:32) due to the merits of the patriarch-fathers (cf. Matthew 8:11-12), the Lord Jesus undoubtedly insisted on a spiritual basis for the kingdom of heaven, but without abrogating or revoking the political-theocratic-governmental aspects. Again, in order to see the kingdom established in their lifetime, the Jews of that generation had to accept Jesus as the Messiah. Therefore John and Jesus preached to Israel the necessity of repenting and turning towards Jesus Christ for a righteousness that is not only external (Matthew 3:2, 8; 4:17; 5:17-20; 12:33).

God chooses the king of Israel and He sends a prophet to announce who this person is. John the Baptist is described as ‘more than a prophet’ and, as the messenger of the King, he preached the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 3:2; 11:9-11). The person God anointed as king (Jesus Christ) should be followed by the nation Israel (cf. Deuteronomy 17:14-15; Matthew 3:16-17; Luke 1:32-33). Did they?

Matthew shows that from even early on in this Gospel that neither the messenger (John the Baptist) nor the Christ, the Son of God, was accepted by that Jewish generation. Individual Jews came to faith in Christ, but not a representative number of Jews of that generation as a collective unit (‘this generation’ in the history of Israel). Jesus compares ‘this generation’ with children who neither wants to dance when the flute plays nor grieves when a dirge is sung (Matthew 11:16-17). Even cities did not repent (Matthew 11:20-24). The conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of ‘this generation’ of Jews, however, reaches a climax in Matthew 12.

Jesus drives a demon from a man who was blind and mute, the crowd recognises this as a Messianic miracle and asks their religious leaders, “Is not this the son of David?” (Matthew 12:23). Because the miracle cannot be ignored, the Pharisees ascribe the work that the Holy Spirit performed through Jesus to Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). This is the unpardonable sin that ‘this generation’ in Israel committed and this sin is described as follows by Fruchtenbaum (1989:617; cf. McClain 1959:315-316; Scholtz 2014:4-5):
 

The content and definition of the unpardonable sin is the national rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus by Israel while He was physically present on the basis that He was demon possessed. This sin is unpardonable, and judgment was set. The judgment came in the year A.D. 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the world-wide dispersion of the Jewish people. … From this point on a special emphasis is placed on this generation in the gospels, for it was guilty of a very unique sin. At this point, His offer of the Messianic kingdom was rescinded. It will not now be established in their day because of the unpardonableness of that sin.

A National Sin

The unpardonable sin is therefore a national sin that was committed during Jesus’ first coming by ‘this generation’ in Israel who blasphemed the Holy Spirit. This sin has far-reaching consequences but cannot be committed today. Importantly, all is not lost for the nation of Israel. Individual Jews can and are still saved, but Israel as a nation has temporarily and partially been set aside while God works through the Church (cf. Romans 11:25-27). However, the Church does not permanently “replace” Israel. God will certainly fulfil his unconditional promises to the nation Israel (cf. Romans 11:29). A future generation of Jews in the Tribulation period will accept Jesus Christ as the Saviour-King and they will say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” (Matthew 23:39; cf. Hosea 5:15-6:1; Zechariah 12:10). And then the Lord Jesus Christ will come to the earth!

[Vine Abider]

Interesting post!  And afterwards God doesn't pardon Israel, and brings the Romans army to raze Jerusalem.

But I also have wondered of late if the unpardonable sin might be if an individual rejects Christ.  Since Christ is the only means presented for one's salvation, rejecting Him cannot be pardoned . . .

[Neighbor]

“Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, neither in the age to come.”

[Vine Abider]

6 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

“Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, neither in the age to come.”

How would that look in practice?  People use the Lord's name (Jesus Christ) in vain all the time.  And people slander God the Father a lot too, saying things against Him ("A loving God certainly wouldn't do that!").  But I don't think I've ever heard someone say anything in vain or slanderous specifically about the Holy Spirit.

[EddieM]

15 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Interesting post!  And afterwards God doesn't pardon Israel, and brings the Romans army to raze Jerusalem.

But I also have wondered of late if the unpardonable sin might be if an individual rejects Christ.  Since Christ is the only means presented for one's salvation, rejecting Him cannot be pardoned . . .

I really don't think so because one can reject the Lord for 30 years and then finally accept him as Savior. I feel this is a national sin based on how Matthew developed the context. Per Matthew, up to this point, discussed the nation of Israel as the central point. The disciples were not to go to the Gentiles, only to Israel. After they rejected Christ, the next chapter (13) begins to discuss the Kingdom of God in its mystery form (discussed with Parables). After this, Jesus begins to include the Gentiles now that Israel has declared its rejection of Christ as their Messiah.

[glff]

“Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, neither in the age to come.”

I curious how "Whosoever" now applies only to a whole nation minus a remnent of course? And again, "it shall not be forgiven him," So now him also only means a whole nation?  I'm suspicious how the word of God can so easily be twisted to mean something other than what it actually says. Especially, in light of Ps 138: 2:

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Also it doesn't apply to anyone today.  Isn't today a part of this age?

In 1 Jn 5: 16:

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: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

What other sin is unto death, that we needn't pray for a brother's life?  Actually, I can think of a few others that are not as profound.

 

In Jas 1: 13-14:

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

And again in 1 Cor 10: 13:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The above verses tell us that God doesn't tempt us, and therefore doesn't make us to sin.  So, we are not predestinated to be tempted, nor to sin,  For the Lord does, in fact, make a way for us to escape such things.

I say the above to pave the way for a speculation of my own:  When we're in New Jerusalem, having entered into our redemption and abiding in our immortal, incorruptible bodies; we are warned by scripture which will go with us into eternity; that there is no forgiveness for blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  I suspect that any of the faithful who might actually be thinking of such a thing, will have our loving Savior seek him out and minister hope to him.  I think of this sin as a forbidden fruit, as it were; that as long as we refrain from this blasphemy, we're choosing the Lord.  This all by itself; makes our being in New Jerusalem, a choice.  Without this as a possibility, then we'd all be there wether we wanted to be or not.  So that, in eternity, we'd never again be able to actually choose the Lord.

[TheBlade]

We keep looking at time yet He has not changed. "The unpardonable sin cannot be committed today" thanks for what you posted but this is not written. The people He was talking to about this are still out there today and can see what Christ is doing and deny it.. make fun of it... knowing exactly who He is when they do it. 

[EddieM]

5 hours ago, glff said:

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Also it doesn't apply to anyone today.  Isn't today a part of this age?

No. Jesus lived during the Old Testament times (the Gospels are Old Testament Writings). Christ did not live in the Church Age. The Church Age began at Pentecost, and goes until the Rapture.

[EddieM]

6 hours ago, glff said:

“Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, neither in the age to come.”

I curious how "Whosoever" now applies only to a whole nation minus a remnent of course? And again, "it shall not be forgiven him," So now him also only means a whole nation?  I'm suspicious how the word of God can so easily be twisted to mean something other than what it actually says.

This is a very common way of speaking/writing. But when the Gospel is presented to an unbeliever (that includes all unbelievers) today it is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. So, the gospel presented today, if rejected, is not rejecting the Holy Spirit, but the Son of Man. The unbeliever today would have no concept of the Holy Spirit convicting him of sin., righteousness, and judgment.

[glff]

14 hours ago, EddieM said:

This is a very common way of speaking/writing. But when the Gospel is presented to an unbeliever (that includes all unbelievers) today it is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. So, the gospel presented today, if rejected, is not rejecting the Holy Spirit, but the Son of Man. The unbeliever today would have no concept of the Holy Spirit convicting him of sin., righteousness, and judgment.

 

Yoyu might get me to agree that it is impossible for unbelievers to be unable to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, since they are blinded to spiritual truth, but that's it.

The rest, in my opinion, is just a twisting of scripture to make it mean other than what it actually says; so that it'll fit your personal beliefs.  I won't call you a false teacher concerning this doctrine as we can only see the truth of scripture as if we're peering at it through a dark looking-glass and we're only able to know in part which makes the following scriptures especially true:

1 Cor 8: 2: And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

1 Cor 13: 12: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

So, to understand the truth requires study and the full council of God, ie... Every belief or doctrine must agree with all of scripture and not just with those verses that seem to agree with what we believe to be true.

What'll be nice, is that when we're in heaven; we'll be able to go to Jesus for a final arbitration of our opinions!  To be honest, I am the ultimate sceptic, even concerning my own understandings, because I know the above verses apply to myself too.  Our/my beliefs must agree with every verse of scripture with a focus on context.  Sadly, I am unable to know which scripture has been illuminated by the Holy Spirit to me verses that which is based just upon my own limited comprehension.  Sadly; error feels exactly the same as does the truth. I'm convinced that scripture is every word inspired in its original language, which also makes it harder to perceive the truth. I was raised S baptist and once believed it was impossible to become unsaved, but found overpowering evidence in New Testament scripture to the contrary.  That belief is like an overpowering filter that blinds even the most discerning and anointed members of the body of Christ to what the New Testament scripture says, over and over, sadly.  Thankfully, obedience is more powerful than accuracy and service is greater than knowledge as we minister the gospel to the lost and encouragement to the faithful!  PTL!