“All sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” Matthew 12:31
Answer: The sin that God cannot forgive is “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit”. What does “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” mean? People have many different opinions on this. Some believe it is murder, others, cursing the Holy Spirit, others, suicide, others, killing an unborn child, some, denying Christ, others, a most hateful, horrible atrocity, and others, worshipping a false god. The next question will shed light on this important topic.
“Therefore I say to you: All sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.“ Matthew 12:31
Answer: The Bible clearly states that every possible sin, including blasphemy, is forgiven. Therefore, none of the sins listed above is a sin that God cannot forgive. No single act, whatever it may be, is a sin that cannot be forgiven.
It seems as if the following two statements are contradictory, although they are not:
A. All sin and blasphemy will be forgiven.
B. Blasphemy or sin against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven.
Both statements were made by Jesus
Jesus made both statements in Matthew 12:31 and so this cannot be a mistake. In order to reconcile these two statements, we must learn to understand the work of the Holy Spirit.
Answer: The work of the Holy Spirit is to make me aware of sin and to guide me into all truth. Through the Holy Spirit, God leads me to conversion. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, no one feels remorse for sin, nor is anyone converted.
“But 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
Answer: When the Holy Spirit makes me aware of sin, I must confess it in order to be forgiven. When I confess it, God not only forgives me, but also cleanses me from all unrighteousness. God is ready to forgive me every sin (Psalms 86:5), as long as I am willing to confess and forsake it.
Answer: If I do not confess my sins, Jesus cannot forgive them. This means that every sin that I do not confess is unforgivable until it is confessed, because forgiveness only follows confession. Never the other way round.
Danger of resistance to the Holy Spirit
It is extremely dangerous to resist the work of the Holy Spirit, because this can easily lead to the rejection of the Holy Spirit, which is the sin that God can never forgive. It is crossing the point of no return. If I keep resisting the work of the Spirit when I can only be converted through the work of the Holy Spirit, my case becomes hopeless. This topic is so important that God illustrates and explains it in various ways in Scripture. Pay attention to these explanations in the course of this lesson!
Answer: The Bible says:
A. “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts...” Psalms 95:7.8
B. “I hasten and do not delay to obey your commandments.” Psalms 119:60
C. “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!” 2 Corinthians 6:2
D. “And now, why do you hesitate? Arise and be baptised, and have your sins washed away, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16
The Bible repeatedly says that I must immediately confess any sin of which I become aware, and that I should accept newly recognised truths without delay.
Answer: God solemnly warns that the Holy Spirit will not indefinitely woo a person to forsake sin and obey Him.
“Therefore I speak to them in parables, because they see and yet do not see, and hear and yet do not hear and do not understand.” Matthew 13:13
Answer: The Holy Spirit stops speaking to a person when they have become deaf to his voice. The Bible describes this as hearing that is not heard. It is useless to put an alarm clock in a deaf person's room. They will not hear it. A person can programme themselves not to hear the alarm clock by repeatedly turning it off and not getting up. Eventually, the day will come when he no longer hears the alarm clock ring.
Don't block out the Holy Spirit
It is the same with the Holy Spirit. If I keep blocking out the Holy Spirit, he will still speak to me, but I will no longer hear him. When that day comes, the Holy Spirit will sadly turn away from me because I have become deaf to his wooing. I will have reached the point of no return. What a serious, stirring warning to resist the voice of the Spirit!
“But the path of the righteous is like the brightness of the morning light, which shines ever brighter until the full day. The path of the wicked is thick darkness; they know not where they stumble.” Proverbs 4:18.19 “Walk while you still have the light, lest darkness overtake you.“ John 12:35
Answer: The biblical principle is that we should act immediately when the Holy Spirit gives us new light or makes us aware of sin. I must act immediately - obey without delay. If I obey and live according to the light I receive, God will continue to give me light. If I reject it, the one I already have will also go out and I will be left to darkness. Darkness is the result of stubborn and final rejection of the Holy Spirit and the refusal to follow the light. Then I have no hope left.
Answer: Yes, if I stubbornly refuse to confess and forsake a sin, I ultimately become deaf to the voice of the Holy Spirit and reach the point of no return. Here are some biblical examples:
A. Judah's unforgivable sin was greed (John 12:6). Why? Was it because God could not forgive him? No. The only reason it could not be forgiven was because Judas refused to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and confess his sin of covetousness. In the end, he became deaf to the voice of the Spirit.
B. The unforgivable sins of Lucifer were pride and self-exaltation (Isaiah 14:12-14). God can forgive these sins. Lucifer could have received forgiveness and cleansing, but he refused to listen until he could no longer hear the voice of the Spirit.
C. The unforgivable sin of the Pharisees was their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 3:22-30). They had been repeatedly convinced deep in their hearts that Jesus was the Messiah - the Son of the living God of heaven. But they hardened their hearts and stubbornly refused to accept him as Saviour and Lord. In the end, they became deaf to the voice of the Spirit. One day, after Jesus had performed another great miracle, the Pharisees told the assembled crowd that Jesus was receiving his power from the devil. Jesus immediately replied that attributing his miracle-working power to the devil was a sign that they had reached the point of no return and had blasphemed the Holy Spirit. God would have gladly forgiven them. But they resisted him until they had become completely deaf to the Holy Spirit and could no longer be reached.
I cannot choose the consequences
When the spirit speaks to me, I can respond or reject its voice, but I cannot choose the consequences. These are given. If I consistently listen, I will become more and more like Jesus. The Holy Spirit will seal me in the forehead as a child of God (Revelation 7:2.3) and thereby assure me a place in the kingdom of heaven. But if I stubbornly refuse to respond, I will deceive the Holy Spirit so that He will leave me forever, thereby defeating my doom. What a solemn warning to ignore the Holy Spirit!
“and do not take your Holy Spirit from me!” Psalms 51:13
Answer: He begged God not to take his Holy Spirit from him. Why? Because David was aware that he would be instantly lost if the Holy Spirit left him. He knew that only the Holy Spirit could lead to repentance, remorse and restitution and he trembled at the thought that he could become deaf to its voice. In another passage, the Bible tells us that God ultimately abandoned Ephraim because he clung to his idols (Hosea 4:17) and would not listen to the Spirit. He had become spiritually deaf. The worst thing that can happen to a person is when God has to turn away from him and leaves him to his own devices. This must not happen to you! Don't let it happen to you!
“Do not dull the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19
Answer: The work of the Holy Spirit is like a fire that burns in a person's mind and heart. Sin affects the Holy Spirit like water affects fire. If I ignore the Holy Spirit and continue to sin, then I am pouring water on the fire of the Holy Spirit. Paul's serious words also apply to us today. Do not extinguish the fire of the Holy Spirit by repeatedly refusing to listen to his voice. When the fire goes out, I have reached the point of no return.
Every sin can put out the fire
Any unknown or unconfessed sin can ultimately extinguish the fire of the Holy Spirit. It could be the refusal to keep God's holy seventh-day Sabbath. It could be tobacco. It could be an unwillingness to forgive someone who has betrayed or otherwise hurt you. It could be amorality. It could be withholding God's tithe. Refusing to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit on any issue pours water on the fire of the Holy Spirit. Don't put out the fire! There could be nothing worse.
Answer: What shocking words! God says that those who do not want to accept the truth and resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit will receive strong errors (after the Spirit has departed from them), so that they take error for truth.
“Many will say to me in that day, ”Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name and perform many miracles in your name? And then I will testify to them: I never knew you; depart from me, you lawless ones!" Matthew 7:22.23
Answer: Those who cry “Lord, Lord!” will be shocked and horrified that they are excluded. They had been absolutely sure of their salvation. Then Jesus will no doubt remind them of the time in their lives when the Holy Spirit had convinced them of new light. It was crystal clear to them then and they had clearly recognised it as truth. It had troubled them and kept them awake at night as they struggled to make a decision. How their hearts had burned within them! In the end, they said “No!”. Then they refused to listen to the Holy Spirit any longer. As a result, the strong delusion of thinking they were saved while they were lost took hold of them. Could a greater tragedy befall a human being?
“Not everyone who says to me, ”Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven." Matthew 7:21
Answer: Jesus solemnly warns that not all who are certain of this will enter his kingdom, but only those who do his will. Each of us desires assurance of salvation. It is even a divine invitation. Yet there is a false sense of security in Christianity today that promises people salvation while they continue to live in sin and show no change in their lifestyle.
Worried pastors
More and more well-known church leaders are concerned about the fact that so many churches are filled with people who think they are “safe” but have not experienced any real change through Jesus Christ, nor do they obey Him.
Jesus makes things clear
Jesus says that only those who do the will of his Father can have real certainty. If I accept Jesus as Lord and ruler of my life, my lifestyle will change radically. I will become a completely new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). I will gladly keep his commandments and do his will (John 14:15 and joyfully follow him wherever he leads me (1 Peter 2:21). His marvellous resurrection power (Philippians 3:10) changes me into his image (2 Corinthians 3:18). His peace permeates my life (John 14:27). When Jesus dwells in me through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16, 17), “I am able to do all things” (Philippians 4:13) and “nothing will be impossible” (Matthew 17:20).
True certainty as opposed to deceptive certainty
If I follow the Saviour wherever He leads, He gives me the promise that no one can snatch me out of His hand (John 10:28) and that the crown of life awaits me (Revelation 2:10). What glorious, genuine security Jesus gives his followers! Certainty on any other terms is a deception. It will lead people who think they are sure of their salvation, when in reality they are lost, to the barriers of heavenly judgement (Proverbs 16:25).
“because I am convinced that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do, according to his good pleasure.” Philippians 1:6; 2:13
Answer: Thanks be to the Lord! Those who make Jesus Lord and ruler of their lives are promised that Jesus will bring them safely and miraculously into his kingdom. There could be nothing better than that!
”Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20
Answer: Jesus promises to come into our lives if we open the door to him. It is Jesus who knocks on your and my heart's door through his Holy Spirit. He, the King of kings, the Saviour of the world, takes time to come to you and me and lovingly guide and advise us. What folly, what incredible disaster it is to be too busy or too disinterested to enter into a loving, lasting friendship with Jesus! Jesus' close friends will not be in danger of being rejected on the day of judgement. Jesus will personally welcome them into his kingdom (Matthew 25:34).
One last word
This is the final lesson in our series of 27. It is our fervent desire that you have been led into the presence of Jesus and have experienced a wonderful new relationship with Him. We hope that you will grow closer to the Master with each passing day and soon join the joyful group that will be welcomed into His kingdom at His appearing. If we do not meet on this earth, let us make the decision that we will meet in the clouds on that great day.
Please contact us if we can be of further assistance on your journey to heaven!
Answer:
