The Unpardonable Sin?

One of the greatest lies promoted by the enemy to our souls is that we are so sinful that God could not forgive us.  The excuse many people give for not coming to faith in Christ is based on this lie.  “Oh, God couldn’t love me.  You don’t know what I have done.”  Translated, “I can’t love me or forgive me knowing what I’ve done, so how could anyone else?”   Occasionally, a person with some Christian background may say, “I’ve committed the unpardonable sin.”  When pressed for a definition of this type of sin, most misunderstand the concept.

Jesus clears up this sin misunderstanding in Matthew 12:31-32 when he says, “And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.  Notice “every sin” there is no qualifying list.  No sin is unforgivable by God. Therefore, those who feel God can’t forgive them don’t understand the criteria of God’s forgiveness.   Casting Crowns answers this well in their song, "Who Am I?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.

Nothing we can do will change what God has provided for us in Christ.  All sin can be forgiven.  All men can come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ if they respond to the drawing of God’s Spirit.

Here is the point of danger with the whole sin issue--rejecting the Holy Spirit’s invitation for forgiveness.  In this passage Jesus is both encouraging and alarming.  He encourages us that all sin can be forgiven, yet warns us that if we keep rejecting the Holy Spirit’s drawing in our lives, there will come a time when, due to death we cannot make a decision, or Christ returns and we have not made a decision and it’s too late. The day may come when the Holy Spirit of God will not speak to your heart concerning the forgiveness of Jesus.  He will not always strive with the unreceptive person.  This continual rejection that blocks God’s saving grace will one day be unforgiveable.

Have I committed the unpardonable sin?  If you are worried that you have, you haven’t. If you had, you would not be worrying about it. You would have no interest in Jesus, the church, or in any spiritual matters. No man can determine the unpardonable state for another.  God is the judge. Yet, the possibility of no chance of salvation should awaken those living away from God to pay closer attention to the work of God’s Spirit in their lives.

Come see us Sunday.  We will talk more about this.
Pastor Jeff