What is the unforgivable sin?

[Wolfe]

Matthew 12:22-37
What did Jesus mean by blaspheming the holy spirit? I know it was in context of the pharisees attributing his works to satan, but could we today commit this sin?
If someone, was once a christian, but then stopped believing, rejecting Jesus, and hating him (Cussing, slander, etc), but then later on down the road he has an epiphany and changes his heart,mind and soul. to live a life for God, truly repents, and accepts Jesus into his life. Could he be saved or is it too late?
Basically my question is:
Is there any point, in any ones life, that they cannot repent and be saved? Regardless of what they have done or said about the trinity?

Is this post http://www.gotquestions.org/blasphemy-Holy-Spirit.html correct in saying that we cannot commit this sin, as it is stated in matthew, and the only way to commit it, is to die an unbeliever?

I apologize if this is the wrong place to put this, and if it is, let a mod move it, or lock it, and let me know where to post it. This was just the most relevant sub forum I could find, as it pertains to salvation, and if we can lose it.

 

[EmSw]

If you repented and bring forth fruit worthy of your repentance, you will be saved.

 

[DingDing]

Matthew 12:22-37
What did Jesus mean by blaspheming the holy spirit? I know it was in context of the pharisees attributing his works to satan, but could we today commit this sin?
If someone, was once a christian, but then stopped believing, rejecting Jesus, and hating him (Cussing, slander, etc), but then later on down the road he has an epiphany and changes his heart,mind and soul. to live a life for God, truly repents, and accepts Jesus into his life. Could he be saved or is it too late?


Basically my question is:
Is there any point, in any ones life, that they cannot repent and be saved? Regardless of what they have done or said about the trinity?

Is this post http://www.gotquestions.org/blasphemy-Holy-Spirit.html correct in saying that we cannot commit this sin, as it is stated in matthew, and the only way to commit it, is to die an unbeliever?

I apologize if this is the wrong place to put this, and if it is, let a mod move it, or lock it, and let me know where to post it. This was just the most relevant sub forum I could find, as it pertains to salvation, and if we can lose it.

Hello Wolfe,

As I read your post, it has two overlapping (and perhaps identical) questions. I have underlined them above. Here is my opinion. Yes, anyone living can commit this unpardonable sin. One way is to reject everything the Spirit says from the outset - kind of like the pharisees did by attributing Christ's works to satan; the other is to begin rejecting sometime down the road, and finally crossing a point of no-return. The latter is a hard one to identify, because although I believe such a point of no-return exists, I'm not sure how to specify exactly when it is crossed. But for example, I take it that Judas crossed this line; and persons like Hitler certainly crossed this line at some point. But when it occurs is not my call, but I believe the line to be there. At some point a person becomes so hard-hearted and evil that they have sealed their fate. But I think a more general problem is persons who die unsaved, who have had and still had opportunity to repent, but just wouldn't do it. And this can be persons who attend church who may appear outwardly to be saved, but inwardly they are evil. I have crossed paths with such people; these are deceived people (often self-deceived) who believe their actions will not be held against themselves (or they just don't care). Anyway, those are my thoughts.

 

[sdowney717]

The persons who committed that sin also rejected Jesus as the Christ of God, the Messiah in saying Christ's works were done by the power of Satan. So keep that thought in reference to what Christ says.

Since it is God who grants you to repent, His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance and faith, such persons God will not grant to them repentance unto life. So they will die in their sins remaining Christ rejectors.
Really there is no salvation outside of Christ, He is the only way to come to the Father.

For believers, ALL their sins have been forgiven, so believers can NOT commit unforgivable sins.
The blood of Jesus Christ washes their sins white as snow.

Colossians 2
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.[c]

 

[DingDing]

...
For believers, ALL their sins have been forgiven, so believers can NOT commit unforgivable sins.
...

But a believe can become a non-believer. There are warnings aplenty about departing from the faith. Those who depart can then become unforgivable, but again, I would not know how to identify when that line is crossed.

 

[sdowney717]

But a believe can become a non-believer. There are warnings aplenty about departing from the faith. Those who depart can then become unforgivable, but again, I would not know how to identify when that line is crossed.

Then they are not believers.
Hebrews 3
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

 

[DingDing]

Then they are not believers.
...

Yes, the saved ones became unbelievers.

 

[Jason Sanders]

To put it quite simply, the only sin that cannot be forgiven is unbelief. Specfically, the only kind of unbelief that will not be forgiven is willful unbelief, rejecting what is plainly and obviously the truth that is RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU and yet you will not accept it as true. The Pharisee's commited it by refusing to accept Jesus as the Messiah and claiming that all he did was done through the power of demons. The only way WE can do it is if we die in our unbelief, having never repented of our sin.

Hope this helps.

 

[DingDing]

To put it quite simply, the only sin that cannot be forgiven is unbelief. Specfically, the only kind of unbelief that will not be forgiven is willful unbelief, rejecting what is plainly and obviously the truth that is RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU and yet you will not accept it as true. The Pharisee's commited it by refusing to accept Jesus as the Messiah and claiming that all he did was done through the power of demons. The only way WE can do it is if we die in our unbelief, having never repented of our sin.

Hope this helps.

The only qualification I would add is to the last sentence which I underlined above. We can die in unbelief, if we have never repented, or if we later became unrepentant and unfaithful, after having formerly repented. In other words,we can loose it if we are not careful.

 

[Jason Sanders]

The only qualification I would add is to the last sentence which I underlined above. We can die in unbelief, if we have never repented, or if we later became unrepentant and unfaithful, after having formerly repented. In other words,we can loose it if we are not careful.

I would say that, even if someone has previously fallen away from the truth and given themselves over to a lie, they can still be saved by true repentance.

Its a difficult issue, and I know my opinion isn't exactly popular, but it is what I believe.

 

[DingDing]

I would say that, even if someone has previously fallen away from the truth and given themselves over to a lie, they can still be saved by true repentance.

Its a difficult issue, and I know my opinion isn't exactly popular, but it is what I believe.

I would agree if you mean that they repent of their current apostasy, and that they haven't crossed the line of unforgivableness - wherever that line is drawn.

For example (and I have seen this one used in arguments), did, or was, Hitler ever saved as a youth? I'm not sure we can know what Hitler did or did not do as a youth, but as an adult, we know what he did, and I would say that at some point as an adult he crossed a line of no-return - no matter what his situation may have been in early life. The things discussed in Ez. 18 plays into this discussion. A righteous man can turn into an unrighteous one, and God will forget his time of righteousness, if he does not repent.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Matthew 12:31
"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."

#1. The word "blasphemy" was never used as in reference to unbelief. The word "blasphemy" has always meant in reference to speak bad words against the Lord. Just do a study on this word and it will become obvious.

#2. The Pharisees (unbelievers) committed the unforgivable sin by the very words they said to Jesus (See Matthew 12:24).
These were not words exclusively about expressing unbelief alone on their part but they were words of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

#3. In Matthew 12:32, the unforgivable sin is not only unforgivable in this life, but it is a sin that is unforgivable in the life to come (i.e. the Millennium or the 1,000 year reign of Christ). So if you believe that the unforgivable sin is talking about rejecting Christ and not about blaspheming the Holy Spirit (i.e. speaking bad words against the Holy Ghost), then you must believe there will be unbelievers in the Millennium. But how can that be? Jesus will be living and reigning in the Millennium.


...

 

[Bible Highlighter]

There are also other unforgivable sins, too.

1. Taking the Mark of the beast (Revelation 14:9-10).
2. Suicide (self murder) and not coming back to life to repent of it (1 John 3:15) (1 Corinthians 3:17).
3. Rejecting Jesus as one's Savior after one has had the Holy Ghost and the gifts thereof (Hebrews 6:4-6).


...

 

[EmSw]

Then they are not believers.
Hebrews 3
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Have you carefully read your bolded words? You forgot to put 'brothers' in bold too.

 

[sdowney717]

Have you carefully read your bolded words? You forgot to put 'brothers' in bold too.

Of course, brothers would mean those your in fellowship with, assuming them to be believers like yourself.
When I am in church, I look around and simply assume everyone there is a brother in the Lord, but that is truly a false idea.
Only the Lord can truly know the heart not us, and the warning is about unbelieving and evil hearts. The writer of Hebrews is warning all since no person can know the secrets of the heart of another person. this is written in the form of an exhortation to continue in the faith, with the warning that if you do not believe, other's faith won't carry you on to God and heaven. Everyone has their own individual relationship regarding salvation and inheriting God's promises.

 

[DingDing]

Of course, brothers would mean those your in fellowship with, assuming them to be believers like yourself.
When I am in church, I look around and simply assume everyone there is a brother in the Lord, but that is truly a false idea.
Only the Lord can truly know the heart not us, and the warning is about unbelieving and evil hearts. The writer of Hebrews is warning all since no person can know the secrets of the heart of another person. this is written in the form of an exhortation to continue in the faith, with the warning that if you do not believe, other's faith won't carry you on to God and heaven. Everyone has their own individual relationship regarding salvation and inheriting God's promises.

Hello sdowney717,

I liked the sentiment behind your post, but I would suggest that as both Jesus and John the baptist said, a tree can be known by its fruit. The more in tune a person is with the Spirit, the easier it is to recognize the fruit. In other words, there are a lot of bad apples out there... beware.

 

[EmSw]

Of course, brothers would mean those your in fellowship with, assuming them to be believers like yourself.
When I am in church, I look around and simply assume everyone there is a brother in the Lord, but that is truly a false idea.
Only the Lord can truly know the heart not us, and the warning is about unbelieving and evil hearts. The writer of Hebrews is warning all since no person can know the secrets of the heart of another person. this is written in the form of an exhortation to continue in the faith, with the warning that if you do not believe, other's faith won't carry you on to God and heaven. Everyone has their own individual relationship regarding salvation and inheriting God's promises.

You make it sound good, BUT, you forgot the last part of verse 12 -
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

Unbelievers CANNOT fall away from the living God, only believers.

Also, it says 'lest there be IN ANY OF YOU an evil, unbelieving heart. 'IN ANY OF YOU' would include believers and unbelievers among the brethren.

 

[EmSw]

Of course, brothers would mean those your in fellowship with, assuming them to be believers like yourself.
When I am in church, I look around and simply assume everyone there is a brother in the Lord, but that is truly a false idea.
Only the Lord can truly know the heart not us, and the warning is about unbelieving and evil hearts. The writer of Hebrews is warning all since no person can know the secrets of the heart of another person. this is written in the form of an exhortation to continue in the faith, with the warning that if you do not believe, other's faith won't carry you on to God and heaven. Everyone has their own individual relationship regarding salvation and inheriting God's promises.

So, sdowney, do you think the writer of Hebrews assumed he was talking to the brethren? Plus, would they be brethren if they were unbelievers?

If he was writing to unbelievers only, why not just say, take care unbelievers.....? If he was writing to unbelievers only, he WOULD NOT say, 'lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart'. We all know unbelievers would have an unbelieving heart.

 

[DingDing]

Hebrews... isn't that what Jesus did when he turned water into wine? (Or is that term only applied to the turning of water into beer?)

 

[Hawk Flint]

Matthew 12:22-37
If someone, was once a christian, but then stopped believing, rejecting Jesus, and hating him (Cussing, slander, etc), but then later on down the road he has an epiphany and changes his heart,mind and soul. to live a life for God, truly repents, and accepts Jesus into his life. Could he be saved or is it too late?

Before I answer, can you tell me, are you the person described here? The info would help my answer.