The Unpardonable Sin
(A sermon preached by Dr Jeffrey Khoo at True Life BPC on 8 February 2009)
Introduction
The God of the Bible is a very forgiving God. He is ever ready to forgive us of our sins when we confess them to Him. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Psalm 86:5 says, “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” 1 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
There is no doubt we have a very loving, very merciful and very forgiving God. He is very patient with sinners, the term used in the Bible is “longsuffering.” Despite the sinner’s constant transgression of His Law, rejection of His Gospel, rebellion against His nature, and persecution of His people, He waits and He waits, waiting for sinners to repent of their ways and believe on His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone can save them from their sins. But will God wait forever? Is there an end to His patience? Is there a sin that is unpardonable? Know that God will not wait forever, without end. There is an end to His patience, and there is a sin of no return, the unpardonable sin, when there is no more hope for the sinner.
Exposition
Jesus warned about the unpardonable sin in Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-29, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 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, but is in danger of eternal damnation.”
The sin of blasphemy against the Spirit is unpardonable. How is this sin against the Spirit committed, and who are the ones who commit this sin? We must look at the context in which Jesus spoke about the unpardonable sin. To whom was Jesus speaking, and what was the nature of the sin of these people to whom Jesus spoke?
In Mark Jesus was speaking to the scribes (Mark 3:22), and in Matthew the Pharisees (Matt 12:24). Both the scribes and Pharisees—equivalent to our modern-day theologians and pastors respectively—accused Jesus of performing His miracles, specifically casting out demons, by the power of the devil. Jesus showed how false and malicious their accusation was by appealing to logic: “How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end” (Mark 3:23-26). It is therefore impossible for Jesus to be Satan himself, for it is stupid for Satan to fight against himself and cast out his own agents. The only logical conclusion has to be this: Jesus is able to overcome the power of Satan and cast out demons because He is God Himself and therefore stronger than Satan and his demons (Mark 3:28).
Jesus from the beginning of His public ministry had preached the good news of salvation, done good, and performed many miracles which in no uncertain terms proved His deity and Messiahship (John 10:37-38). Look at all the evidences:
(1) The witness of John the Baptiser who pointed to Christ, “There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mark 1:7-8);
(2) The testimony of God the Father in heaven and the Spirit coming down from heaven to earth resting upon Jesus at the time of His baptism, “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:10-11);
(3) Jesus’ doctrine was perfect and He taught with absolute authority and not like the scribes (Mark 1:21-22);
(4) Jesus cast out demons with great power. The demons themselves confessed that Jesus was the Holy One of God, “And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him” (Mark 1:23-27, 2:11);
(5) Jesus preached the good news of salvation in Himself as promised in the Old Testament (Mark 1:38-39 cf. Matt 11:1-5);
(6) Jesus healed the people of their diseases proving that He as God is not only able to heal their body but also forgive sins and save their souls (Mark 1:34, 2:9-12);
(7) Jesus kept the Law perfectly and was the Author and Interpreter of the Law Himself (Mark 2:27-28).
Yet, with all these clear evidences that Jesus was the Son of God Himself, their promised Messiah, the Jewish religious leaders hardened their hearts, and stubbornly chose not to believe but to destroy Him, “And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him” (Mark 3:6).
When they could find no fault in Jesus’ message, or His works, they attacked His person, accusing Him of doing all His miracles by the power of the devil when it was clearly the work of the Spirit. This sin is unforgivable because the only avenue of forgiveness through the convicting work of the Spirit has been rejected. The greatest sin that anyone can commit that leads to eternal damnation is the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord (John 3:18). The constant, persistent, stubborn, wilful, decisive rejection of the gospel is tantamount to the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Spirit.
What happens when a person commits the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Spirit? The consequences are as follows:
(1) God abandons the man totally to his own destruction. Hebrews 10:26-31 says, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (see also Jer 7:13-16, Rom 1:16-32).
(2) God judicially hardens or blinds the person to the truth. John 12:37-40 says, “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them” (see also Matt 13:15).
(3) The sinner finds it impossible to repent. Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (e.g. Judas Iscariot, Matt 27:3-5 cf 2 Cor 7:10).
Application
When you are convicted of your sins, do not harden your heart but quickly confess and repent of your sins. When you are convinced of the truth, do not reject but receive it with fulness of faith and declare it and defend it.
Heed this warning: Never ever call white black, and black white, do not call good bad and bad good, do not call truth heresy and heresy truth, do not call Christ the devil and the devil Christ. It is extremely dangerous to turn the truth of God into a lie for that will incur the wrath of God and the judgement of the sin which is unpardonable: “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts … Who changed the truth of God into a lie” (Rom 1:24-25).
Can a Christian commit the unpardonable sin? The answer is no. John Calvin—father of the Reformed Faith—said, “he who has been truly regenerated by the Spirit cannot possibly fall into so horrid a crime.” It is impossible for a Christian, truly born again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, to commit the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Spirit because the Spirit cannot speak or act against Himself. This horrid crime is committed only by unbelievers, false believers, and wolves in sheep’s clothing—false Christs and false prophets—whom the Lord will denounce on the day of judgement, “I never know you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt 7:23).
Let us check our spiritual life today to make sure we are truly born again, truly a child of God. The book of Hebrews enjoins us, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” (Heb 3:12-15). Therefore, be not resentful but repentant before it is too late!
