The Unpardonable Sin

There have been more than a few occasions when someone said to me, "I’ve committed the unpardonable sin. I can’t be saved." On one occasion we were doing a street ministry in Glasgow, Scotland. I was ministering at a church in the evenings, but during the day we would take the young people of the Church and head for the business streets of Glasgow to pass out tracts or the residential areas to do a street ministry. These young people brought their guitars and sang lively gospels to lure the people out of their homes and to attract passersby while the pastor of the church and I ministered to them.

It reminded me of the park ministries in Baltimore, years ago, when people surrounding the park would hang out of their windows and join in the singing or venture into the park to be ministered to. On occasion through the years, someone would hang his head, look at his feet and say, "I've committed the unpardonable sin. I can't be saved." A prostitute on Baltimore Street thought adultery was the unpardonable sin. She had become a prostitute because she believed she had nothing to lose.

I tell you saints, there is a heap of spiritual healing to be done just in the streets...

There was even one occasion when a young man told me his pastor had thrown him out because he had committed the unpardonable sin and could no longer fellowship with his church. This young man, though devastated, felt he had no choice but to believe him. After two hours of counseling and assuring him that he had not committed the unpardonable sin, he was delivered of his fear, and the lie, as he embraced Jesus with tears and an open and broken heart. 

It has even been addressed in e-mails to me within the past year. A young man from Africa was accused by his pastor and was in deep distress. A young lady was nearing a nervous breakdown  - and another thought she had lost her salvation and could never go to heaven because of her sin. I have discovered that not only the sheep are confused and misguided about the context of this sin, but many strict and controlling pastors are as well. This article therefore, is to explain the unpardonable sin, so those whose lives may be in shambles may be delivered from their anxiety and be reunited with the forgiving Christ.

The conversation usually goes like this:

"I’ve committed the unpardonable sin. I can’t be saved."

"No, you haven't."

"I haven't?"

"No, you haven't."

"But you don't know what I did. So how can you be so sure?"

"Because you are concerned about it."

"Of course I'm concerned. Wouldn't you be?"

"But that's the very reason I know you haven't committed the unpardonable sin."

"I don't understand."

"If you had really committed the unpardonable sin, you would not be concerned. You would be cursing me and running away. You would have bolted your door, closed all your windows or left the neighborhood when we arrived. The fact that you are grieved by it, assures me that you have not crossed the line.

You see, the unpardonable sin is the point of no return. When you commit the unpardonable sin, the Holy Spirit abandons you and demons take possession of your soul. You want nothing to do with the church, the Bible or any conversation related to Jesus Christ. You don't even think about it. You become bitter, hard-hearted and anti-God to the core.

The fact that you grieve, the fact that you are willing to discuss it, tells me that you still have open access to the Lord. You may be in gross error, but you have not yet been condemned."

"But I walked away from God."

"Forgivable"

"I told Jesus I didn't want to preach and I cussed Him for asking me to."

"Forgivable"

"I didn’t want to be laughed at so I denied my faith in God." 

"I broke my promise to God.”

“I got angry when my Dad died and I told Jesus off.”

"All forgivable!"

There is only one unpardonable sin. Let me explain:

Jesus stood up in the Synagogue and read from Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Here Jesus stopped reading for the rest of that verse pertains to the end-times judgment that will come with His second appearance. Then He sat down, as though he were preparing to teach, and said, “This day, this prophecy is fulfilled in your hearing."

 Again, having said that, He paused. Having heard it, the people just stared at Him. He had openly declared Himself to be the Messiah that had been promised and was now come. Well, these small-town folk knew him as the local carpenter, the son of Mary and Joseph. He had brothers and sisters. He had grown up in Nazareth right under their noses. Jesus was not suddenly sent. He was raised here…

They were misguided in their expectations for they looked for a warrior Messiah. Surely the Son of David would come out of Jerusalem or Bethlehem, in any case not out of little ole’ Nazareth. They became so enraged with His presumption they tried to throw Him over a cliff and kill Him. Still, these devout neighbors, while clinging to their traditions, had not committed the unpardonable sin.

Then the day came when Jesus had an encounter with the Pharisees over the deliverance and healing of a blind and dumb man. They accused Him of using occult means, the power of Beelzebub (Satan) to cast the blind and dumb spirits out of the blind and dumb man (Matthew 12: 22-24).

However, Jesus had received the anointing for His ministry during His baptism in the Jordan. The Holy Spirit, fulfilling prophecy, sat upon Him in the form of a Dove. This, together with the audible voice of God proclaiming, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,” was confirmation from Heaven that this was indeed the promised Messiah. There had been more than a few witnesses at the place where John was baptizing and in a country like Israel, groaning under her oppression by the Romans, such a revelation would not be kept secret for long. Ah, but the heart of a man is stubborn and proud, and hard to convince. It strains at a gnat and swallows a camel…

Now, one would think the Pharisees, being the religious leaders of the day, would be well versed in the scriptures and would recognize the signs. When Herod had John the Baptist thrown into prison, John sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask: “Are you the Messiah?” Jesus sent them back with this message: “Go and tell John the things you have heard and seen. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk. The lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Jesus knew that John would recognize these things as the prophetic signs that the Messiah had come. 

And yet, on this particular day, the Pharisees, who also knew the scriptures and the signs, accused him of casting out devils by the power of the devil himself. This was the moment in which Jesus issued the stern and most serious warning of his entire ministry - the explanation of the unpardonable sin:

“Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven men. Whosoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come” (Matthew 12: 31-32).

Whatever we speak against God or the Lord Jesus Christ will be forgiven. But when we blaspheme the Holy Ghost, denying his power and his works, ascribing his holiness to the evil works of Satan and his cohorts, we shall not be forgiven. Pastors who are tempted to ascribe prophecy or healings to demonic sources should be duly warned. While it is true we are to test the spirits by weighing the word given and the deed done with the Word of God and the witness of the Holy Spirit, we should allow time for the word to prove it’s validity, and we should be guarded in our assessment. We should never jump to conclusions either by thought or accusation. We should let it ride and move ahead as the Spirit leads. If it is of God, it will be manifest. If it is of the flesh, it will fail.

Even prophets miss the mark sometimes. They do not hear the word correctly or they declare it incorrectly. A true and seasoned prophet will share a Word from the Lord EXACTLY as it is given whether he understands it or not. A novice prophet or prophetess will be tempted to add flesh to the prophecy, lacing it with a personal interpretation that may or may not be correct. This does not mean they are speaking by evil spirits. It means they are still pampering the flesh. A wise pastor will know the difference and let it pass. A foolish pastor will humiliate the prophet before the congregation and publicly denounce the word. I’ve witnessed both types of reaction and I say to you Pastors, you need to be cautious.

The same warning applies to healings. Many denominations never see a miracle in their church because they do not offer calls for healing prayers in accordance with the scriptures. They do not believe miracles are for today. They believe Apostles, Prophets and miracles were done away with in the close of the first century after all the Apostles had died. They believe the gifts of the Spirit were for establishing the early church, but once established, they were done away with. For centuries they have denied the gifts of the Spirit and the works of the Holy Ghost.

They forget, if God was the healer in the wilderness – “I am the Lord that healeth thee” – and if God is no respecter of persons and if His Word never fails – then He is still the healer today.

If Jesus went about all the towns and villages healing ALL that were oppressed of the devil, casting out demons, healing the sick and raising the dead, and if Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, then Jesus is still healing the sick and delivering the oppressed. His final words just prior to His ascension were instructions to the church to carry out the Great Commission. We are to follow His example and continue the work that He began…

Be forewarned, these instructions are not for the baby believer. They are for the  spirit-filled, obedient and warrior saint of God who knows without a doubt in his bones that the promises of God are yea and A-men, and that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of prophecy, and is the Power of Christ within them.

When Paul journeyed to Ephesus, he went into the synagogue and preached boldly there for about three months, reasoning with the locals and the leaders and persuading them in the things concerning the Kingdom of God. “But when some were hardened, and believed not, but spoke evil of ‘The Way’ before the multitude, he (Paul) departed from them, withdrew the disciples (he had found there) and reasoned daily in the school of Tyrannus” (instead of the synagogue –Acts 19:9).

It is another example of how men – even religious leaders – can speak evil of the deity and power of the Holy Ghost. And, of course, when they denounced the power and authority of Christ, who ministered in the fullness of the Holy Ghost, they were speaking against the Holy Ghost. They had committed the unpardonable sin.

Returning to the faith of the believer and the Great Commission, there is another story in Acts 19 of the faith of a few who had good intentions but were totally unprepared. The seven sons of Sceva, chief priest of the Jews in Ephesus, wanted to drive the demons out of a crazy man. So they followed Paul’s example by invoking “the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Unfortunately, they were without the necessary anointing of the Holy Spirit. The demons said to them, “Jesus we know, and Paul we know, but who are you?”

“And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” It is a warning…do not enter the battle without full armor, and an understanding of the fierceness of the foe you are about to encounter…Satan knows by name every one of God’s warriors, every devoted intercessor, and every uncompromising shepherd. He knows who stands through faith and who cringes in fear.

In a moment such as this the warrior saint of God is filled with a holy boldness, which is the unction of the Holy Spirit, and when they speak it forth, things happen. The sick are healed, the bound are loosed and the dead are raised up. And if anyone or any angel tells you differently, do not listen to them. Listen to the Word and the teachings of Jesus Christ…

In Mark 9: 38-40 the Disciple John was telling Jesus: “Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name. He does not walk with us so we forbade him from doing so.” But Jesus said, “Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our side.”

So, there you have it. Satan has brought a lie to you and you have swallowed it because you didn’t search the scriptures for yourself. You didn’t take it to the Lord and ask Him. You didn’t repent of the sin you were accused of and ask forgiveness. But all is not lost. This is your day. Run back to God this very moment and be restored. The calling on your life must be powerful for Satan has tried to put you out of commission with this lie, and the longer you wait, the more he will pound you with it. You cannot afford to believe the lie instead of the Lord…

Whatever you have done that you think is unforgivable, unless it was to credit the power of the Holy Ghost to the powers of Beelzebub (Satan), you have not committed the unpardonable sin. As Jesus said, ALL sins against Christ or the Father may be forgiven. ALL sins against yourself or others may be forgiven. Sins against your pastor or your church may be forgiven. All denials prior to salvation will be forgiven.

I was flying from Baltimore to Seattle by way of Dallas-Fort Worth in 1984. It was my custom to always carry my Bible on board with me to read on my journey. I was seated in an aisle seat in the back of the plane. Across the aisle from me sat a clean-cut man in a business suit. Out of the corner of my eye I would see his occasional glance at my open Bible. After a little while I closed it, and extended the Bible to him, “Would you like to read for awhile?” He threw back his hands and lurched backward in his seat as if I were offering him hot coals off the fire.

“No – no,” he said, and as I pulled in the Bible he jumped from his seat and marched to the front of the plane. He did not return. Later, when I made a trip to the lavatory in the front of the plane, I saw he had taken another seat in the front. He turned his eyes away and would not look at me as I passed him on my return to my seat. The Lord spoke to me:

The man was a Satanist and was terrified of the Holy Bible. He had to get as far away from me as he could. The Holy Spirit in me was making the spirits in him very nervous. The Lord had hidden this fact from me when I offered him the Bible. He wanted me to see them on the run, even without a fight. I had seen them flee with a fight, and I would see it many times more, both with a fight and without it, through the years that followed…

Could he be converted and forgiven? Absolutely! He is a captive, bound by Satan’s lies and deceptions, and needs to be set free. Three fourths of the world is bound by lies and the deceptions of Satan. Even Christians, pastors, spiritual leaders and whole denominations are bound by doctrines and traditions of men that are not of God.

The book of James tells us that teachers will be scrutinized the most and held the most accountable for what they teach. It is a frightening thing to fall into the hands of an angry God. Daily examination of our hearts and thoughts are vital if we are to walk the path that Jesus has called us to. Repentance of anything – anything – that is contrary to the love and the teachings of Christ is vital, it has to go…

We must watch our thoughts, our words, our feelings and our motives. We must be cautious of the temptation to call a professing saint an agent of the devil. We can say he is misguided, needs correction and steering, we can say he is living in the flesh, or we can say he is immature and has to grow up, and we can even say he is missing God, but we must never attack his soul or his deeds as a work of the devil. Instead of pulling him down with our own self-righteousness, we should be mentoring him and pulling him up. We will be held accountable for our offenses to the brethren.

It is acceptable to call evil “evil” and to ascribe evil works to the evildoers who reject the deity and sovereignty of God. Jesus did – so can we. But be careful when you accuse the brethren – even if you know that you know they are wolves instead of sheep. If they refuse to be corrected by the Word of God, say no more, just walk away and don’t look back. Do not gossip, do not slander, do not accuse…

Today, the unpardonable sin is still the rejection and denial of the Holy Ghost as applied to salvation and/or the works of faith. Jesus summed it up as: crediting Satan with the powers of the Holy Ghost. It includes the rejection and denial of the Holy Ghost as a witness who is bringing the lost to Jesus Christ.

When the Holy Spirit convicts your heart, time and time again, and you continue to reject Him, there will come a day when He will leave and never return to you again. You rejected Him once too often and finally committed the unpardonable sin.  Your rejection and denial of the person that is the Holy Ghost, your rejection of His favor and power, will not be forgiven. And because the Holy Ghost is also God, to reject Him is to challenge the very character and authority of God. There are six recorded sins against the Holy Ghost. These are:

Blaspheming  -- (Matthew 12:31-32; Luke 12:10)

Lying or tempting – (Acts 5.4-9)

Despising – (Hebrews 10:29)

Resisting – (Genesis 6:3 – Acts 7:51)

Vexing or Grieving – (Isaiah 63:10 – Ephesians 4:30)

Quenching – (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

Today, those of you who are once again set free from the anxiety of your dread can give thanks to Him that you are not condemned for committing the unpardonable sin. Repent of the sin that had you bound up in the lie, and thank Him for His Grace, His mercy, His love, His redemptive forgiveness and the restoration of your soul. Now, stand up straight and declare to the Heavens, “I have been given another chance, and this time, I will not blow it. From this day on, it is Jesus with me all the way. Satan cannot claim me. I am redeemed by the word of my testimony and by the blood of the lamb.

I am accepted in the Beloved, I am a child of the King. I am of the household of faith and when my next problem comes, I shall run, not walk, but I shall run to the Savior. I shall not run away from Him. Today is the beginning of the rest of my life and it is going to count for Christ and for others that are still bound. I was lost for a little while, but now I am found, and I am going to stay that way…

For all sins, take them to the Cross of Christ, and leave them there. You will know you have not committed the unpardonable sin by the brokenness in your own heart. Then follow the teaching that will help you to avoid sinning against the Holy Ghost. These are:

Repent immediately, of anything you know in your heart has saddened our Lord. While you are repenting, remember to stand in the gap of repentance for your nation as well. King David repented for Israel. Daniel repented for Israel. Isaiah repented for Israel. We must identify with and repent for the sins of our nation.

Be led by the Spirit of God.

Be filled with the Spirit of God.

Be obedient to the Spirit of God.

Be reverent. He is God and the very nature of God and he may be worshipped.

Thank Him continually. When He speaks, answer Him. He will speak many things to you.

Be teachable, allow for illumination by the Spirit of God. He will always speak in accordance with His Word. He will never speak contrary to it.

Develop a close relationship with the Holy Spirit. Lean on Him, depend on Him, trust Him and follow His instructions.

Now, don’t you feel better? Just listen to all those angels singing for you, “Welcome home, precious saint…”