Random Thoughts on Forgiveness, Pt 2
The Unpardonable Sin
When talking about
forgiveness and the need to forgive, we need to also remember that there is a
sin that God does not forgive at all.
For example, let’s
not forget that the one sin, God does not forgive is referred to as the “unpardonable
sin” (Matt. 12:31, 32; Mark 3:28-30; Luke 12:10).
The act of the Pharisees which led Jesus to speak of the unpardonable sin was the attributing of a good deed wrought by Him through the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28) to Beelzebub (Satan). No one could do such a thing unless his moral nature was completely warped. To such a person the fundamental distinctions between good and evil were completely obliterated. They were blind to the core and there was no hope of repentance. No ordinary appeal could reach such a person. For to him good seemed evil and evil seemed good. The possibility of winning him back is practically gone; hence, he is beyond the hope of forgiveness, because in a spiritual sense, God had “abandoned” him (“gave them over,” Rom. 1:24, 26, 28) to the doom of their own sinful nature. Here the person places himself beyond the possibility of attaining to that state of mind which is the essential condition for divine forgiveness.
The act of the Pharisees which led Jesus to speak of the unpardonable sin was the attributing of a good deed wrought by Him through the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28) to Beelzebub (Satan). No one could do such a thing unless his moral nature was completely warped. To such a person the fundamental distinctions between good and evil were completely obliterated. They were blind to the core and there was no hope of repentance. No ordinary appeal could reach such a person. For to him good seemed evil and evil seemed good. The possibility of winning him back is practically gone; hence, he is beyond the hope of forgiveness, because in a spiritual sense, God had “abandoned” him (“gave them over,” Rom. 1:24, 26, 28) to the doom of their own sinful nature. Here the person places himself beyond the possibility of attaining to that state of mind which is the essential condition for divine forgiveness.
In essence, what
is the unpardonable sin? It is “unbelief.”
This is the one sin that sends people to hell. Jesus said, “Whoever
believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
It is important to note that the prerogative to not forgive a particular sin is God’s choosing, not ours. All sin is against God (Psalm 51:4). But it is also important to note that God does not forgive all sin, for the unpardonable sin is a prime example.
It is important to note that the prerogative to not forgive a particular sin is God’s choosing, not ours. All sin is against God (Psalm 51:4). But it is also important to note that God does not forgive all sin, for the unpardonable sin is a prime example.
Moreover, never
ever think that you have committed the unpardonable sin (the sin of unbelief)
in this life time. You can be forgiven by repenting of your sin and putting
your faith and trust in Christ no matter what you have done. Only God knows who
has crossed the line of no return. As
long as a person is alive, the hope of being forgiven by God is just a prayer
away.
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