The “unforgivable sin” is the “blasphemy against God's Holy Spirit”

Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 11:55 AM

("Now he was casting out a demon that was mute" - Luke 11:14)

What is the "unforgivable sin" (or "unpardonable sin" or "eternal sin")? Let's look at a safe source, the Scripture ... :

28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" (Mark 3:28-29 ESV)

30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:30-32 ESV)

10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (Luke 12:10 ESV)

So, unquestionably, all the three Synoptic Gospels agree that the "unforgivable sin" (or "unpardonable sin" or "eternal sin") is the blasphemy against God's Holy Spirit.

Can we admit that there is any difference between the Gospels, on such absolutely fundamental question? Of course not! Therefore ALL these expressions are absolutely equivalent ...

unforgivable sin = unpardonable sin = eternal sin = sin that leads to death = mortal sin

... and they all essentially consist in the blasphemy against God's Holy Spirit.

So, have we concluded our search? Not yet, because we have now to establish beyond doubt what is the "blasphemy against God's Holy Spirit".

Let's look again at a safe source, the Scripture. The answer comes from the "context" and it is, respectively, for Mark and Matthew constituted by ...

Mark 3:22-30 ("Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit")

Matthew 12:22-32 ("Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit")

 ... whereas, for some peculiar reason, Luke's material is arranged differently, so that the natural context of Luke 12:10 (corresponding to Mark and Matthew) is found at Luke, chapter 11:

Luke 11:14-23 ("Jesus and Beelzebul")

Now, if we compare Mark 3:22-30, Matthew 12:22-32 and Luke 11:14-23, it is immediately evident that (apart from the "re-placement" of Luke 12:10) they all speak of the same episode of Jesus casting our a demon. Let's look at it in detail in Luke's version:

Jesus and Beelzebul

14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Luke 11:14-23)

What is the sin of the prejudiced enemies of Jesus, the Scribes and the Pharisees (and of whoever, misled by prejudice, "reasons" in bad faith like them)? The answer, by now, is straightforward: rather than admitting that Jesus was casting out the demon by the power of God's Holy Spirit, they were ready to affirm the absurdity that Jesus was casting out a demon by the power of Satan (or Beelzebul)

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, the Scriptures clearly support the exact opposite of what many believe:

The "unforgivable sin" is NOT, the "rejection of Jesus Christ" (and so says with crystal clarity Jesus himself), BUT the blasphemy against God's Holy Spirit, that is the refusal of recognizing God's presence at work, and the attribution of God's signs even to Satan, to Beelzebub.

This will come as a surprise to many, but it is the undeniable conclusion that we draw from the Gospels.