Blasphemy, the Unforgivable Sin
Mark 3:28–30 (NASB 2020) (see also Matthew 12:31-32, Luke 12:10)
28 “Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons and daughters of men, and whatever blasphemies they commit;
29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” —
30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
The only sin that cannot be forgiven is blaspheming the Holy Spirit. We know for sure this is true because Paul was forgiven for his blasphemy. In 1 Timothy 1:12–14 (NASB 2020) we read, “12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13 even though I was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.”
The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT Kittle et.al., Eerdmans, 1964) says, “According to Mark 3:28, 29 and parallels any blasphemy can be forgiven, even though it be against the Son of Man (Mt. 12:32), but not against the Holy Spirit. This can hardly refer to the mere utterance of a formula in which the word πνεῦμα [Spirit] appears. It denotes the conscious and wicked rejection of the saving power and grace of God towards man. Only the man who sets himself against forgiveness is excluded from it.”
TDNT also references an ancient Hebrew work called the Damascus Document. In this document, “it is said of the opponents of the new covenant: “They desecrate the Holy Spirit, blaspheming with their tongue and opening their mouths against the laws of the divine covenant.” Here we have the thought, specifically reminiscent of Mk. 3:28, that blasphemy is a transgression against the Holy Spirit, who is here viewed as the divinely given inner purity of men.”
Since you have believed, the Holy Spirit has made you a new creature and come to live in you. You have been placed in Christ. In Him you now live, and move, and exist. Your life is hidden with Christ in God.
As a believer, you are secure and can never be taken out of God's hand. You are not able to commit the unforgivable sin. Getting angry with Father is not unusual. He's a big boy, and He can take it. He loves you right in the midst of your tantrum just as much as when you are praising Him for all the world to hear.
In that passage in Mark, Jesus was talking to the Pharisees. These guys were institutional religion personified. These folks wanted everyone to live by their rules and if they didn't the Pharisees condemned them.
They taught that obedience to the Law was what made people righteous and put them in right standing with God. That's blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because it says that they know better than God. It denigrates what God said. It says that righteousness can be earned. In saying that, it sets aside the Holy Spirit as the one who provides spiritual rebirth. It is refusal to accept the gift of God and instead trusting in their own ability to know good and evil just like Adam and Eve in the Garden.
All who come to Father must come through faith in His grace. His gift of righteousness cannot be bought. When people insist on trying to make themselves righteous and refuse to trust that only He can make them righteous, it blasphemes Holy Spirit because it says that He is wrong, and they are right.
No one who is in Christ has committed the unforgivable sin. It’s impossible because all who are in Christ are perfectly righteous and holy at the core of their being (their spirit) and Father is well pleased with them. If you are in Christ, the die is cast. You have made your choice. You have acknowledged God and accepted the gift of righteousness that Jesus made available at His very great expense.
