The All-Forgiving Christ and the Unforgivable Sin

Pentecost 3

June 14, 2015

Mark 3:29

The All-Forgiving Christ and the Unforgivable Sin

In the name of the Father and of † the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Reading through the whole Bible is an excellent use of a believer's time. But when you read the Bible, you will find strange and troubling truths. Today is one of those challenging truths, spoken by Christ and recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] 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.

(Matthew 12:31-32)

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.

(Mark 3:29)

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

(Luke 12:10)

Blasphemy is to speak as though you are God. We do this every day. We think, speak, and act as though we are God. This is our Adam's original sin, to speak as though you are God. This blasphemy is against Christ and His Father, yet this is exactly the sin and blasphemy He came to cleanse. He became this blasphemy for us (2 Cor. 5:21) and nailed it, nailed Himself, to the cross for this blasphemy. And He forgives us thoroughly.

So why does Jesus make a distinction between blasphemy against Himself and His Father and blasphemy against His Spirit? Why will every sin and blasphemy against Jesus Christ be forgiven? And why will those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never be forgiven?

Let's start with the second question. The sin against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven because He is the One who sends forgiveness to sinners through the holy Christian Church and brings us into the communion of saints. Those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit are willfully and maliciously rejecting the Gospel itself.

The true Christian faith is not a feeling. It is grounded in historic events and delivered by actual events in your life: Baptism, Absolution, and Communion. These are the ways in which the Holy Spirit delivers forgiveness to sinners.

To put this into a small context, imagine a little kid who absolutely refuses to receive eyedrops for pink eye. If the kid successfully screams and thrashes and kicks, they might eventually get away from the medicine. But their pink eye with stay with them.

The point is that if someone willfully rejects the heavenly medicine that forgives their sinful disease, they will remain in sin and death and be destroyed. If someone refuses the Gospel, they are unforgivable, because the Gospel is forgiveness.

Two important notes about this unforgivable blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

First of all, Christians cannot point the finger to accuse anyone of this sin. Christ will judge these sinners according to His perfect knowledge. We cannot see what Jesus sees, so we do not accuse anyone of having committed this sin. With the Baptism, Absolution, and Communion that the Holy Spirit delivers, there is always hope for even the most stubborn sinner―of whom I am the worst. In the same breath, we do warn ourselves and others if they are stubborn to repent and turn to Christ's cross.

Secondly, if you're worried that you've done something so awful or so big or so often that it is unforgivable, do not be afraid! It is forgiven on the cross. Someone who has blasphemed against the Holy Spirit does not and will never care about sin or forgivness or the Holy Spirit. To worry about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a clear sign that you are fighting the good fight of faith.

And looking about at those who were sitting in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! Whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”

(Mark 3:34-35)

To borrow Jesus' lovely way of saying it, only His mothers and brothers and sisters listen to His words and wrestle with these hard truths. His will for us is to receive His promises and forgiveness. And we do receive them and this leads us to confident confession of Christ as the One who sends His Holy Spirit to save us.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. I tell you, whoever acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.

(Luke 12:6-8)

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. Alleluia! Amen!