The “Unpardonable Sin” - Conclusion

Last post I suggested the following statements were true -

A. Blasphemy is an “unpardonable sin" according to OT Mosaic law.
B. No sin, of any kind, is forgivable except by grace through faith in Jesus Christ!                      

C. The Holy Spirit is the initiator and guarantor of our salvation.

D. All scripture, including the teaching on the “unpardonable sin”, is written primarily for the instruction of born again believers in Jesus Christ.

E. It is at least reasonable to assume that the “unpardonable sin" teaching is meant to be a source of assurance/comfort for believers.

F. Since a house divided against itself cannot stand, it follows that the recognition of Jesus as Lord and the desire to be saved by Him are evidence of the presence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and demonstrate that an “unpardonable sin” - blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, has not occurred.

I would now like to give an example of what I believe to be "unpardonable sin" in the post Pentecost New Testament, as well as an example of the amazing pardonability of sin in Jesus Christ.

First, consider the fact that the Holy Spirit had yet to "come" in the full sense when Jesus rebuked the scribes and warned them about speaking against or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. If this is true it could be that they did not even commit this sin at the time, but had spoken in such a way that Jesus felt it appropriate to use it as a teaching opportunity for the future when the Holy Spirit would be fully manifest. This would be especially relevant for the family or "people" of Jesus who said He was crazy right before this teaching and I assume are still in the audience (Mark 3:21).

When Jesus speaks of the coming of the Spirit in John 16, we read the following regarding His role: 

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (NKJV)

Surely this is a description of the Spirit's work in the unbeliever (v. 9). It follows that the one who is exposed to the Spirit's convicting work and is not converted is lost and judged.

Now as we read a little further we see the work of  the Spirit in those who are converted: 

John 16:12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (NKJV)

For this group the Holy Spirit's work is quite different, as they are guided and taught by Him for the goal of glorifying Jesus. 

In these two works of the Holy Spirit, I propose we see a work of convicting/judging leading to eternally irreversible state - "unpardonable sin". In contrast, by the same Spirit, those who are converted are guided/empowered to glorify Jesus and can't be guilty of or capable of the "unpardonable sin".

Example of unpardonable sin -

Heb. 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. (NKJV)

As I have already established that the Holy Spirit's work in saving God's people is irreversible (Eph.1:13-14), this must be a person who was never actually born again. The text suggests that the person was a partaker of the Spirit and yet has now turned from the truth in an irreversible way. Whatever work of the Spirit they were to have, they have had and  it did not result in salvation, but rather judgement! Is this not then an example of "unpardonable sin"?

Some might think this is a picture of a backslidden believer, but if compared to John 2:19, regarding those who went out from the church/"us", that "it might be made manifest that none of them were of us" and consider the language just three verses later in Heb. 6:9, regarding those who are truly saved, my point seems quite valid.

Heb. 6:9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. (NKJV)

Clearly the work of the Holy Spirit is the issue here - in the first case bringing judgement to those who had the Spirit's testimony of Jesus and chose to reject it, leading to being beyond repentance/salvation = "unpardonable sin". In the second group, the ones who's salvation is held with confidence, it is because it is a work of the Spirit unto salvation!

A example of the amazing pardonability of sin in Jesus Christ -

1 Tim. 1:12And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, ¹³ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. ¹⁶ However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise,be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (NKJV)

Paul's blasphemy was in "ignorance and unbelief" , but he is now fully pardoned - what happened? The amazing grace of God, working through the Holy Spirit brought conviction, conversion, and belief upon Jesus Christ into Paul's formerly blasphemous heart. He was called by God/Holy Spirit, saved through the blood of Christ - all for the glory of God in Jesus Christ!

Even Paul, the chief of sinners, is pardonable by the work of God through the sacrifice of Christ and regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.

The natural man, unless born again, will find his sin unpardonable if the conviction of the Spirit does not lead to being born again into faith in Jesus Christ! For the believer in Jesus' work - praise the Lord that the Holy Spirit's house (us), will not be plundered and our sin is forever pardoned to God's glory in Christ!

So, is this teaching about the "unpardonable sin" meant to let the scribes no just how hopeless they are? Is it to keep Christians forever guessing if they will miss salvation because they had committed this sin? Or is it a source of hope and assurance for those who believe and are sealed with the Holy Spirit for redemption!

This is a fantastic truth - Jesus' family who said He was crazy (part of the audience of the original "unpardonable sin" teaching, Mark 3:21), Peter who denied Him three times, the crowds who yelled crucify Him, Paul who persecuted Him, and I who once did not believe in Him and still falls very short as a follower of Him, can believe and rejoice in the amazing pardonability of sin available in Jesus Christ!

Yes, I know pardonability is not an actual word!

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."