I receive a lot of emails and Google search hits about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and the unpardonable sin.
One of the more popular search strings has been “Is adultery the unpardonable sin?”
Let me answer that question quickly:
NO. Adultery is not the Unpardonable Sin
And while I’m at it, neither is suicide.
But please, don’t do either of these things. If you are thinking about doing either, and fear of hell is the only thing keeping you from doing it, please contact me through the contact form on my About page.
Here is a link to a short paper I wrote on the subject: The Unpardonable Sin and Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Below is an excerpt from this paper:
If you, or your friend or relative is not a Christian [and are worrying about having committed the sin], then be encouraged. Almost nobody who commits the blasphemy against the Spirit wonders if they have. They don’t care about such things anymore. The unbeliever who commits this sin has become so morally and spiritually blind that their heart is hardened to the point that they no longer care about spiritual things and will never believe in Jesus.
But nevertheless, some people are afraid they have. To them, I would simply say, “Worrying about it pretty much proves that you haven’t. So in order to make sure you never will be able to, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Whatever sin you may have committed, you are still being convicted by it, which is good. God’s grace will cover over that sin, and all other sins if you will just believe in Jesus for eternal life.”
Are you afraid of committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit or the unpardonable sin? Don’t be.
God isn’t out to get you, or set traps in your way so He can shout in triumphant glee, “Aha! Another one who will never experience my grace! Off to hell you go!”
No.
That is not the God of the Bible. That is not what Jesus was teaching in Matthew 12:31-32. That is not the message of Hebrews 6:1-8. God’s grace and what Jesus accomplished on the cross is greater than anything you can say or do. It is only when you come to understand the perfect love of God that all fear vanishes and you can start living for God out of love for Him, rather than fear about Him.
So what is the Unpardonable Sin or the Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit? I have a series of about 20 emails that shares more:
Do you fear that you have committed the Unforgivable Sin?
Fear not! You are forgiven. You are loved.
Fill out the form below to receive several emails from me which explains how you can know that you are loved and forgiven by God.
(Note: If you are a member of RedeemingGod.com, login and then revisit this page to update your membership.)
that’s so weird…i was just talking about this with Andy!
I don’t understand why suicide is not an unpardonable sin.
To my understanding once a person commits suicide he is no longer able to repent. Is it possible to be pardoned from a sin without repentance? I think of when Satan tempted Jesus , he wanted to get Jesus to jump of the mountain . Being that Jesus is the Son of God and the living Word he was able to rebuke Satan using the Word of God. We can only speculate what would or could have happened had Jesus Jumped , but that is not the issue here . The issue is mankind , when Satan convinces mankind to commit suicide , he is tricking man to believe that all their problems will be over yet that is when their major problems begin. Satan’s purpose is to get you to lose your soul and once a person dies and his soul is separated from God he will be eternally damned . No one connected with God will commit suicide. If suicide was acceptable wouldn’t have Jesus done it
Derek,
I wrote in the book about why suicide is not the unpardonable sin. There are three main arguments:
1. The Bible never says that suicide is the unpardonable sin.
2. Repentance is not required for the forgiveness of sins. God forgives all sins, past, present, and future in Jesus Christ on the cross.
3. There are people in Scripture who committed suicide, which later Scripture says will be in heaven.
can you tell me who in the bible committed suicide and went to heaven?
Samson committed suicide, and was a hero of faith.
Very good post. Straight and to the point. I often get this question too, and glad you threw in adultery, and the ever mis-interpreted suicide.
I have to say though, I don’t think you answered the question that your title implies that you will. You assured us that if we love Jesus that we don’t have to worry about it, but some may still be left wondering, what it ACTUALLY is. Maybe you can add it briefly at the end?
Dustin,
I probably should have been clearer. The old paper from 2004 give my position. I have included another link to it at the end of the post.
If I had included it in the post, the post would been too long.
Thankfully, the paper itself is not long. I think it’s only one page.
Got it! Good stuff Jeremy!
Following the link to the paper was very helpful. We have a similar understanding of the issue.
When I hear the topic discussed it almost always includes what the speaker/writer has determined “the” unpardonable sin to be. Many people I know have been hurt when this label was applied to them.
Thank you for your balanced, loving explanation.
Thanks Sam.
Yes, it not actually a “sin” that can be pointed to.
Anyway, I hope it shows people the love and grace of God.
Excellent post. Very succinct. I remember when I pastored, a man in my church came to me nervous wondering if he committed the unpardonable sin. I told him the fact that he’s coming to me about it proves he didn’t commit it.
Suicide always baffled me, though. If I’m a believer and I commit suicide, while I can’t prove it biblically, I believe our King has the grace to forgive us. Since we can’t repent before we do it, the Lord knows our heart, and he knows the complete despair we may have been in and our complete weakness to overcomeit. Now, if we were NOT a believer…….
Yes, you are absolutely right about if we are not a believer. We only have one life to live, and then after that, we face judgment.
To be honest, I still really don’t know what blasphemy of the holy spirit is. And I haven’t heard any really satisfying explanations. Have you?
No. Supposedly, it is speaking against the Holy Spirit. Whatever that means. Speaking what? Speaking how? What if you just think it?
That’s why I am not so concerned with what it is, as knowing whether or not it has been committed. I think the results of it can be seen even if we don’t know what it is: The Holy Spirit stops working in a person’s life to convict them of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Of course, this is nearly impossible to discern accurately, so the best we can do is pray and keep assuming that a person has not committed it. Of course, if a person regularly feels convicted for sin in their lives, then this is one evidence that the Holy Spirit is still at work in their life.
An explanation I once heard, was when your conscience is so seared after you’ve accepted the gift og salvation, that just breathing is a complete offense to Him…
Yikes!
I know, right?
The Pharisees committed the unpardonable sin by attributing to Satan that which was a working of the Holy Spirit. In Cuba in the 1950’s T.L. Osbourne visited the island and GOD performed amazing miracles. The “religious” church leaders put out a white paper saying that this working of miracles was of the Devil. Six months later the island fell to communism (Neville Johnson expounds on this).
It is only when you come to understand the perfect love of God that all fear vanishes and you can start living for God out of love for Him, rather than fear about Him.
Absolutely. Perfect love drives out fear.
Have you considered this in light of God’s reaction to pharaoh? Pharaoh hardened his heart, then God hardened pharaoh’s heart. Just a thought.
Ron,
Thanks for bringing that up. Yes, I actually think that Pharaoh may have committed something similar to the Unpardonable Sin. I think his life and actions show how it looks when someone commits this sin.
HI I THINK I DID BLASPHEMY AGAINTS THE HOLY GHOST OK TELL ME IF I DID OK EVERYDAY IN MY THINKING COMES SWEARS WORDS ABOUT GOD JESUS AND THE HOLY GHOST LIKE YOU KNOW S AND THE D WORD TO GET THERE TO THE DEVIL THEY DID IT WITH HIM AND I SAY OUT LOUD O MY GOD I SWEAR TO GOD AND H AKA YOU KNOW SHIT AND I I DONT SWEAR AT GOD OUT MY MOUTH ITS IN THAT PART OF THINKING THATS HARD TO STOP WHEN IT COMES I TRY TO STOP IT LIKE I SAY NO I DONT MEAN IT AND IT SAY JESUS IS YOU KNOW UNCLEAN THAT COMES IN MY THINKING THEN AFTER IT SAYS YOU DID IT IS BLASPHEMY BY TALKING OR THINKING I DONT MEAN IT IS IT BLASPEMY AND IF YOU DO IT DO YOU GO TO HELL PLEASE TELL ME IF I DID IT.
There was the First Aion Age when Jesus was walking the Earth and arguing with the Pharisees, which corresponds to when Jesus said “This age” (Bible, New Testament, Matthew 12:31-32)
There was the Second Aion Age when Jesus was dead in the tomb, which corresponds to when Jesus said “the age to come” (Bible, New Testament, Matthew 12:31-32)
There is a the Third Aion Age when Jesus was resurrected alive again and also is the Age when Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit is forgiven and is also the age that we are in now. This age goes on for eternity.
Thus ALL GO TO HEAVEN and nothing changed about grace.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the term word for unbelief.
ALL GO TO HEAVEN BECAUSE unbelief is forgiven.
A Time in the Life of Jesus is an Age because Jesus is God and is that important.
“Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. ” (Bible, New Testament, Matthew 12:32)
Matthew 12:32 is when Jesus canceled the Old Code of the law found in Matthew 12:31.
“And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Bible, New Testament, Matthew 12:31)
“Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. ” (Bible, New Testament, Matthew 12:32)
In the Third age blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is forgiven along with all sins.
Jesus died for You You will go to heaven.
Are you sure about that sir?
Jeremy could you take time to call me sometime. Mike
Hi I mocked God sarcastically one time for not letting me feel his presence ! I had a horrible feeling come over me after it was done . I felt like I had just commented the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit . I feel doomed . I begged for Gods mercy and forgiveness . I didn’t say anything about or was it directed to the Holy Spirit . But as in Matthew 12 they didn’t directly say anything about the Holy Spirit but blasphemed . I wish God would have made this more clearer . I’m scared really scared ! I hope God will have mercy on me . I want to go to heaven I don’t want to go to hell . Is there any opinions ?
A family member who was baptized, and confirmed (as an adult) swore, and cursed Jesus Christ, his Mother, and the Holy Spirit with many a lie, refusing to believe or acknowledge that he has done anything wrong in doing what he did, nor come clean to his actions that caused him to blaspheme. I’m beside myself, and have now distanced myself from him for his cowardess to admit the truth.
God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all one but in different forms. This is the Trinity. I can’t fully explain it, but I believe it. I was always taught that denying Jesus as your Lord and Savior was the unforgiveable sin. I believe you have to open your heart and soul up to the Holy Spirit in order to accept the fact that you are a sinner and you need to be forgiven. Forgiveness comes through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. Also, the way to the Father God is through His son, Jesus Christ. It seems that if you deny one, you deny all of them. All three work together. I always thought the main question God would ask us would be “What did you do with my Son?” Believe or Deny (Reject) Him? I know there are some Christians who believe in God and Jesus, but don’t understand who the Holy Spirit is and how the H.S. intercedes for this belief. Does this mean they have committed the unforgivable sin because they don’t believe or understand how the Holy Spirit works? I believe accepting the Trinity is a matter of faith–not of understanding. If we understood everything in the Bible, we would be God.
is saying holy shit or holy crap Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit?